Monday, January 10, 2011

Jackie's Homemade Pizza 5/5 Spoons

I make this pizza once a week. Like many of my other friends, pizza is a huge part of my food life. It is just so perfect. Dough, sauce, herbs, veggies and cheese? Hell to the yeah. You can customize it to suit anyone's needs.

So obviously once again, I need a camera desperately. Yeah well I am poor as hell, so you will all have to wait. Here is a picture of someone's pizza that is not my own. It looks pretty good though, no?



(Photo courtesy of B&B Creative Marketing, Inc.)

This is the recipe I use for dough. It works for me and what I want (with some tweaks) and it has never failed me. It's one of the few recipes (besides my lemon vinaigrette) that I know by heart. Here are my tweaks:

-- I used 1 c. of whole wheat flour instead of a full 3 1/2 c. of unbleached all purpose flour.
-- This is my favorite yeast to use. I feel like of all the ones I have tried, it yields the softest and most forgiving dough.
-- To season the dough I add about 1/2 T. kosher salt (maybe a bit more), 1 T. crushed fennel seeds (I usually beat the shit out of it with a frying pan) and any mix of oregano or thyme (usually about 1/2 T. of each or both). I've added red pepper flakes, pepper and parmesan cheese before but I like the mix I have. I think fennel seeds are essential though. They give the dough a very authentic flavor.

OK, guys. Oh my god, this is the best pizza sauce ever. I can't find it except at certain grocery stores in Green Bay (and I'm sure other random stores in Wisconsin) but I always stock up when I go home. I have a loving relationship with Rocky Rococo's pizza because we ate it when we were kids. I loved the sausage pizza and always called the middle row of the pan pizza my brothers and I shared. So I highly recommend this sauce if you can get it.

Ok, toppings. Obviously it is your choice, your personal preference. I typically put pineapple, thinly sliced onions and green peppers on my pizza. Occasionally I'll add Yves Pepperoni or artichoke hearts. I need to stray more on that front as well. Spinach, garlic? Both sound wonderful. And cheese, I just use standard mozzarella. But I want to try goat cheese and spinach. Feta and kalamata olives with a white sauce. The combos could go on and on..... What do you like on your pizza?



(Photo courtesy of Bunrab)

I give this recipe:

5/5 Spoons!

Next, the best damn vegetarian chili I have ever had. Seriously.

4 comments:

  1. Great idea putting the fennel in the crust. Gives it that subtle "sausagey" flavor. I am not judging you, more friendly mocking you, but Rocky Rococo jar sauce?!? (I've been known to use boxed dough mix, so...) "The heart wants what the heart wants."

    boomsbox

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  2. friendly mock all you want, it is delicious and reminds me of being a kid!

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  3. So you put cheese right in the dough? How much? Can you really taste it in the crust when you put it in your mouth?

    I made a really tasty pie on New Year's Day: olive oil and garlic instead of tomato sauce, tomatoes, spinach, onion (maybe?), and Daiya. Yu-um!

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  4. well i only put parmesan in one time and no, you really couldn't taste it very well, so i didn't waste it again.

    ooh that sounds super good. i want to make a white pizza soon with garlic, artichoke hearts, etc.

    i am dying for some daiya! i can't afford to buy a big bag but when i can, i'm gonna get some and freeze it. yum!

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