We used to have the best pizza joint EVER. I say “used to” because they closed sometime last month. The family that originally owned the place, sold it to a very nice young couple last year, and at first my husband and I were hesitant to try it, but the new owners assured everyone that though they’d changed the names of the pizzas, the recipes were the same. So, we went down there and had our usual pepperoni and fresh garlic pie. Sure enough, it tasted like the same great recipe, and while we were undergoing our kitchen remodel, we spent one night a week down there eating pizza and drinking beer. We quickly became regulars. The owners knew our names. They gave us free bread sticks while we waited. Then, we started spending more time in Colorado, bought a house there, and started hoarding our money so we could eventually move. It’d been several months since we’d visited the pizza shop, and a few weeks ago, when we stopped by, a For Sale sign was in the window. We tried another joint down the street, but it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t even close. So, I set out to make my own Pepperoni and Fresh Garlic Pizza that tasted similar to the recipe used by our favorite departed pizza place. I’m still working on it, but this recipe is close.

Ingredients:

I’m not listing quantity here. That will depend on the size and number of pizzas you want, and how you like them topped. I make one recipe of pizza dough, which gives me two large pizzas. (I like Julie Jams’ pizza dough recipe, available here, but feel free to make your favorite, or purchase pizza dough.) For two large pizzas, I buy 6-8 ounces of pepperoni, 12-16 ounces of mozzarella cheese, and a 28 ounce can of Trader Joes Marinara Sauce, though I never use that much sauce for the pizzas. You could probably get away with a small can of your favorite. Adjust your quantities accordingly.

pizza dough (homemade, or purchase unbaked dough)
quality pepperoni
mozzarella cheese
chopped fresh garlic (I buy a jar. It saves lots of time!)
marinara sauce
smoked paprika
quality course sea salt
olive oil

Guidelines:

Make your pizza dough early in the day so it has time to rise.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Shape your pizza dough into the desired size. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a quality course sea salt. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown just a tinge. Remove from oven.

To make the sauce, heat the marinara with about ½ tsp. of smoked paprika and a tsp. of chopped garlic. When warm, spread on pizza dough.

Sprinkle a light layer of mozzarella over the sauce.

Top with pepperoni, more chopped garlic, and the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Let cool slightly before cutting.

For this recipe, you can either buy a loaf of focaccia bread, or make your own. If you make your own, be aware that—like any dough making—it’s time consuming. Probably better, but time consuming. I don’t have my own recipe for focaccia bread. I use one out of a cookbook, making sure to season it with plenty of olive oil and sea salt. I think the sea salt is an important ingredient here, so be sure to sprinkle a generous, but not ridiculous, amount on your dough. If you purchase a loaf, taste it before adding salt. You may find it doesn’t need more. Also, roasting one full eggplant and an entire carton of cherry tomatoes will give you enough vegetables for 2-3 pizzas. If you’re only making one, use the rest of the veggies in a sandwich, or in a pasta dish.



Ingredients:

1 small eggplant
1 package cherry tomatoes
1 ball of fresh mozzarella
fresh basil
focaccia loaf
artisanal sea salt
fresh ground pepper
olive oil
28 oz. can plum tomatoes
dried basil, thyme, marjoram, garlic
red wine, optional

Guidelines:

If you’re making your own focaccia bread, you’ll need to start it 5-6 hours in advance, because you must let it rise several times. Once it’s ready, shape the dough into an oiled 9×13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Bake it at the temperature the recipe indicates, but don’t let it go the full time. Take it out once the crust begins to brown.

If you’ve purchased the focaccia, you’re ready to go.

Get the eggplant sweating. Dice it up, and working in layers, place the eggplant in a colander, salting each layer. Place a heavy bowl or other object on top of the colander and let drain for 30-45 minutes. Pat the eggplant try, scatter it in a large baking dish, and drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the top. Toss well. The salting and “sweating” of the eggplant helps break down the cell walls and releases the eggplant’s bitterness. Don’t skip this step!

Add the cherry tomatoes to the baking dish with the eggplant. Add another drizzle of olive oil and mix to combine.

Roast the eggplant and tomatoes in a 400 degree oven until the eggplant is melt-in-your-mouth soft, and the tomatoes have burst, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. I use a 28 oz. can of plum tomatoes. Heat them, along with a couple shakes of the dried herbs and a splash of red wine (optional), over medium heat. Break up the tomatoes as much as you can. Let simmer until the vegetables are finished roasting.

To assemble the pizza, spread a thin layer of sauce on top of the focaccia. Top with plenty of the roasted eggplant and tomatoes. Thinly slice the fresh mozzarella and place the slices on top of the vegetables. Bake in a 400 degree oven until the crust is set and the cheese is melted. This is terrible, but I have to admit I can’t remember how long it took. My guess is 20-25 minutes.

Top the pizza with fresh basil slivers and fresh ground pepper.

This recipe originated from “get rid of leftovers” night. On these nights, I stand in front of the fridge and pull out everything that needs to get eaten. Sometimes that amounts to eating grilled cheese with six spoonfuls of six different leftover side dishes. Other times, it means compiling all the produce that’s about to head south in a creative way. On this particular night, I had leftover pizza sauce and tortillas from Roasted Red Pepper and Mushroom Tortilla Pizzas. And really, that was about it. I rooted around the fridge and freezer a while longer and found some smoked cheddar, green onions, and a bag of frozen corn. I was getting closer to something, and since I really wanted to use up that pizza sauce, I figured another tortilla pizza was in order. From the fruit bowl, I pulled out an avocado and a tomato. That would do. I wasn’t sure if it would amount to much, but I put it together anyway and presented it to my husband in front of the tube. This is GOOD! he said. And I have to agree. Better, and easier, than the Roasted Red Pepper and Mushroom Tortilla Pizzas, too. You could also call this a pizza quesadilla, top it with another tortilla, an extra layer of cheese, “grill” it, and serve accordingly.

Ingredients:

*Note: I didn’t technically measure anything for this recipe. This one’s all about throwing stuff on. It’s just a pizza, anyhow. A five-year-old could do it! Well, except for the tortilla “grilling” part. You better handle that one.

“grilled” tortillas (1-2 per person)—see method and picture here, or method in guidelines below.
pizza sauce—recipe below
smoked cheddar cheese
green onions, sliced
corn kernels
avocado, diced
tomato, diced

“Mexi” Pizza Sauce:

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 can tomato sauce with a drizzle of olive oil, and 2-3 shakes each of the following spices: minced onion, garlic powder, oregano, and basil. Add 2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp-1tbsp. adobo sauce, and fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix well and simmer on low until you’re ready to use it. Taste and adjust as necessary.

What is adobo sauce and where do I get it? Adobo sauce is what canned chipotle chilis are packed in. You can find a can of chipotles, which are smoked jalapenos, in the Latin/Hispanic/Mexican aisle if your grocery store.

Guidelines:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the pizza sauce and “grill” your tortillas. By “grill,” I mean turn on your burner and place the tortillas, one at a time, directly on top. (I used my electric range, and it worked fine.) Grill for a minute or two on each side, or until the tortilla browns and puffs. Set tortillas aside.

Grate the smoked cheddar, dice the avocado and tomato, slice the green onions, and thaw your corn kernels, if using frozen.

Once the sauce is hot, you can begin preparing your pizzas. Top each tortilla with your desired amount of sauce, cheese, tomato, and corn. Reserve the avocado and green onions. Bake for 8-10 minutes on a pizza stone or pizza screen (to ensure a crispy crust), or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with the avocado and green onions.

Serve with an ear of fresh corn and a cold Negra Modelo, and you’ve got dinner in twenty minutes.

I was craving pizza the other night, but I didn’t have any pizza dough on hand, and I didn’t feel like a gut bomb from one of our local pizza joints. The solution? Tortillas. I’ve made tortilla pizzas a couple of times before, and thought they were very good, and light. Oh, and easy, too. There’s not all that dough mixing and rolling and rising and kneading and tossing and stretching and… I’m exhausted just thinking about it! Of course, homemade tortillas are superior, but if you’re looking for near instant gratification, like I was, the store-bought variety works just fine. Tortilla pizzas are also extremely kid friendly. Lay them on the counter and let the kids top them however they want. When the pizzas come out of the oven, cut them in fours, and they fit perfectly in kiddy hands. Woo hoo! Dinner in twenty minutes! Okay, thirty minutes, because who is ever *that* organized? Plus, there is roasting involved…

Ingredients:

soft taco size flour tortillas (approximately 2 per person)
aged white Cheddar (7 oz. will do about 8 pizzas)
red bell peppers (2 for 8 well-topped pizzas)
crimini mushrooms (2 small packs for 8 well-topped pizzas; or 1 pack of pre-sliced)
fresh thyme
pizza sauce (super simple recipe below)

Super Simple Pizza Sauce:

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 can tomato sauce with a drizzle of olive oil, and 2-3 shakes each of the following spices: minced onion, garlic powder, oregano, and basil. Add 1 tsp. cumin and fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix well and simmer on low until you’re ready to use it. Taste and adjust as necessary.

Guidelines:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop the red pepper and quarter the mushrooms. In a baking dish, combine the red peppers and mushrooms with several tablespoons of olive oil and fresh thyme. Toss. Place in oven and roast until the vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 15 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the pizza sauce and “grill” your tortillas. By “grill,” I mean turn on your burner and place the tortillas, one at a time, directly on top. (I used my electric range, and it worked fine.) Grill for a minute or two on each side, or until the tortilla browns and puffs. Set tortillas aside.

Grate the white Cheddar, and set aside some additional fresh thyme leaves.

Once the vegetables are done roasting, and the sauce is hot, you can begin preparing your pizzas. Top each tortilla with your desired amount of sauce, cheese, and vegetables. Bake for 8-10 minutes on a pizza stone or pizza screen (to ensure a crispy crust), or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with additional fresh thyme leaves.

Serve with a side salad and you’ve got dinner in a snap!

Project food blog cook-off continues, and has almost wrapped up for the month of April! Which means I have a lot of blogging to do… The fourth recipe I made for the cook-off was Stephan Cooks’ “Perfect Sausage Pizza.” I have to agree with what he said—”the ingredients have to be the best.” I couldn’t get the ingredients he did (fresh Italian sweet sausage from Manhattan’s Little Italy) but I did my best. I made homemade dough (a slightly different version than the one he posts), used “real” mozzarella, fresh basil, and baby grape tomatoes. As for the sausage, I used Trader Joe’s Sweet Italian, which I’ve always enjoyed. I would definitely make this pizza again, using the same methods save one. I would chop the sausage after browning, because the sausage I used is not fresh enough to crumble on its own, and I think I’d like the pizza better with smaller bits of sausage. Otherwise, this is damn good pizza. I love the roasted tomatoes and fresh basil.

Find the full recipe at Stephen Cooks’ food blog. Click here.