Homemade Pizza

Pissaladiere

I saw this recipe in yesterday's Sunday paper insert.  It looked so good and I didn't have plans for anything, so why not give it a try.

Recipe: Pizza with a French twist

by USA WEEKEND

(Photo: Phil Mansfield, The Culinary Institute of America)

This recipe for pissaladière will allow you to experience the flavors of France in your own kitchen.

Pizza Topping

Ingredients

1 pound of pizza dough (recipe below) or a purchased ready-made dough (frozen or fresh)

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed

1 pound onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

¼ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

10 anchovy fillets, packed in oil

20 black or Kalamata olives, pitted

Instructions

Lightly oil a large bowl and the pizza dough with some olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and put it in a warm place for 1½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil a half sheet pan or rimmed cookie sheet.

To make the topping: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onions, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft (but being careful not to brown them), about 10 minutes. Remove the onions from the heat and reserve.

Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl. Working on a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle the size of the sheet pan you are using, allowing for a 1/2-inch overhang around the edges of the pan. Carefully place the rolled dough onto the prepared pan and turn up the overhang to make an even edge all the way around. Set the dough aside to rest for 15 minutes and to allow it to finish rising, then bake the crust for 10 minutes.

Spread the onions in a thick layer over the dough. Arrange the anchovy fillets in an X, or crosshatch, pattern on top of the onions, leaving 1/2 inch of space in the center of each X. Place an olive upright in the center of each anchovy X. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 130 calories; 4g protein; 20.5g carbohydrates; 1g fiber; 3.5g total fat (.5g saturated fat); 420mg sodium; 3mg cholesterol

Pizza Dough

Ingredients

3/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast

2 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons water, warmed to about 105 degrees F

Instructions

Combine the yeast, flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the water and mix on medium speed until the mixture forms a smooth dough, about 10 minutes.

I copied this directly from the USA Today website: http://www.usatoday.com/experience/weekend/food/recipe-pizza-with-a-french-twist/12402091/

i modified by omitting the olives and anchovies.  I topped my pizza with the onions, as directed, I had a roasted eggplant leftover, so I chopped that up and put it on the onions.  Then I sliced a beautiful tomato very thinly, and put that on eggplant.  Because I had some leftover mozzarella I grated that and put a little on the pizza. Since the dough was already cooked, I broiled until bubbly.  I think the next time I'd cook dough and toppings all together.

Do You Have a Bread Machine?

Mike and I have been trying to eat a lot healthier these days.  That's one of the purposes of this blog...  I've been searching for a healthy whole wheat recipe for my bread machine and I think I've finally found one.  We still buy "store" bread, but whenever possible, I whip up a batch of this and slice it with my electric knife, and we are set for a week of delectable bread eating.

The original recipe, which I will also share, came from kingarthourflour.com.  I've added my changes in red.

100% Whole Wheat Bread for the Bread Machine

The following recipe is one we worked out for the Zojirushi.  It makes a firm, sweet loaf of golden bread.  It shouldn't be hard adapting it to your own machine; all you need to know is what proportion of flour/liquid/yeast your machine functions best with.  Take a look a the dough after it's kneaded for about 10 to 12 minutes or so; it should be smooth, not sticky (too little flour) or lumpy (too little liquid), forming a nice ball.  If the dough looks good at this point, you're probably all set.

For a 1/12 pound bread machine:

1 1/4 cups water (1 bottle of beer)
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
3 to 3 1/2 cups King Arthur 100% White Whole Wheat or Traditional Whole Wheat flour
1/4 cup sunflower, sesame, or flax seeds, or a combination (I mix it up.  Sometimes I use flax seed, sometimes 10 grain cereal, sometime both.  Yesterday I added wheat germ.  And I use more than 1/4 cup.)
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (I use just a dash, but don't skip completely.  Bread machines need the salt for leavening purposes.)
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Put all of the ingredients into the bread pan in the order listed.  Program for basic bread and press start.

A whole loaf of bread from the bread machine.

This recipe CAN be made by hand.  So if you're adventurous, here are the steps you need to follow:

Mix the water, oil and sweetener in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, seeds, gluten, salt, and yeast; add to the liquids gradually, stirring until the dough holds together.  Knead on a floured surface until smooth and just slightly tacky--about 8 to 10 minutes.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1/12 hours.  Punch down the dough and shape it to fit a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan.  Let it rise until double , about 1 to 1/12 hours.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes, or until a digital thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf reads 190 degrees fahrenheit.   Remove the bread from the oven, remove it from the pan, and cool on a rack.

Well, so much work! I don't think I'd be game for that any more.

Bread sliced with an electric knife.

The electric knife that Mike got me for Christmas in our early marriage, sat unused and forlorn for many years.  One day when I was cleaning the cupboard I spied the box and took a look.  The original packaging showed someone slicing bread with the knife.  Whoever would have thought? It's been an indispensable item  ever since.  It slices clean and true and the slices look like store-bought.