Two Pizza Options

Roasted Garlic Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

Oh, how else can I put it: I had a stroke of genius today and made these two awesome pizzas. The roasted garlic one I've made before (but dare I say, have perfected now.) The roasted pepper one grew out of the leftover half of the roasted pepper, and it was so damn good. I think either of these topping combos would also be nice as a bruschetta or an appetizer pizza (with the crust sliced into much smaller pieces.) But for today they were just perfect to appease my dissertation-frazzled friends and use up the ingredients leftover from the weekend. Ah, sometimes genius comes so easily.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
-1 packet yeast
-1 and 1/3 cup warm water
-1 tsp. salt
-1 T. agave (or honey or sugar, if you swing that way)
-Approx. 3.5 cups whole wheat flour
-2 T. olive oil, plus extra for the bowl

1.) In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast into the water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
2.) Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend together, kneading for 10 minutes, or until relatively smooth. At this point you can add in a bit more flour if its too sticky. (Nice to have an assistant on hand for that, since your hands will be covered in dough.)
3.) Form dough into a ball and place into a bowl that has been coated in oil. Set in a warm corner, covered by a damp cloth and leave it alone for an hour or so.
4.) After time has passed, punch down the dough and divide into two balls. Leave one in the bowl and take the other one out, rolling out on a floured surface to your desired thinness and leaving some width on the sides for the crust. Transfer to pizza pan/ stone/ cookie sheet or just a rack.
5.) Top with toppings and bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
6.) Repeat with the other ball, or freeze for later use as pizza, breadsticks, or calzones.

Roasted Garlic Pizza
-One head garlic
-1.5 tsp. oil, plus extra for drizzling
-1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
-red pepper flakes
-one tomato, (or several small ones) sliced
-1/2 a roasted red pepper, but into slices

1.) First roast the garlic. This is accomplished (as if you don't know, you vegans) by rubbing a bit of olive oil on a whole head of garlic, wrapping the thing in foil, and tossing it in the oven on 375-400 degrees for 45 minutes or so. When the garlic is gone, it should fall out of the individual cloves at a little squeeze.
2.) Place roasted garlic in a small bowl and smash with a fork. Add in a pinch of salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1.5 tsp. olive oil, and apple cider vinegar and mash together until you have a nice paste. Set aside (and try not to eat.)
3.) Now roast the red pepper. This can be achieved in an oven broiler on high: place cleaned red pepper under broiler, watching until side is charred, then rolling over until entire thing is charred. (How long this takes depends on your oven.) Remove and place in paper bag, to steam. When warm enough to handle, remove charred skin, then de-seed and cut in half- half of this can be sliced into strips for this pizza, the other half can make tapenade later (or for another pizza... or just to eat with bread, who cares.)
4.)When pizza dough is prepared and rolled out, spread roasted garlic paste evenly across. Top with tomatoes and roasted peppers. Cook to desired crispiness, and enjoy with friends since you're all going to smell like garlic all day. :)

Didn't have nearly enough walnuts for this but it was still awesome.

Red Pepper Tapenade Pizza with Walnuts

-1/2 a roasted red pepper, chopped
-1 T. lemon zest
-pinch salt
-2 tsp. olive oil
-handful of walnuts
-balsamic vinegar/ reduction

1.) Combine red pepper, lemon zest, salt and olive oil and either blend in a food processor or with an immersion blender until evenly processed. Taste, and adjust salt or oil if necessary. (Note: depending on how big your initial roasted pepper was, you may want a little more or less oil to smooth out the mixture.)
2.) Spread red pepper tapenade onto pizza crust. Sprinkle with walnuts, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction, if you happen to have some handy. (I always do because I'm obsessed.)
3.) Bake for 10-15 minutes on 400 and enjoy!


My darling S. was here this weekend and in preparation I froze a million more sweet potato gnocchi (which he pronounces "ga-nocky") and made some incredible oatmeal cinnamon raisin bagels. I actually documented all of this with the intent of giving step-by-step instructions for both recipes, but unfortunately there was a computer mishap and all I have left as evidence of my culinary industriousness is yet another picture of... you guessed it! Pancakes!

All the same, they never get old when you're making them for people you love. :)


Song of the Day: Joanna Newsom- Have One on Me