Pizza Pizza
Seems that the Husband and I have been eating a lot of pizza lately. Yeah, yeah, I know—Chicago is so famous for deep dish. Which I don’t like.at.all. Too doughy and cheesy and saucy [yawn]. I’m a thin crust kinda gal, preferably wood-fired. This spring, we’ve enjoyed the following pies from places mostly in or around our neighborhood, at least we can walk to/from our indulgence:
The mushroom and spinach pizza at Crust.
The white pizza at Coalfire.
The potato rosemary at Pizza Metro.
The arugula and proscuitto-topped pizza at Enoteca Roma:
The delicious New Haven white clam pizza at Piece:
And my favorite, the mozzarella di bufala with arugula pizza at Spacca Napoli.
We make it at home, too, using a pizza stone that came with the Husband. Latest house favorite is cherry tomato, shallot (sautéd with sherry vinegar), bacon, and fresh mozz.
For the dough I’ve been using a recipe from the New York Times Magazine, substituting half of the white flour with whole wheat. Seems to work well with the bacon for some reason. Easy for a quick dinner, as you make the dough ahead of time. If you get your oven and pizza stone hot enough, you’ll bake up a great pie. Serve a salad on the side to make up for all that cheese…and bacon.
Pizza Dough
1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 1/4 t kosher salt
1 1/2 c cold water
3 T olive oil
Make the dough in the morning to count on pizza for dinner. In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, mix the flours, yeast, salt until combined. Add the water and oil and mix at low speed until the dough is rough and shaggy. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 8 minutes. The dough should be just shy of forming a ball.
Scrape dough out onto a heavily-floured surface. Let rest for 10 minutes. Separate into 2 pieces and form into a smooth ball. Place each ball in an oiled bowl, dust with flour, and cover with a towel or loosely drape with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until doubled in size, about 3 hours.
Punch down the dough and place into two freezer bags. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour and up to one day before use. I usually freeze the second ball of dough for another night’s dinner.
Makes enough for two 10- to 12-inch pizzas.
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Hi,
What a great Blog!! I bookmarking a new site on how to stake my dahlias when I came across “Busby Bakes Cookies” and decided to see what was new. I think the last time I checked was about 4 years ago!! Anyway, love the Blog–it makes me want to go directly to the kitchen to get busy.
I also makes me want to go to Chicago for a month so I can eat at all the places you mentioned.
Loved reading about your favorite cookbooks, chefs and recipes. Great job. It was nice spending time with you.
Tami
So it was not enough that i learn of your Trader Joe’s loathing, but now you are dissing on deep dish pizza?!?
I cannot imagine the next blasphemous proclamation.
Anywho, is Bricks still around? (on LIncoln Ave) I remember they had some good pizza.
I make my pizza dough in my bread maker on the manual setting, then divide it up into balls and keep in the fridge. It makes a great quick and healthy snack for my kids and no preservatives !