Copycat Doubledave’s Pizza Rolls

One of the first Aggie games I ever attended started out with a stop at Doubledave's. I had never been to a Doubledave's before, but C raved about their pizza rolls.   At lunch, they are usually served on a buffet and he can eat a dozen or so.  I am not a huge fan of pepperoni, but I will tolerate it in pizza rolls.  Miss F and C were thrilled with these.  Next time I make them, I will definitely double the recipe, since I was left with only one pizza roll to eat.  Thankfully, I had a big salad, so I wouldn't be starving after having dinner.  This recipe was guided by a post on TexAgs.

Copycat Doubledave’s Pizza Rolls

½ cup warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cups bread flour
4 slices provolone cheese, halved
40 pepperoni slices
½ cup crushed tomatoes or ranch dressing

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, yeast and sugar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to get bubbly. Add the salt, oil and half of the flour. Turn on the mixer on low and add remaining flour ¼ cup at a time, until it is all incorporated. Swap out the mixer for the dough hook and knead for 6 minutes. Form into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven with a pizza stone inside to 425 degrees. Roll out the dough into a 12” circle. Line the edges with the provolone slices and top with the pepperoni slices, 5 per half slice of cheese. Cut the dough into 8 pizza slices. Roll each up like a croissant. Place the rolls on the pizza stone and bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Serve with warmed crushed tomatoes or ranch dressing.

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Slow Ferment Pizza Crust

When I saw this pizza dough on Crumbly Cookie, I knew I had to try it. I love the flexibility it provides you by having a one to five day rise time in the refrigerator.  This is a picture of my pizza, if you want to envision Miss F's pizza, imagine a pizza with nearly no visible crust that is completely covered in pepperoni (or "peps" as she calls them.)  This pizza dough was incredibly easy and provided delicious results.  The only thing that makes it a little challenging is having to let it rest for two hours before baking, but it is totally worth it.

Slow Ferment Pizza Crust

2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon yeast
¼ teaspoon sugar
7/8 cup water

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients until well combined. Tightly cover and refrigerate, minimally overnight or up to 5 days. After one day, knead the dough for 1 minute.

Two hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Form into a ball and cover with a dish towel.

About 30 minutes before baking, place the pizza stone in the oven and set the temperature to 500 degrees. Stretch the dough into a 12 inch round and place on a piece of parchment paper, top as desired. Transfer the paper and pizza to the pizza stone and bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

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Mini Pizzas

These adorable little pizzas were a fun way for Miss F and I to have dinner without a major battle over pizza toppings. We have totally different tastes, but we would never be able to finish two whole pizzas.  I don't like making pizzas with half toppings, it never seems to cook properly.  These were fun to assemble and even more fun to eat.  She and I took down the entire plate.  When C is home for dinner, I would probably have to double the recipe.  These would be fantastic as a party app as well.  The recipe is from The Comfort of Cooking.

Mini Pizzas

1 teaspoon yeast
½ cup warm water
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Desired toppings

Stir together the yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer, let stand for 5 minutes. Add the flour, salt, sugar and oil to the bowl. Knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes, then shape into a ball. Place the dough, covered with a towel, in a warm place for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the dough on a well floured surface, stretching into a 12”x8” rectangle. Use a round cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles. Place the rounds onto a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Top each with the crushed tomatoes, cheese and any desired toppings. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve.

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Chicago Style Pizza

C went to business school in Chicago. I have visited a few times and one of my most favorite things in the city is all the wonderful food choices.  Pretty much every meal I have had in Chicago has been delicious.  We were so excited when Gino's East opened a restaurant in Houston.  Apparently, the rest of the city was not as excited and it closed less than a year later.  Luckily, the recipe is available online so we can make our own Gino's East pizza at home.  I had low expectations, but this pizza is spot on, especially the buttery and flaky crust.  It's a winner!

Chicago Style Pizza

¾ cup cornmeal
1 cup warm water
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup olive oil
4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Desired pizza toppings
1 cup crushed tomatoes
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Process the cornmeal in a food processor or coffee grinder as fine as possible. Sift the cornmeal into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water, yeast, salt, sugar, oil and 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Use the whisk attachment and stir for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of flour to the mixture and use the dough hook to stir to combine. Add the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky, you may not need all the flour. Knead the dough with the dough hook for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough into a ball and flatten. Use a rolling pin to roll into a ¼ inch thick circle. Oil the bottom of a 12” iron skillet with vegetable oil. Press the dough into the bottom of the skillet and 2” up the side. Cover the skillet with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest while the oven preheats to 475 degrees. Brush the dough with the remaining butter. Layer the mozzarella cheese on the bottom, then top with whatever desired toppings you choose. Spread a layer of crushed tomatoes on top of the toppings, then sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake the pizza for 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 400 degrees and bake the pizza an additional 10 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Allow the pizza to cool 5 minutes before serving.

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Crab Pizza

Some things I just instantly want to make. Enter Crab Pizza. It was destiny. My parents had one last container of crabmeat from a crab feast and I had an afternoon free to head down to their house to swim.  This pizza was perfection.  All the wonderfulness that is crab dip on top of pizza crust.  My parents and I devoured the entire pizza for lunch, but it would be fantastic cut into squares as an appetizer.  Thankfully we are having crabs next week, so we can replenish our crabmeat supply.

Crab Pizza

For the white sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
¾ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the pizza:
half recipe of pizza dough
Olive oil, for brushing
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ pound fresh crab meat
Old Bay, for topping

To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until bubbling and light golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in the heavy cream and garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To make the pizza, preheat the oven and a pizza stone to 500 F for at least 20 minutes. Shape the dough into a 12-14 inch round. Lightly brush the perimeter of the dough with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of white sauce over the crust, leaving a border clear around the edge for the crust and reserving ¼ cup of the sauce. Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, and top with fresh crab and reserved sauce. Return to oven for a minute or two, just to warm the crab. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with Old Bay to taste.

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Pizza Pizzas

This was a fun recipe to make. I had been out a baby shower all afternoon and came home to make the pizza dough for the next night's dinner. The 15 minute kneading seemed crazy, but it made for a really nice dough to work with. It spread out perfectly for a nice crust when I shaped it the following day. Miss F had a blast topping it, she wanted every square inch covered with pepperoni, I think she was quite successful in her efforts. I had a plain mushroom pizza that I baked second, there weren't nearly as many mushrooms as pepperonis. This recipe is adapted from Alton Brown.

Pizza Pizzas

2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ cup warm water
2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons olive oil
Olive oil, for the pizza crust
Flour, for dusting the pizza peel
½ cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
Desired toppings

Place the sugar, salt, olive oil, water, flour and yeast in a stand mixer’s bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low until it forms a ball. Swap the paddle for the dough hook and knead for 15 minutes on medium.

Tear off a piece of dough and flatten it, stretching it until thin. Hold up the dough to the light to see if the baker’s windowpane has formed. If the dough tears before it forms, knead for 5 to 10 minutes more.

Roll the dough into a smooth ball and place in a glass bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Divide the dough into two balls and flatten each into a disk, then fold into a ball. Cover the ball with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Repeat with the other ball of dough.

Stretch the dough into a round disk, rotating after each stretch. I liken it to driving a car, just keep turning the wheel. Place the prepared dough onto a sheet of parchment paper.Top with the tomatoes, cheese and any desired toppings. Slide the parchment paper onto the pizza stone and bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Let rest 3 minutes before slicing.

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Super Bubbly Pizza

This recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen. It is supposed to be thin crust pizza, but it didn't turn out that way for me. It turned out to be the most bubbly pizza ever, which is a wonderful thing as far as I am concerned. I baked one pizza after a day's refrigeration and the second after three days, both were super bubbly and both were delicious.  I love bubbles in my pizza crust, but Miss F doesn't agree.  She doesn't even love pizza crust at all, she gives them to me to eat.  The dough preparation is unlike any I have tried for pizza before, but it works beautifully.

Super Bubbly Pizza

4 cups bread flour, plus more for work surface
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon yeast
1 1⁄3 cups ice water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt

In a food processor, process the flour, sugar and yeast until combined. With the machine running, pour the water through the feed tube and process for 10 seconds. Let the dough stand for 10 minutes. Add the oil and salt, process until the dough forms a ball that clears the sides of the workbowl, about a minute. Remove the dough and shape into a ball, place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic rape and refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.

One hour before baking the pizza, adjust the oven rack to the second highest position. Set a pizza stone on the rack and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide in half, shaping each into a ball. Cover and let stand for one hour.

Coat the sough with flour and flatten into an 8” disk on parchment paper, roll into a 13” round. Top as desired. Slide the pizza and parchment onto the stone and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let the pizza cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Repeat with the remaining dough ball or refrigerate for later use.

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Calzones

C and I visited New York to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We visited the Transit Museum in Brooklyn and realized that it was the first time we had ever been to Brooklyn, it was exactly as we expected it to be.  After visiting the museum, we decided to find pizza.  C and I always disagree on toppings, so I just ordered a slice while he had a calzone.  His calzone looked so delicious, I knew I wanted to make them when we got home.  We each were able to personalize our calzones with our preferred toppings and it was a huge dinner success.  I used Wolfgang Puck's pizza dough recipe, just divided it into four to make four calzones.  Miss F loved assembling them and was a big fan of her personalized calzone.

Calzones

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees )
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing the pizza crusts
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
20 slices pepperoni
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 mushrooms, quartered
1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

In the bowl of the stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water. Add the honey and stir together, let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the olive oil, then the flour and salt. Use the dough hook to knead at low speed for 2 minutes. Turn up the speed to medium and knead 5 minutes more. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 3 minutes more. Oil the mixing bowl and return the dough ball to it, tossing well to coat with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes to an hour in a warm spot. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shape each by gently pulling the dough and tucking it underneath the bottom of the ball. Roll the ball on a smooth surface until it is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes more. The dough can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone inside. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Press out each dough piece on a lightly floured surface, gradually spreading each into a circle 8" across. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on half of each circle, then top with pepperoni, bell pepper, mushroom and tomato. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on top of each, then fold over to create a half circle. Press the edges to seal. Transfer the calzones to the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown.

While the calzones are baking, simmer the crushed tomatoes over medium-low heat with the Italian seasoning. Serve the calzones with tomato sauce on the side.

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Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Dough

Miss F has visited Disneyland several times, which means we are quite familiar with LAX and it's lack of food options in the United terminal. The one place she loves there is Wolfgang Puck's, she can eat a whole pizza on her own. This recipe makes two pies, she ate six of her eight pieces of pizza (pepperoni.) The only reason she stopped eating was because she wanted to take a slice in her lunch the next day. I would say this was by far and away her favorite pizza dough I have ever made, she loved it and so did I.  I topped mine with basil and tomatoes from my mom's garden, I had an abundant supply and was thrilled with the results.

Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Dough

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees )
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing the pizza crusts
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

In the bowl of the stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water. Add the honey and stir together, let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the olive oil, then the flour and salt. Use the dough hook to knead at low speed for 2 minutes. Turn up the speed to medium and knead 5 minutes more. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 3 minutes more. Oil the mixing bowl and return the dough ball to it, tossing well to coat with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes to an hour in a warm spot. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shape each by gently pulling the dough and tucking it underneath the bottom of the ball. Roll the ball on a smooth surface until it is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes more. The dough can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone inside. Press out the dough on a lightly floured surface, gradually spreading it into a circle 12" across. Form a slightly thicker rim around the edge of the circle. Brush everything but the rim with olive oil. Place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Top the pizza with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese and any desired toppings. Transfer the prepared pizza to the pizza stone, including the parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Slice and serve.

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Pizza Chips Pizza

C and Miss F both love pizza chips, they are quite a favorite around here. I decided to make pizza with the same dough recipe and it worked fabulously.  I made two pizzas, doubling the recipe, one for C and Miss F (pepperoni) and one from me and my parents (veggie.)  I really love making homemade pizza so much more than ordering out, I just wish that I had two ovens so that we could all enjoy pizza at the same time. I  usually make the pepperoni first, then I am stuck waiting for my pizza pie.

Pizza Chips Pizza

½ cup warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cups bread flour

½ cup crushed tomatoes
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
pepperoni, artichoke, bell pepper, tomatoes, spinach, etc...

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, yeast and sugar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to get bubbly. Add the salt, oil and half of the flour. Turn on the mixer on low and add remaining flour ¼ cup at a time, until it is all incorporated. Swap out the mixer for the dough hook and knead for 6 minutes. Form into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone inside. Form the dough into a 12 inch circle and place on parchment paper. Spread the crushed tomatoes over the prepared crust, then sprinkle the mozzarella over top. Spread whatever toppings you prefer on top. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Let cool for 2 minutes, then cut with a pizza slicer.

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Mellow Mushroom Pizza Dough

Miss F loves to make pizza, she is an amazing helper. She has gotten better at making doughs with me and she loves to operate the KitchenAid stand mixer. When we made this crust, she spilled a little bit of flour. She spent nearly the next hour playing with that flour. She was writing in it, moving it around and drawing in it. Pure kid entertainment! I got this recipe from Eva Bakes. She noted a sweetness to the crust, but I felt the molasses added a nice spice. I have never had Mellow Mushroom pizza before, but I recently learned there was a shop north of Houston. I will have to give it a try sometime soon to compare this crust to the original. I also wish we had double ovens when making pizza, I have to make a pepperoni pizza for C and Miss F, while I despise pepperoni and like to get a little more creative with my toppings.

Mellow Mushroom Pizza

1 ½ cups hot water
2 ½ tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ½ teaspoons yeast
3 ½ cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
cornmeal (used for dusting your parchment paper)
melted garlic butter
parmesan cheese crumbs

In a two cup measure, stir together the water, molasses and olive oil. In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the yeast, flour and salt. Slowly pour in the water mixture, turn the mixer to medium-low and knead until smooth.

Transfer the dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a wet towel and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled (about 1-2 hours).

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place your pizza stone in the preheated oven and allow it to heat for at least 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into two halves and form each half into a ball by folding the "sides" of the dough towards the back (imagine you are gift wrapping a balloon). Pinch the "sides" together in the back of the dough and press down slightly.

Cover each dough ball with a wet towel and allow to rise for another 30 minutes. At this point, you can bake the dough balls or transfer to a freezer bag and refrigerate or freeze for a later use.

To bake the dough, sprinkle some corn meal onto a piece of parchment paper. Place the dough down on the parchment, and working from the center, push the dough outwards (you may rotate the dough/parchment) to form a circle. Do not make the center too thin or else it will break.

Brush the top of the dough with olive oil and add your toppings. Bake on the preheated pizza stone for 7-9 minutes or until the crust is golden. Add garlic butter immediately after removing the pizza from the oven and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.

Yield: Two 12-inch pizza crusts

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Pizza Margherita

This pizza was all Miss F's creation. She spooned out the sauce, scattered the cheese and artfully arranged the basil. She also made a plain cheese pizza for herself because she didn't want green leaves on her pizza. Her loss. Pizza Margherita is one of my most favorite ways to have pizza, especially with fresh basil from my mom's garden. I like the simpleness of plain crushed tomatoes and shredded mozzarella to top this pizza.  The dough was perfect, just the right amount of chewiness.  The pizza dough recipe is adapted from Feeling Foodish.

Margherita Pizza

3 cups flour
½ teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozzarella
handful of basil leaves

Mix together the flour, yeast, salt and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour the warm water into the flour mixture, stir until all the flour is incorporated. Add the oil and use the dough hook attachment to knead the dough for five minutes. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and place in sealed quart-sized container or freezer bag and refrigerate overnight or up to 72 hours.

The following day, remove the dough balls within two hours of baking to allow the dough to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone inside. Open each dough ball and transfer to parchment paper. Top with the crushed tomatoes, mozzarella and basil leaves. Transfer the parchment paper to the pizza stone and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Serve.

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French Bread Pizzas

When I was a kid, I loved frozen pizza.  Ellio's was my favorite, I haven't had it since I moved to Texas.  Totino's filled in for Ellio's when I moved here.  And when I wanted a fancier frozen pizza, Stouffers French Bread Pizza (help yourself!) was the winner.  The only issue I had with it is that it took something crazy like 45 minutes to make.  These homemade versions take less time and taste a million times better.  You can get as creative as you like with the toppings, we went with pepperoni and hatch chile combinations.  Of course you have to quarter the pepperonis, just like good old Stouffers does.

French Bread Pizzas

1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon oregano, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 loaf French bread
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced in two
2 cups shredded mozzarella
toppings of your choice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the tomatoes, one tablespoon oil and oregano to a small saucepan. Heat over medium high heat to a boil, reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Slice the bread in half lengthwise, then in half again to create four pieces. Brush the bread with the remaining oil and rub the garlic clove over each. Spread ¼ cup of the tomato sauce over each, then top with ½ cup of cheese. Top with your preferred toppings and a sprinkle of oregano. Bake on a baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and just starting to brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

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Perfect Pizza Crust

Miss F has a game called "Pizza Mania!" At the start of the game, the chef says "Let's all make some delicious pizza." I love to make delicious pizza, who doesn't, but I often resort to buying pizza dough from our local pizza shop because it is just so easy and always foolproof. Confections of a Foodie Bride is a fellow Houstonian and absolutely amazing cook, so I figured her pizza crust recipe would be fantastic. And I was certainly right! And it was nearly as easy as driving over to my local pizza shop and buying the dough.  As the chef says at the end, "You win!"

Perfect Pizza Crust

1 ½ cups warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons dry active yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing crust
½ teaspoons salt
3 ½ cups flour, plus more for dusting
Cornmeal, for dusting surface

Place water and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let stand for 10 minutes - if your yeast doesn't swell or get frothy, buy new yeast.
Add the olive oil, salt, and flour.

With the mixer on low, mix until the dough comes together and mostly off the sides of the bowl (it will not come all the way off of the bottom). You can add flour by the tablespoon if necessary. Let the mixer run for 5 minutes to knead the dough. It should be smooth and slightly sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into thirds and shape into a ball. This makes the perfect pizza stone sized pizza. Lightly dust a plate with flour and place the balls of dough on top, seam-down. Sprinkle the top with flour, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge. Allow to rise in the refrigerator for 8 hours.

Pull the dough out of the fridge and let it sit, covered, on the counter for 60 minutes while your oven is preheating. If the plan is to only make one pizza that day, dust the extra ball of dough with flour, loosely wrap with plastic wrap, place in a gallon zip-top bag and refrigerate to it within 2 days, freeze if you need to store it for longer.

Place your pizza stone in the top 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 550, letting it hold at temperature for 30 minutes. Prepare your toppings: grate cheese, chop veggies, cook sausage, etc. Cut a piece of parchment paper to the size of your pizza stone. Dust the parchment paper with cornmeal.

Gently stretch the dough into a round - I hold one edge of the dough ball a couple of inches above my work surface and let gravity do most of the work, while I move my hands around the edge of the dough (like turning a steering wheel). Place the dough onto the parchment paper.

Switch your oven from "bake" mode to "broil." (If you get the option, select the "high" broil setting or 550 degrees. If you don't get the option, don't worry about it.). Top the pizza as desired. Transfer the pizza, parchment included, to the baking stone and broil for 5-7 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven, leaving the stone in place. Slice and serve.

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Caramelized Onion, Spinach and Goat Cheese Pizza

This was another pizza from the wine exchange I hosted. I have used caramelized onions often in appetizers, like caramelized onion bruschetta and caramaelized onion dip. I was trolling the internet looking for a way to translate this to a pizza and I discovered this recipe on Foodess.  It seemed like the perfect way to serve sweet caramelized onions on a pizza.  To make things easier, I prepared the onion and spinach pizza the day before the party and stored it in an airtight container.  That way, all I had to do was top the pizza when it came to party time.  We still didn't end up eating pizza until 10 pm, but that is a whole different story.

Caramelized Onion, Spinach and Goat Cheese Pizza

1 large sweet yellow onion (about 1 pound), halved and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 cups baby spinach
Your favorite pizza dough
½ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup shredded Parmesan
3 tablespoons soft goat cheese

Place your pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook over low heat until softened and caramelized. Add the vinegar and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the spinach and sauté until wilted.

Prepare your pizza crust on a piece of parchment paper. Brush dough with olive oil and top with the mozzarella, Parmesan, onions and spinach. Dot with the goat cheese. Transfer the pizza with the parchment paper to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

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Apricot, Brie and Arugula Pizza

This was probably my most favorite pizza I served during the wine exchange. I got the idea when I saw Pioneer Woman topped a fig pizza with arugula. One of my most favorite appetizers to serve is apricot baked brie.  I figured it would translate well to a pizza and I was right.  I could have eaten the whole pie myself, in fact, I believe I traded away a slice of the prosciutto and sausage pizza (I don't really go for meat on pizza) for another slice of this pizza. Major thanks go to my friend Courtney for suggesting tossing the arugula with truffle oil, which was completely genius and really sent this pizza to a whole new level.

Apricot, Brie and Arugula Pizza

1 recipe of your favorite pizza crust
1 cup apricot jam
½ teaspoon salt
Your favorite pizza dough
½ pound Brie, sliced thinly
1 cup arugula
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon truffle oil

Place your pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Microwave the jam and salt in a small microwave safe dish for a minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Prepare your pizza crust on a piece of parchment paper. Spread the jam on the pizza crust and top with the Brie. Transfer the pizza on parchment to the pizza stone and bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Meanwhile, toss the arugula with the vinegar and truffle oil. Top the warm pizza with the arugula, slice and serve.

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Vegetable Pizza

I hate meat on pizza, there isn't a single traditional meat pizza topping that I enjoy. I do love Thai Chicken Pizza, but that is a whole different kind of pizza. I used cherry tomatoes that my mother-in-law gave me from her garden, pure heaven. Back in college, I would "fancy" up plain Totino's pizzas with sliced tomatoes and dried oregano, I think my freezer always had at least half a dozen frozen pizzas in it at any one time.

Vegetable Pizza

1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, slice in two pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
3 leaves basil, minced

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ bell pepper, sliced
½ zucchini, sliced
2 mushrooms, sliced
½ tomato, chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ recipe, parmesan pizza crust or pizza crust of your liking

In a small sauce, bring the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic clove, salt and basil to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the pizza stone inside. Roll out pizza crust on a sheet of parchment paper to 10 to 12 inches. Top with the cooled tomato sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella over top, arrange toppings and sprinkle with oregano. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

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Parmesan Crust Pizza

When I made Stromboli, I really liked the recipe for the pizza dough, the Parmesan added such a nice depth of flavor. The Weekly Menu Plan to the right over there is always a moving target. Often things come up during the week, usually resulting in C sharing a can of chili with Miss F (shudder) or me thinking of a more toddler friendly and fun meal for the two of us. This recipe was the result of a last minute dinner C had with friends, I figured Miss F and I would have fun making pizza.  I scratched the artichoke pasta dish I had planned to have and repurposed the ingredients into a pizza for me.  I made Miss F a plain cheese pizza, which she gobbled right up.  I know everyone usually has a pizza crust recipe that they love, but this one is worth a try.

Parmesan Pizza Dough

¼ cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons yeast
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix yeast and ¼ cup lukewarm water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The yeast will dissolve and become foamy.

Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle.

Mix the dissolved yeast mixture with ½ cup lukewarm water. Turn the mixer on. Pour the water and yeast into the bowl and mix until the dough makes a ball. If the dough is too sticky to make a ball, add a little more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it forms a ball. Swap out the paddle for the dough hook and knead until smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Pour one tablespoon of olive oil into a medium bowl and swirl it around until the bowl is coated. Place dough ball into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free place. The do ugh should rise until it is twice as big as when you put it in the bowl. This should take about 1 hour.

Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl. Using your fist, press all the air out of the dough and use for stromboli recipe. (NOTE: You can wrap your dough in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before making pizza). Divide in half and roll out into two 10 to 12” pizza crusts

Top as desired, bake at 450 degrees on a pizza stone for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the toppings.

Adapted from Cooking Live

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Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

The lovely Chasity gifted me a Sur la Table gift card (the perfect gift) and I couldn't wait to use it to get a pizza stone. A few years back I got a cheapo pizza stone and it cracked in the oven, but before it did, I loved cooking on it. I decided the pizza on it would be a simple whole wheat crust with tomato sauce and cheese, with pepperoni for C and Miss F. I adapted this recipe from the latest issue of Saveur.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
printable recipe

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons yeast
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour

In a bowl combine oil, sugar, yeast, salt and 1 cup of 115 degree water; let sit until foamy, 10-12 minutes. Stir in flour to make a dough. Transfer dough to a floured surface; knead until smooth, 8-10 minutes. Roll the dough into a ball (or divide into two balls if you are making two pizza crusts). Put balls on a floured baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap; let sit in a warm place until soft and tripled in size, 2-3 hours.

Place pizza stone on a rack in lower third of oven. Heat oven to 500 degrees for 1 hour. Transfer the dough ball onto a floured piece of parchment paper the size of the pizza stone. Working from the center, gently flatten dough with fingertips, leaving edges thicker than the middle. Stretch dough to fit your pizza stone. Cover dough with a tea towl and let rest for 15 minutes. Brush edges with olive oil and season with salt. Spread dough with pizza sauce, leaving a 1” border. Add desired cheese and toppings.

Transfer pizza on paper to stone and bake until golden brown, 10-14 minutes. Remove pizza with a spatula and enjoy.

Adapted from Saveur

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Thai Chicken Pizza

This is one of the most awesome pizzas I have ever eaten, I absolutely loved it. C thought that the crust was fantastic, but it would have been much better with "normal stuff, like pepperoni". His other thought on it was that peanut sauce does not belong on a pizza. Well, I thought the peanut sauce went fantastically on the pizza and I am glad I am going to be able to enjoy all the leftovers myself. I didn't have any green onions on hand, but I didn't miss them at all. For the future, I will halve the recipe, making one for me and one "normal" one for C.




Thai Chicken Pizza

Sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons minced ginger (or more if you wish)
2 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water

Chicken:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1 pizza dough, use your own recipe
cornmeal or flour, for handling
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 scallions, slivered diagonally
1/2 cup white bean sprouts
1/4 cup shredded carrot

Directions
Combine sauce ingredients in a small pan over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a boil; boil gently for one minute. Divide into 2 portions for use on chicken and pizza; set aside.

To make chicken: Cook the chicken in olive oil over med-high heat, stirring, until just cooked; 5 to 6 minutes do not overcook. Set aside in refrigerator until chilled through. Once chilled, coat the chicken with ¼ cup sauce. Set aside in refrigerator.

To make the pizza: Use a large spoon to spread ¼ cup sauce evenly over pizza dough within the rim. Cover sauce with ½ cup cheese. Distribute half the chicken pieces over the cheese followed by half the green onions, bean sprouts, and carrots, respectively. Sprinkle an additional ¼ cup cheese over the toppings. Make the second pizza in the same fashion. Transfer the pizzas to oven; bake until crisp and golden and the cheese is bubbly, 9 to 10 minutes. When cooked through, remove pizza from oven.


Pizza Dough
Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

5/8 cups warm (100 to 110 degrees F) water
1 package dry yeast
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 1 ½ cups flour, then the salt, and mix. While mixing, add ½ more cup of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on low to medium speed for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking to the bowl.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it several times to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll each one into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature. Roll and stretch each ball into a rough 12-inch circle and place them on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal.

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