My Culinary Blog

1 Medium Onion, sliced
1 Medium Green pepper, sliced
8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. Roast beef, shaved
3 tbls. Worchestershire sauce
1/4 teas. Black pepper
1 Batch Sicilian Thick Crust Dough
3 tbls. Olive oil
1 teas. Crushed garlic
4 cups provolone cheese
1/4 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Saute vegetables in 1 tb. olive oil until limp; add roast beef. Cook for three more minutes. Add Worchestershire sauce and pepper; stir and remove from heat. Set aside. Brush prepared dough with 3 tb. olive oil and spread crushed garlic over entire surface of dough.
Top with a light layer of shredded cheese, then meat/vegetable mixture, distributing evenly. Top with remaining shredded cheese, then Parmesan. Bake in prehated 500F oven until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

1 Pizza Dough Shell (uncooked)
Sauce:

2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
6 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 lb. small shrimp, cooked, shelled, and deveined
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
crushed dried hot chilis, to taste

Preheat oven to 450F. Mix sauce ingredients together. Spread sauce evenly over crust. Top with shrimp and onions, then cheese. Bake until cheese begins to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, top with bean sprouts and pepper flakes, slice and serve.

BBQ Chicken Pieces

10 oz. boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. favorite BBQ sauce

For the Pizza:

1 recipe Thin Crust Dough
Cornmeal, semolina, or flour for handling
1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce (a spicy−sweet sauce works best)
2 Tbs. shredded smoked Gouda cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 small red onion, sliced into 1/8−inch pieces
2 Tbs. chopped fresh chopped fresh cilantro

To make BBQ Chicken:

In a large frying pan, cook the chicken in olive oil over medium−high heat until just cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Do not overcook. Set aside in the refrigerator until chilled through. Once chilled, coat the chicken with 2 Tbs. BBQ sauce; set aside in the refrigerator.

To make the pizza:

Place the pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. for one hour before cooking pizzas. Use a large spoon to spread 1/4 cup BBQ sauce evenly over the surface of the prepared dough within the rim. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. smoked Gouda cheese over the sauce. Cover with 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella. Distribute half the chicken pieces evenly over the cheese (approximately 18 pieces). Place approximately 18 to 20 pieces of red onion over the surface. Sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup mozzarella over the top of the pizza. Transfer the pizza to the oven; bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese at the center is bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. When the pizza is cooked, carefully remove it from the oven; sprinkle 1 Tbs. cilantro over the hot surface. Slice and serve.

DOUGH:

1 Package active dry yeast
2 teas. Sugar
1 1/4 cups Warm water
2 3/4 cups All−purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tbls. Olive oil
1 teas. Salt

TOPPING:

1 cup Pizza sauce
12 oz. Shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. Ground beef, crumbled, cooked
1/4 lb. Italian Sausage, crumbled, cooked
1/4 lb. Pork Sausage, crumbled, cooked
1/2 cup Pepperoni, diced
1/2 cup Canadian bacon, diced
1/2 cup Ham, diced
1/4 lb. Mushrooms, sliced
1 small Onion, sliced
1 Green bell pepper, seeded, sliced
2 oz. Grated Parmesan cheese

1. For dough, sprinkle yeast and sugar into warm water in small bowl; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Mix flour, cornmeal, oil and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center and add yeast mixture. Stir to form a soft dough, adding more flour if necessary. Turn onto a floured board and knead until dough is supple and elastic, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot until dough has doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down.
3. Roll dough to a 13−inch circle. Transfer to an oiled 12−inch pizza pan, folding the excess over to make a small rim. Spread with pizza sauce; sprinkle with all but a handful of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with meats and vegetables. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Let rise in a warm spot about 25 minutes.
4. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Bake pizza until crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

1 lb. ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
pinch of black pepper
NY Style Pizza Dough

Preheat oven to 500F. Take a 6 oz. dough ball and place on floured surface. Spread, with finger tips, to a 6 inch circle. Place 2/3 cup cheese
mix on one side and fold over other side. Seal with finger tips making sure no cheese mixture is in the seal. Pinch the edge to assure a tight seal. Pat calzone to even filling inside. Check seal again for leaks. Repeat with the others. Place calzones on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cut a 1 inch slit in the top of each for venting while baking. Place in center of oven and bake for 10−12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite tomato sauce, warmed, either on top or on the side for dipping.

6 Slices Bacon, cooked
Pizza Dough for 12″ Pizza (try Thin Crust recipe)
2 plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4″ thick
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 teas. ground black pepper
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 500F.
Prepare dough according to recipe found in this book. Divide in two and roll out into two circles about 6 inches in diameter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Arrange tomato slices on dough. Sprinkle cheese on tomatoes leaving a 2−3 inch well in the center (to hold the egg). Place bacon on top of cheese around the outside. Bake the pizzas for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and crack an egg into the center of each. Sprinkle with pepper and return to oven. Bake until the egg is set and the crust is browned, about 10 minutes more.

Garlic Oil Sauce:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic

California Oil Sauce:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. parsely flakes
1/4 tsp. majoram
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. ground black peppercorn

Southwestern Oil Sauce:

1/4 cup salad oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin seed
1/4 tsp. ground black peppercorn

To Prepare Oil Sauces:

Puree ingredients in a blender and store in a small covered jar. These recipes makes enough sauce for 2 12″ pizzas. By using these examples, it’s not hard to come up with your own variation based on your taste. Brush oil sauces on dough, place desired cheese, and then top. Cook just like sauced pizzas, however they may take just a little less time until done.

28 oz. of crushed tomatoes
3 oz. of tomato paste
4 tbsps. Pecorino Romano
1 tsp Oregano
2 tbsps. minced fresh garlic
1 tbsp. black pepper
3 tsps sugar
2 teaspoons of basil

Whisk all together. Allow flavors to blend for one hour before using.

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
3 Italian Plum Tomatoes, Finely Chopped
3 oz. Tomato Paste
2 1/2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Black Pepper
1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter, Cut in Pieces

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and saute 1 minute. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add butter pieces, stirring. When butter is half melted, remove skillet from heat and continue stirring until thoroughly incorporated.
Yield: 1 1/3 cups

Garlic Mixture:

1/2 lb. butter
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
2 tablespoons Italian Parsley, finely chopped
Romano Cheese

For Garlic Rolls:

Stretch and shape dough evenly into an 18″ circle. Distribute 1 tablespoon oregano over dough surface. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into 16 equal pieces by cutting it as if you were cutting a pizza. Starting with the outer edge, roll each dough piece towards the middle. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover with plastic and allow to proof for 1 hour. Cook in a preheated 500F oven until browned. Remove and brush with garlic mixture. Sprinkle desired amount of Romano cheese over all.

For Garlic Knots:

Stretch and shape dough into a 16″ square. Distribute 1 tablespoon oregano over dough surface. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into 1/2″ X 4″ strips (they can actually be any size you want). Tie in a knot. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover with plastic and allow to proof for 1 hour. Cook in a preheated 500F oven until browned. Remove and brush with garlic mixture. Sprinkle desired amount of Romano cheese over all.