Homemade Pizza Sauce

Makes 3 cups/750 ml

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon/about 2 g chopped fresh oregano
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 extra ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
One 14.5-ounce/411-ml can whole peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon/2.5 g sugar

Method:

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 8 minutes or just until soft.  Add the garlic, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Add a large pinch of salt and continue to cook for 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent but do not brown.

Stir in the fresh and canned tomatoes, and the sugar. Press down on the canned tomatoes with the back of the spoon to mash them slightly.  Season with salt and pepper.

Cook over medium-low heat so that the sauce simmers gently, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are very tender.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly. Discard the stems of thyme and the bay leaf.

Using a blender and working in batches, blend the sauce just until it is smooth. Let the sauce cool.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Prosciutto and Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Makes 2 pizzas

Ingredients:
1 portobello mushroom, stemmed
3 teaspoons/15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All purpose flour, for dusting
Two 8-ounce/230-g balls purchased pizza dough
Yellow cornmeal, for dusting
6 marinated quartered artichoke hearts, each cut in half lengthwise
6 ounces/160 g grated mozzarella cheese
4 very thin slices prosciutto
1/2 cup (lightly packed) fresh arugula
1/2 cup/130 ml Homemade Pizza Sauce (see recipe on page 1)

Method:

To preheat the baking stone and roast the mushroom:

Place a large baking stone on the bottom shelf in the oven, then preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Heating the baking stone well in advance will allow enough time for it to become very hot before baking the pizzas on it. Baking on the very hot stone will create pizzas with crisp crusts.

Place the portobello mushroom on a heavy baking sheet.  Drizzle 1 teaspoon/5 ml of olive oil over the mushroom.  Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the mushroom is tender and its juices exude.  Allow the mushroom to cool. 

Cut the mushroom into 3/4-inch/2-cm slices. Combine the mushroom strips and any accumulated juices in a bowl. Season the mushroom strips to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

To prepare the pizzas:

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and press 1 ball of dough on the work surface into a circle.  Continue to press the dough into a thin round disk that is about the same diameter of a dinner plate (about 8 inches/20 cm), being careful not to over-work the gluten in the flour by over-kneading it.

Once the pizza dough is formed, lightly dust the pizza paddle with flour or cornmeal and place the dough on the pizza paddle.  Spread 1/4 cup/65 ml of pizza sauce in a thin layer over the pizza dough, leaving a ½-inch/1-cm border around the edge.

Arrange half of the mushroom strips and artichokes over the pizza. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pizza.  Immediately transfer the pizza from the paddle to the hot baking stone in the oven.

Bake the pizza for about 10 minutes or until the bottom is crisp and deep golden brown and the cheese has melted and become pale golden on top. Using the pizza paddle, remove the pizza from the stone and transfer to a cutting board.   

Repeat with the remaining ball of pizza dough, pizza sauce, mushrooms, artichokes and cheese.  Drape the prosciutto over the pizzas. Scatter the arugula over the pizzas, then drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons/10 ml of oil.

Cut each pizza into 4 to 6 slices and serve.  Turn the oven off, leaving the baking stone in the oven to cool slowly.

Spanish Pizza

Makes 2 pizzas

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper
1 teaspoon/5 ml olive oil
All purpose flour, for dusting
Two 8-ounce/230-g balls purchased pizza dough
Yellow cornmeal, for dusting
12 thin slices Spanish-style chorizo sausage
6 ounces/160 g grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup/130 ml Homemade Pizza Sauce (see recipe on page 1)

Method:

To preheat the baking stone and roast the red bell pepper:

Place a large baking stone on the bottom shelf in the oven, then preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Heating the baking stone well in advance will allow enough time for it to become very hot before baking the pizzas on it. Baking on the very hot stone will create pizzas with crisp crusts.

Place the bell pepper on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil.  Roast the pepper in the oven for 20 minutes, turning it over every 5 minutes, or until the skin blisters on all sides.   Using tongs, transfer the pepper to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the pepper to steam for 15 minutes.

Remove the plastic wrap and allow the pepper to cool slightly.  Peel the skin off of the pepper and remove the seeds.  Cut the pepper into 3/4-inch /2-cm wide strips. Transfer the pepper strips to a bowl.

To prepare the pizzas:

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and press 1 ball of dough on the work surface into a circle.  Continue to press the dough into a thin round disk that is about the same diameter of a dinner plate (about 8 inches/20 cm), being careful not to over-work the gluten in the flour by over-kneading it.

Once the pizza dough is formed, lightly dust the pizza paddle with flour or cornmeal and place the dough on the pizza paddle. Spread 1/4 cup/65 ml of pizza sauce in a thin layer over the pizza dough, leaving a ½-inch/1-cm border around the edge.

Evenly distribute half of the chorizo, pepper strips, and mozzarella cheese over the pizza.  Immediately transfer the pizza from the paddle to the hot baking stone in the oven.

Bake the pizza for about 10 minutes or until the bottom is crisp and deep golden brown and the cheese has melted and become pale golden on top.  Using the pizza paddle, remove the pizza from the stone and transfer to a cutting board.

Repeat with the remaining ball of pizza dough, pizza sauce, chorizo, pepper strips and cheese.  Cut each pizza into 4 to 6 slices and serve.  Turn the oven off, leaving the baking stone in the oven to cool slowly.

Seafood and Zucchini Pizza

Makes 2 pizzas

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
12 small Manila clams, scrubbed
1 shallot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely crushed
2 tablespoons/30 ml water
All purpose flour, for dusting
Two 8-ounce/230-g balls purchased pizza dough
Yellow cornmeal, for dusting
4 slices of zucchini — sliced very thin, lengthwise
2 baby squid tubes and tentacles — tubes cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide rings and tentacles cut in half 
3 extra large shrimp — peeled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise
2 jumbo sea scallops — small side mussel removed and each scallop cut horizontally into 3 slices
5 ounces/140 g fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup/130 ml Homemade Pizza Sauce (see recipe on page 1)

Method:

To preheat the baking stone and prepare the clams:

Place a large baking stone on the bottom shelf in the oven then preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Heating the baking stone well in advance will allow enough time for it to become very hot before baking the pizzas on it (Note that baking on a hot stone will help create a pizza with a crisp crust).

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the clams, shallot and garlic. Stir in the water. Cover and allow the clams to steam for 5 minutes or until they begin to open.  Remove the saucepan from the heat. 

Uncover and set aside to cool, discarding any clams that do not open.  Remove the clam meat from the shells and reserve the clam meat. Discard the clam shells and liquid.

To assemble the pizza:

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and press 1 ball of dough on the work surface into a circle.  Continue to press the dough into a thin round disk that is about the same diameter of a dinner plate (about 8 1/2 inches/22 cm), being careful not to over-work the gluten in the flour by over-kneading it.

Once the pizza dough is formed, lightly dust the pizza paddle with flour or cornmeal and place the dough on the pizza paddle.  Spread 1/4 cup/65 ml of pizza sauce in a thin layer over the pizza dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge.

Lay 2 zucchini slices over the pizza.  Arrange half of the squid, shrimp, scallops and reserved clam meat over the pizza. Sprinkle with half of the cheese.  Immediately transfer the pizza from the paddle to the hot baking stone in the oven.  

Bake the pizza for 10 minutes or until the bottom is crisp and deep golden brown and the cheese has melted and become pale golden on top.  Using the pizza paddle, remove the pizza from the stone and transfer to a cutting board.  Repeat with the remaining ball of pizza dough, pizza sauce and toppings.

Cut each pizza into 4 to 6 slices and serve.  Turn the oven off, leaving the baking stone in the oven to cool slowly.

Pizza of Summer Berries and Mascarpone Cheese

Makes 2 pizzas

Ingredients:

All purpose flour, for dusting
Two 8-ounce/230-g balls purchased pizza dough
4 teaspoons/10 g plus 2 tablespoons/15 g sugar
5 ounces/130 g fresh strawberries, quartered
3 ounces/85 g fresh blackberries
3 ounces/85 g fresh raspberries
¼ cup/50 g crème fraîche
¼ cup/50 g mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons/45 ml heavy whipping cream
One 1-ounce/20-g piece semisweet chocolate or milk chocolate

Method:

To preheat the baking stone:

Place a large baking stone on the bottom shelf in the oven, then preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Heating the baking stone well in advance (about 45 minutes) will allow enough time for it to become very hot before baking the pizzas on it. Baking on the very hot stone will create pizzas with crisp crusts.

To prepare the pizzas:

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and press 1 ball of dough on the work surface into a circle.  Continue to press the dough into a thin round disk that is about the same diameter of a dinner plate (about 8 inches/20 cm), being careful not to over-work the gluten in the flour by over-kneading it.

Once the pizza dough is formed, lightly dust the pizza paddle with flour and place the dough on the pizza paddle.  Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons/5 g sugar.  Immediately transfer the pizza from the paddle to the hot baking stone in the oven.

Bake for about 5 minutes or until the pizza dough is semi-cooked and the sugar begins to melt.  Remove the pizza from the oven.  Sprinkle with half of the berries.

Carefully return the pizza to the baking stone, being sure not to shake any berries off of the pizza.  Bake for 8 minutes or until the pizza dough is pale golden and the berries are heated through and begin to release their juices.

Using the pizza paddle, remove the pizza from the stone and transfer to a cutting board. Let stand for 10 minutes to cool slightly.  Meanwhile, repeat with the remaining ball of pizza dough, 2 teaspoons/10 of sugar and berries.

Whisk the crème fraîche, mascarpone cheese, whipping cream and remaining 2 tablespoons/15 g of sugar in a small bowl to blend.  Drizzle the mascarpone mixture over the pizzas.

Cut each pizza into 4 to 6 slices. Transfer the pizzas to plates.  Grate the chocolate over the pizzas and serve.  Turn the oven off, leaving the baking stone in the oven to cool slowly.