During a recent trip to the mainland, one of my nieces and her fiance asked me if I would teach them how to make pizza dough. Several family members were invited and we turned it into a party where each guest chose their own toppings.
Arleen and Rick outdid themselves in the variety of toppings they selected... pepperoni, turkey ground, an assortment of cheeses, black olives, mushrooms, raw purple onions and caramelized onions, wilted spinach, Balsamic roasted garlic, fresh and sundried tomatoes, green and red bells, roasted red peppers, ham, pineapple....en fin, a veritable Smörgåsbord that could have fed a crowd.
We used a recipe I have been using for about 10 or more years for a very fast rising dough that does not require resting time. Mix it in a food processor, dump out and give it a few kneadings, shape on your baking pan and start placing toppings on and bake.
In our case, we cut the dough balls in 8 pieces to make individual pies.
From start to finish you can have pizza ready to eat in less than half an hour!
The following is a no pre-cook sauce, as it cooks while the pizza is baking in the oven. It can also be used with lasagna and other dishes that call for tomato sauce
'No-Cook' Tomato Sauce
2 cans (15 oz each) tomato sauce (Homestyle recipe (Thick and Rich)
4 whole tomatoes - chopped, stem ends and all (Deli trick - you can save up ends
when you slice tomatoes for salads, etc. and freeze in zip lock bags)
2 Tablespoons your favorite dry Italian Seasoning mix (or a mixture of dried
oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, onion, etc)
Mix all together in blender and use right away
Since Arleen couldn't find the Homestyle Recipe (Thick & Rich) tomatoes in her
stores, we used chopped stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and fresh chopped Italian
parsley and minced fresh rosemary
YIELD: Depends on amount of tomatoes and tomato cans used
'White' Pesto Sauce
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 garlic clove - minced
2 Tablespoons chopped basil (fresh)
or 1 Tablespoon basil pesto in a tube
1/2 cup parmesan cheese or freshly grated
Heat butter in saute pan, add flour little by little as you stir well until no
lumps form - it works best if you sift the flour into the melted butter
Slowly add milk a little at a time while continuing to stir. Add remaining
ingredients and continue stirring. If too thick add milk...if too thin add
flour
YIELD: About a cup - Can be doubled
Balsamic Roasted Garlic
Chop a whole head of garlic or mince it, as you desire. Place in oven proof baking dish and cover to just top with balsamic vinegar. Place in 450 o oven until roasted but not burnt - time depends on quantity of garlic, from about 10 minutes for 1 head to about 45 minutes for a half gallon jar of peeled cloves.
