Homemade Pizza

I know it's a cliche to say this, but I'm going to stick to my guns: you haven't had pizza until you've had pizza in Italy.  Hole in the wall, made from scratch, with love and Italian hands, pizza.  A couple of my favorite bloggers just got back or are currently in Italy and I couldn't be more green with envy.  It's one of the many countries I can't wait to go back to, especially for the food.  This Italian Dish is one of my favorite sites to visit, she combines great Italian cooking, with a love of travel.  Plus she lives in Michigan!!  I adapted this pizza recipe from her, she made a potato pizza, I used the same crust but added different toppings.  Either way, this dish is delicious.

For the dough, add salt, olive oil and yeast to 1/2 cup of warm water and stir together. 

Mix in 1 cup of flour.  Gradually add in 1/8 cup of more flour until the dough comes together enough to start kneading it.  You want the dough to be sticky but not enough that it sticks to your hands, without being too dry. 

Knead for a couple minutes with your hands.

Put the dough in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for a couple hours.  I made this the night before and kept it in the fridge overnight, taking it out a couple hours before use to let it rise.

Instead of using a tomato based sauce, I decided to try garlic and olive oil.  Mince 6-7 garlic cloves, mix with 6 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Stir and mash together until you have a sort of paste.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  After you let the dough rise for a couple hours, sprinkle your counter top with flour so the dough doesn't stick.  Roll out the pizza dough using a rolling pin.  Roll out until it's the size and thickness you would like.  Place on a pizza pan and spread the garlic paste on top of the dough.

Chop whatever veggies you like on your pizza as toppings.  I used onion, tomato, red pepper, mushroom and some cooked chicken.

Layer the toppings on the pizza and finish off with a layer of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and pepper to taste.  Bake for 10-14 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden brown.

This pizza was delicious!  The crust was crunchy and thick and tasted dramatically different because it's homemade.  Although it can be a timely process, when you sit down to eat it's completely worth it!  The great thing about this pizza too is how filling it is.  After one slice I was full, and we had leftovers to last us for a few days.  Enjoy!

Homemade Pizza

Serving Size 1 large pizza

Adapted from The Italian Dish

Dough:

1/2 cup warm water

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon instant fast acting yeast

1 1/4 cup bread flour

1/4 cup olive oil

Topping:

8 garlic cloves minced

6 tablespoons olive oil

red pepper diced

mushrooms diced

chicken breast cooked and cut into bite size pieces

onion chopped

tomato chopped

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Dough:

Add salt, olive oil and yeast to the 1/2 cup water water and stir.

Mix in 1 cup flour, then gradually add in 1/8 cup more until the dough comes together.

Add enough flour so it's not too sticky, but not too dry.

Knead for a couple minutes on a floured surface.

Put the dough in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.

Turn the dough to coat in the olive oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for a couple hours.

You can stick it in the fridge if you made it a night before, and take out to let rise for 2 hours before making.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Roll out the pizza dough, using flour so it doesn't stick. 

Roll it out until it's the thickness and size you like and place on a pizza pan. 

Topping:

Combine the minced garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix for form a paste and spread on the dough. 

Layer all the toppings on the dough. 

Finish with Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. 

Bake for 10-14 minutes until crust is crisp and golden.

Momo Italian Restaurant

This year for Valentine's Day we did a little stuff for me: going out to eat, and a little stuff for C: going out drinking and dancing.  A little of both turned out to be a really fun night.  I was proud to hear that he enjoyed this restaurant as much as I did, which is a huge compliment because C can be hard to impress!  Momo is an authentic Italian restaurant north east of Dallas, and although the exterior isn't much to look at, the inside and food is what counts, and it was awesome.  It's BYOB so we brought our own wine to enjoy.  

After you order they bring out some fresh bread and homemade pesto.  At this point I was getting more and more excited for my entree because everything tasted so fresh!

C ordered the Fettuccine Alla Santalloro and although I was too consumed in my dish to try his, he really enjoyed it.  All of their pasta is homemade, which makes the pasta dishes taste so different and unique.

I ordered the Ravioli de Carne, homemade pasta stuffed with beef, pork, cheese and served in a wine sauce. It was so delicious,  the mushroom cream sauce is to die for!  It was the perfect serving size, and the prices are so reasonable.  Especially because everything is homemade.

Digging in and enjoying our wine!

We ended the night with tiramisu and coffee.  I LOVED this place.  If you live in the Dallas area or are ever visiting and are in the mood for fresh, homemade, reasonably priced and refreshing Italian you won't be disappointed by visiting Momo!

Strawberry Fool

One of my favorite desserts is tiramisu.  I've tried many kinds from many places, and I like them all.  Although this isn't exactly tiramisu, it's a very similar strawberry version. 

Start by making the strawberry conserve; which consists of combing strawberries, sugar and half of lemon peel in a wide pan.  Cover and let sit at room temperature stirring occasionally for around two hours.  Then bring the strawberry mixture to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until the strawberries are tender. 

Remove the strawberries from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a separate jar. 

Continue simmering the liquid until it thickens into a syrup consistency.  Discard the lemon peel and pour over strawberries; seal and let it cool to room temperature.

I found these lady fingers at Sprouts - another awesome grocery store I've discovered down here in Dallas.  I bought them without a plan because I knew I would use them somewhere.

Place chopped strawberries in a small bowl and sprinkle sugar over and let sit, stirring occasionally, for around 20 minutes.

Beat cream and vanilla in a large bowl until soft peaks form.  Add conserve fold to blend.  Then add berries with juices and fold in again. 

Break the lady fingers into bite size pieces and put on a plate or bowl.  Scoop some of the berry and cream mixture on top of the lady fingers.  Garnish with whole berries and enjoy!

Strawberry Conserve

4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 lemon peel

Combine all ingredients in a heavy pan.

Let sit at room temperature stirring occasionally for two hours.

Bring the strawberry mixture to a simmer over medium heat.

Cook until strawberries are tender, around 3 minutes.

Transfer the strawberries to a separate bowl.

Continue simmering the liquid until it thickens to be a syrup consistency.

Discard the lemon peel, and pour the syrup over strawberries.

Let cool to room temperature.

Strawberry Fool

Serves 6

Adapted from Bon Appetit

2 cups chopped, hulled fresh strawberries

6 whole strawberries for garnish

1 tablespoons of sugar

2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoons vanilla paste

3/4 cup strawberry conserve from above

3 cups lady fingers

Place chopped strawberries in a small bowl.

Sprinkle with sugar and let sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Beat cream and vanilla together until it forms soft peaks.

Add conserve and fold in until blended.

Then add the berries with juices and fold in.

Break the lady fingers up and place in bowls.

Pour the strawberry cream mixture on top of the lady fingers.



Wordless Wednesday - Cooking Class

Flank Steak & Pasta

When C and I first started dating we were long distance and would travel back and forth between Milwaukee and Texas every month.  During one of his trips to Milwaukee we went out to an authentic Italian restaurant.  We really enjoyed ourselves, but my favorite part of the whole meal was when C was trying to order.  The whole menu was in Italian, so we were kind of guessing what each dish was.  When it was his turn to order he asked the waitress (who had an Italian accent and all) what he should get that had steak and pasta.  She seemed very offended, and told him that no Italian eats steak with pasta.  It's now a joke between us whenever we order either of those meals.  I dedicate this post to him, because even if it's not true Italian, it sure was delicious!

I bought this flank steak from whole market.  At the time I thought it was going to serve around 8 people, but we ended up eating a little more than normal just because of how good it was.

Place the steak in a casserole dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder and chili powder on each side.  How much you use of each spice is up to your taste.  I added a little extra chili and garlic powder.

Sprinkle each side with Worcestershire sauce, about two tablespoons on each side.

Place the the steak in a zip lock bag and cover with 1/2 cup of soy sauce.  Roll the bag, removing as much air as possible.  Leave in the fridge for at least two hours, up to 24 hours.  I let it sit overnight and cooked for dinner the next day.

Grill to medium or medium rare. 

Slice against the grain.

I cooked until medium rare, and served over pasta with a light tomato sauce on it.  You could also use the steak for burritos or fajitas, or even serve by itself with potatoes.  It was so tasty, and letting it marinate over night adds so much flavor.  No matter what you serve with, you'll enjoy it. 

Flank Steak Marinade

Serves 4

Adapted from Blue Bonnets and Brownies

1 lb flank steak

salt

freshly cracked black pepper

cumin

garlic powder

chili powder

1/2 cup soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Place steak in a casserole dish. 

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder on each side.

Sprinkle each side with Worcestershire sauce, about two tablespoons on each side.

Place steak in a zip lock bag, cover with 1/2 cup of soy sauce.

Roll bag, removing as much air as possible.

Leave in the refrigerate for at least two hours, but up to 24 hours.

Grill to medium or medium rare and slice against the grain to serve.

Cheese & Pepper Pasta

I hope you all had a great weekend!!  Tomorrow I'm posting an awesome kabob recipe, but today wanted to share what I ate with the kabobs.  I got the recipe from Elaine over at The Italian Dish, she lives in Michigan, which automatically makes me like her.  Most importantly though, her pictures are amazing, and her recipes are authentic Italian. Please take a look at her blog, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 

I always like trying new things from Target, as I think their Archer Farms line always has new and interesting products.  I decided to try some of their organic whole wheat spaghetti for this recipe.  It was great, and I couldn't tell the difference between this and the more expensive pasta imported from Italy.

Boil pasta in a pot with salted water until cooked al dente.

A minute or so before the pasta is finished cooking, heat the olive oil and pepper in a medium pan.

Grate around a cup and a half of fresh Parmesan cheese and set aside to add to the pasta.  I highly recommend using fresh, it makes such a huge difference in taste.

Once the pasta has finished cooking in the pot of water, drain, and place into the pan with the olive oil.  Toss until well combined.  Keep the pasta water!!

Add the Parmesan cheese and stir until combined and melted.  Add a tablespoon or so of the pasta water to make it easier to combine.

This pasta has very little ingredients in it, but the simplicity is the best part; it's light but full of flavor.  Make sure when you go to make this you have good pasta, fresh ground pepper, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and you won't be disappointed!

This is C's perfect bite, it does look pretty yummy.  Tomorrow I'll show you mine so you can compare.  Happy Monday everyone!

Cheese and Pepper Pasta

Adapted from: The Italian Dish

8 oz whole wheat spaghetti

3 tablepsoons olive oil

2 teaspoons freshly cracked ground pepper

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan reggiano cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and boil the spaghetti until al dente.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil and pepper.

Saute gently for a couple of minutes.

Once the pasta is cooked drain and place into the skillet. *Keep the pasta water

Swirl to coat the pasta with the olive oil and pepper.

Add the cheese and continue swirling to cat.  

Add a tablespoon or so of the pasta water until everything is well combined.

Serve immediately.