According to this recipe, it makes enough for 5 pizzas. Also onions are left out of the original recipe, so I did not omit them. I have made this sauce and it is really good. I am not a spicy pizza sauce lover, so you can omit the red pepper flake and not hurt this one bit, I did and it turned out so well. Personally, when I made this pizza for the first time, I omitted any toppings so I could taste the dough and sauce together.
Ingredients:
One 28 ounce can reduced sodium crushed tomatoes ( see note)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Up to 1/2 teaspoon read pepper flakes, optional
1 garlic clove, minced
Ingredients:
1.) Mix the tomatoes, olive oil, sugar, basil, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a large sauce pan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
2.) Set the lid askew, reduce heat to low, and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down into a somewhat thickened sauce, about 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before using, or store covered, in a plastic container in the refrigerator for three days. The best way to get sauce on a stretched dough is to use a ladle; spoon the sauce into the middle of the crust, then use the back of the ladle to spread the sauce evenly over the crust.
NOTE:
The quality of the tomatoes will directly affect the quality of the sauce. DO a taste test sometime to discover a brand with true tomato taste without too much salt or acid.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Classic Pizza Dough
This recipe makes one (1) pizza. So, if you are wanting to make multiple pizzas you need to make multiple batches of this recipe. It is pretty simple, however water temperature is IMPORTANT here.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup lukewarm water (between 105 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit) - This is extremely important!
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
1 cup all-purpose four , plus additional for dusting
Vegetable oil or non stick spray
Instructions:
1.) A mixing bowl or the bowl to a stand mixer can often be quite cool- and thus a detriment to the yeast. If yours feels cool to the touch, fill it first with some warm tap water, drain it, and dry it thoroughly. Then stir in the water, yeast, sugar, and salt together in the bowl just until everything is dissolved. Set aside at room temperature for 5 minutes to make sure the mixture bubbles or foams. If it doesn't, either the yeast expired or the water was not the right temperature. Throw the mixture out and start again.
2.) If working by hand: Stir in both flours with a wooden spoon to make a soft dough. Sprinkle a clean, dry work surface with a light coating of all-purpose flour; turn the dough out onto it, and knead for 8 minutes by pulling the mass with one hand while twisting it with the other, all the while digging the heel of your twisting hand into the dough. After every two or three push/twist/dig actions, rearrange the dough by folding it onto itself. If the dough is sticking to your hands, add a little more all-purpose flour, no more than a tablespoon or so, then continue kneading until smooth and elastic.
If working with a stand mixer: Add both flours, attach the dough hook, and beat at medium speed until soft dough forms. Continue beating, adding more all-purpose flour in one tablespoon increments if the dough gets sticky, until the mixture is oft and elastic, about 6 minutes.
3.) Wipe a clean large bowl with a bit of cooking oil on a paper towel; or spray it with non stick pray. Place the dough in the prepared bowl, turning the dough so all sides are coated with oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Shape dough according to shape of pan you are using.
NOTE:
Active dry yeast can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year to preserve its freshness.
I made this dough with a stand mixer and not by hand. Easier yet is to go to your favorite pizza joint and see if they will sell you a dough or go to the grocery store and see if they have dough in the deli department. I know that Publix did in Florida.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup lukewarm water (between 105 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit) - This is extremely important!
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
1 cup all-purpose four , plus additional for dusting
Vegetable oil or non stick spray
Instructions:
1.) A mixing bowl or the bowl to a stand mixer can often be quite cool- and thus a detriment to the yeast. If yours feels cool to the touch, fill it first with some warm tap water, drain it, and dry it thoroughly. Then stir in the water, yeast, sugar, and salt together in the bowl just until everything is dissolved. Set aside at room temperature for 5 minutes to make sure the mixture bubbles or foams. If it doesn't, either the yeast expired or the water was not the right temperature. Throw the mixture out and start again.
2.) If working by hand: Stir in both flours with a wooden spoon to make a soft dough. Sprinkle a clean, dry work surface with a light coating of all-purpose flour; turn the dough out onto it, and knead for 8 minutes by pulling the mass with one hand while twisting it with the other, all the while digging the heel of your twisting hand into the dough. After every two or three push/twist/dig actions, rearrange the dough by folding it onto itself. If the dough is sticking to your hands, add a little more all-purpose flour, no more than a tablespoon or so, then continue kneading until smooth and elastic.
If working with a stand mixer: Add both flours, attach the dough hook, and beat at medium speed until soft dough forms. Continue beating, adding more all-purpose flour in one tablespoon increments if the dough gets sticky, until the mixture is oft and elastic, about 6 minutes.
3.) Wipe a clean large bowl with a bit of cooking oil on a paper towel; or spray it with non stick pray. Place the dough in the prepared bowl, turning the dough so all sides are coated with oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Shape dough according to shape of pan you are using.
NOTE:
Active dry yeast can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year to preserve its freshness.
I made this dough with a stand mixer and not by hand. Easier yet is to go to your favorite pizza joint and see if they will sell you a dough or go to the grocery store and see if they have dough in the deli department. I know that Publix did in Florida.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Reading Jule & Julia
I have never been one to just 'jump on bandwagons' as it were. I have always enjoyed doing my own thing. But I gave in this time because I want to see the movie Julie & Julia. So, because of that, I wanted to read the book before I saw the movie. I think that sometimes when I find a book because of a movie, I have predisposed notions of the characters because of the movie. I will give you an example. James Bond. Ian Flemming wrote the James Bond books way before the movies were even thought about. But now depending on the book I am reading, in my mind I see either Sean Connery or Roger Moore as James Bond in that book. There is nothing wrong with it per say, but I feel that it kind of inhibits my imagination.
I love to read because I can imagine what characters look like based on their descriptions and places too. If I have seen the movie, I find that as I read I have the movie running through my head. Again, nothing wrong with that. I just like to stretch my imagination a little.
It is the same with cooking. Some cookbooks have glossy pictures of every recipe in them. While it is nice to look at, I find that people tend to go by what the picture looks like rather than what the recipe turned out as. See, those pictures were set up by professional food stylist. They are supposed to look absolutely perfect. But as well all know, cooking is not about perfection in pictures, it is about perfection on the plate.
Yes, we eat with our eyes first, as the saying goes. However, we also eat with the sense of smell. How many of us have eaten something that looked horrible but smelled divine? Then when you tasted it, it seemed to taste of heaven? I know I have on a lot of occasions, sometimes things that I have made myself.
As a home cook, I think that nothing has to be picture perfect. If your cake leans a bit, who cares? As long as it tastes good. No one is grading you. This my friends is the hardest lesson to learn for me. I am one person who wanted everything perfect. Sometimes, perfect is in the eye of the beholder.
I don't see myself as a chef.. I am a cook. This book is inspiring me to possibly do something similar, although less French. LOL. I am going to have to ponder this feeling.
I love to read because I can imagine what characters look like based on their descriptions and places too. If I have seen the movie, I find that as I read I have the movie running through my head. Again, nothing wrong with that. I just like to stretch my imagination a little.
It is the same with cooking. Some cookbooks have glossy pictures of every recipe in them. While it is nice to look at, I find that people tend to go by what the picture looks like rather than what the recipe turned out as. See, those pictures were set up by professional food stylist. They are supposed to look absolutely perfect. But as well all know, cooking is not about perfection in pictures, it is about perfection on the plate.
Yes, we eat with our eyes first, as the saying goes. However, we also eat with the sense of smell. How many of us have eaten something that looked horrible but smelled divine? Then when you tasted it, it seemed to taste of heaven? I know I have on a lot of occasions, sometimes things that I have made myself.
As a home cook, I think that nothing has to be picture perfect. If your cake leans a bit, who cares? As long as it tastes good. No one is grading you. This my friends is the hardest lesson to learn for me. I am one person who wanted everything perfect. Sometimes, perfect is in the eye of the beholder.
I don't see myself as a chef.. I am a cook. This book is inspiring me to possibly do something similar, although less French. LOL. I am going to have to ponder this feeling.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Looking For Gourmet, I Am Not Your Girl!
As some of you might have noticed, I am not a gourmet cook. I never will be. I have issues with art work on a plate. If you are sitting down to eat something, then there should be something on the plate to eat! No seriously, I have never been a gourmet kind of person. I think that it mostly comes from growing up with a single parent in Florida. I mean my mom was not gourmet, or maybe she was and I did not know it at the time.
I find that I tend to gravitate to food that is real, simple, good, and that tastes great! I am not knocking French food at all , I have never had real gourmet food. Mainly because I am allergic to onions. Everything in French cooking has onions. So, I either leave them out of the recipe that I am making or just stay away from that food.
I am sure that there are some things in French cooking I could have if I was willing to try. I think that right now, I am not really willing to try just yet. I am enjoying my foray into country cooking and Italian cooking. Both which I can relate to on an emotional level. I have never been a food snob or what they call a 'foodie'. I love diner food. I love bar food.
I am just not into the high concept food. I mean it looks wonderful on the plate, but in some cases, there is not enough! If I am hungry, I want to eat! I don't want to eat something then have to go home and make something else to eat.
I think that this is one of the reasons why I am not culinary school material. Maybe I am a food snob, but only in my own snobbery. I think that if I am going to cook for people then they should be so full that the mere thought of food will make them sick! Okay, maybe not that full, cause I have been there a few times and I know how uncomfortable that is.
I think that the worst thing in the world is to make dinner for someone or some people and to have even just one person go home hungry is a tragedy. I mean really. If I went to a place where I ate my whole dinner and was still hungry afterwards, I would never ever set foot in that place again. Seriously. Why spend money to go home hungry and end up eating at home?
This is just me though... I am one person. Tell me what kinds of food you like...
I find that I tend to gravitate to food that is real, simple, good, and that tastes great! I am not knocking French food at all , I have never had real gourmet food. Mainly because I am allergic to onions. Everything in French cooking has onions. So, I either leave them out of the recipe that I am making or just stay away from that food.
I am sure that there are some things in French cooking I could have if I was willing to try. I think that right now, I am not really willing to try just yet. I am enjoying my foray into country cooking and Italian cooking. Both which I can relate to on an emotional level. I have never been a food snob or what they call a 'foodie'. I love diner food. I love bar food.
I am just not into the high concept food. I mean it looks wonderful on the plate, but in some cases, there is not enough! If I am hungry, I want to eat! I don't want to eat something then have to go home and make something else to eat.
I think that this is one of the reasons why I am not culinary school material. Maybe I am a food snob, but only in my own snobbery. I think that if I am going to cook for people then they should be so full that the mere thought of food will make them sick! Okay, maybe not that full, cause I have been there a few times and I know how uncomfortable that is.
I think that the worst thing in the world is to make dinner for someone or some people and to have even just one person go home hungry is a tragedy. I mean really. If I went to a place where I ate my whole dinner and was still hungry afterwards, I would never ever set foot in that place again. Seriously. Why spend money to go home hungry and end up eating at home?
This is just me though... I am one person. Tell me what kinds of food you like...
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