Recipes for Homemade Pizza

Over the summer, Matt and I had a few date nights at home when we cooked pizza together. Previously, I’d always used pre-cooked pizza dough, but this summer we began using fresh pizza dough instead that we bought from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. We prefer to use whole-wheat dough like this one. Below are some tips and tricks we learned these last few months about cooking pizza using fresh dough, cooking it on the grill and baking it in the oven. Recipes are at the bottom of the post.

General pizza-making tips and lessons learned when using fresh pizza dough:

·    This meal is not a quick meal. Making pizza can be a multi-step process depending on what you want to use as toppings. Here are sample steps.

       -Step 1: Remove pizza dough from the refrigerator around 3-5 hours before preparing  

        the pizza. I learned the hard way that it takes a while for the dough to be malleable        

        enough to stay flattened-out.

       -Step 2: Prepare the tomato sauce (Unless you are using jarred sauce.)

       -Step 3: Prepare the topping(s)

       -Step 4: Prepare and cook the pizza

·    Your pizza(s) won’t turn out to be beautiful, concentric circles like the guys at the restaurants make. Get yourself over it. Your oddly shaped concoctions will still taste yummy.  And they might even look like a state or country.

·    An actual pizza cutter is a brilliant invention.

·    If you make a “sweeter” pizza, top it with something more savory to balance out the flavors. For example, a corn and caramelized onion topping is delicious served with fresh arugula on top.

Tips for cooking pizza on the grill:

·    Unless you have a fancy pizza-sized spatula or paddle to use on the grill, it is way easier and a lot less stressful to cut the pizza dough in half and make two smaller pizzas. Use a well-oiled flat-edged cookie sheet to slide the pizza(s) onto the grill. Start the cookie sheet at the back of the grill and, moving forward slowly, let the dough slide off as you bring the cookie sheet toward yourself.

·    Cooking pizza on the grill is fast. Only about 3 minutes per side. Have your toppings ready to go and next to the grill so when you flip the crust after 3 minutes, you can quickly top your pizza(s) and get the cheese to start melting without burning the bottom of the pizza.

Tip for cooking pizza in the oven:

·    After stretching-out the dough to fit your baking pan, cookie sheet or pizza stone, cook the dough alone for around 3-5 minutes so it will be cooked through underneath all your yummy toppings.


So, you may be wondering if Eliana the teeny tiny foodie liked these recipes too? Wellll,
unfortunately, she hasn’t really had the opportunity to taste the homemade pizzas yet.
Matt and I usually love the pizzas so much that we eat the whole pizza right then and
there selfishly leaving none for our darling daughter. Eliana has tried these recipes in
deconstructed parts or in other forms such as zucchini parmesan slices with her dinner
the other night or the corn and caramelized onions mixture with arugula as pasta
“sauce.” But, we promise, we will make it as a family one weekend so Eliana gets her
fair taste of this yumminess!

Hmm, what's this? 

That zucchini part is fine but scraping off the breading with my teeth is THE BOMB!

And, here are the recipes.

Whole Wheat Pizza with Zucchini Parmesan

This is a 3- to 4-step recipe depending on whether or not you make your own tomato sauce. The first step is to make sure the pizza dough comes to room temperature. Steps 2 and 3 are to make the tomato sauce and prepare the zucchini parmesan and they are interchangeable. Step 4 is to prepare and cook the pizza.

·    1 package of fresh whole-wheat pizza dough

·    Around 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, sliced

·    Around 1½-2 cups of tomato sauce (Homemade or jarred. My recipe is below.)

·    1 zucchini, sliced into thin disks

·    3 egg whites, lightly beaten

·    1½ cups Italian style breadcrumbs

·    1½ cups whole wheat flour

·    Grated parmesan, salt and pepper and olive oil to taste

Step 1: Room temperature pizza dough

I learned the hard way to take the pizza dough out of the refrigerator around 3-5 hours before preparing the pizza. Just leave it in its bag on the counter.

Steps 2: Preparing the zucchini parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350°. Slice zucchini and set aside. Into a shallow bowl pour the breadcrumbs. Mix in grated parmesan, salt and pepper.  Spray a baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with a Silpat or parchment paper. Set up your dredging station by arranging from left to right the whole-wheat flour, egg whites, breadcrumbs and your baking pan. Take a slice of zucchini and dredge both sides in the flour, egg whites, and breadcrumbs shaking off the excess in between each bowl.  Lay the zucchini onto the baking pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the zucchini slices begin to lightly brown, flip the zucchini slices over and bake for 10-12 minutes more. Transfer to a cooling rack.

The dredging station

Step 3ish: Make the tomato sauce

See my recipe below.

Step 3 or 4: Preparing and cooking the pizza in the oven (See below for “on the grill”)

**First and foremost, follow the cooking directions listed on the label of the pizza dough even if the temperature or cooking time is different than what I’ve suggested.**

Preheat the oven to 450°. Pour around a tablespoon of oil onto a baking pan or cookie sheet. Stretch out the dough to fit the pan. Bake just the crust for 3-5 minutes. Remove the dough and cover it with tomato sauce. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pizza and add the fresh mozzarella and zucchini slices. Bake for 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan, slice and serve.

A big, tasty blob of Zucchini Parmesan Pizza!

Homemade Tomato Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

·    3-4 large tomatoes, chopped

·    1 medium yellow onion, chopped (For this batch, I had 3 shallots so I used those instead)

·    1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

·    Olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

·    Chopped fresh herbs such as basil

Pour olive oil into a large pot on medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Stir. Sauté for around 3-4 minutes or until the onion starts to become translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and stir through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix through and let simmer on low heat for at least 10 minutes. Add fresh herbs, stir and let simmer for another few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Variations: Let sauce cool slightly, then puree in blender or mixer.

Add chopped fresh vegetables with the onion to make a primavera sauce

I use this sauce for pizza and for pasta.

To cook pizza on the grill:

Heat the grill to medium heat. Oil the grill and place the dough (1-2 pieces) onto the grill. Close the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the dough, cover with sauce and topping(s), close the lid and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the grill, slice and serve.

Grilled Pizza with Corn and Caramelized Onions

Another multi-step recipe listed below

·    1 fresh whole wheat pizza crust, at room temperature

·    1 medium onion, sliced and caramelized

·    1 ear fresh corn, kernels removed

·    Around 1 cup of part skim ricotta cheese

·    Around 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, cut into small chucks

·    Around 1-1½ cups of grated parmesan

·    2 parts rosemary to 1 part basil, finely chopped

·    Garlic powder, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

·    Organic arugula, chopped

Step 1: Caramelize your onions

Here is a link to an easy recipe I found online that I use to caramelize onions. Add a little water or white wine to deglaze the pan if the onions begin to stick. While the onions cook, you can begin Step 2. After the onions have cooked, transfer them to a plate to cool slightly.

Step 2: Prepare and set aside your greens and parmesan

Chop the arugula and your herb mixture and set them aside separately. If using a block of parmesan, grate and set aside. If using store bought grated parmesan, pour it onto a bowl or plate so it is ready for you to use. 

Step 3: Assemble your topping

To a large mixing bowl add the kernels of corn, ricotta, some of the grated parmesan (reserve some for topping the whole pizza later), ¾ of the chopped herbs, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add the caramelized onions and stir.  Set mixture aside.

Step 4: Prepare and grill the pizza

Either, roll out dough into a circle using a rolling pin or flatten it out with the heels of your hands. Brush the grill with olive oil then set to medium heat. Place dough onto the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Hold your breath for ultimate success, flip over the dough and brush with olive oil.  Spread the ricotta mixture onto the crust and add mozzarella chunks. Cook 2-3 minutes more. Remove from the grill, top with remaining herbs, shaved parmesan and arugula. Slice and serve.

Corn and Caramelized Onion Pizza in the shape of a non-specific country.

Topped with chopped arugula. YUM!

Happy Cooking!

Recipe for Vegetable & Cheese Strata

If you’ve been reading my posts about the teeny tiny foodie over the last several months, then you know that Eliana LOVES eggs. Since I make a lot of them, I’m always looking for new recipes using eggs. I’ve also been trying to make sure that I use all of our food before it goes bad and goes to waste. That may seem like an obvious goal, but for me it wasn’t always accomplished. I’d forget about produce in the fridge only to find it again after it was way past its prime. I hate the idea of wasting our money and also wasting food that someone else could have eaten. So, a strata is a perfect way to use left over veggies, cheese and bits of bread that no one wants to eat. So, what is a strata? A strata is a cross between a bread pudding and a frittata. Over the last few months, I’ve come across a bunch of different recipes to make a strata and it looked super easy. Just time consuming. So this weekend when I realized I had the heels of two loaves of bread in the back of the refrigerator, and I wasn’t trying to get a meal on the table ASAP, I figured it was time to finally try making a strata. 

The recipe I used as my guide was for a Spicy Strata by Aida Mollenkamp. I found it online. And, in the spirit of “using rather than losing,” I didn’t go out and buy the various vegetables, herbs and cheeses she used in her recipe. Instead, I used what I already had in the refrigerator.  Below is the recipe I created using hers as a “mentor recipe.”

Vegetable & Cheese Strata 

This is a 3-part recipe. Part 1 is prep time and takes only around 15 minutes. Part 2 is the resting time. The strata needs to rest in the fridge for at least an hour and up to 12 hours so the bread gets soaked through and the flavors meld together. Part 3 is the baking time. It takes 40-45 minutes to bake in the oven.

·     3-4 scallions, white and light green parts only and thinly sliced

·     1 ear of fresh corn, kernels scraped off

·     A large handful of either cherry or grape tomatoes, cut into quarters

·     5 egg whites and 3 whole eggs

·     A splash of organic whole milk

·     2-3 heels of sliced bread, cut into 1-inch chunks

·     A small handful of parsley, finely chopped

·     A few sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped

·     1 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella and shredded Parmesan cheese, mixed and divided into thirds

·     An additional ¼ cup of shredded Parmesan, set aside

·     ¼-½ cup fresh mozzarella, chopped into chunks

·     Unsalted butter, salt, pepper, chili powder to taste

Part 1: Preparing the Strata

Butter an 8x8-inch baking dish. Heat butter over medium heat and add scallions. Stir. After about 1 minute, add the corn kernels and tomatoes and stir. Cook for around 1 minute more and remove from heat. Into a medium-sized bowl, put the eggs/egg whites, milk, salt, pepper and chili powder. Whisk. Put half of the bread chunks onto the bottom of the baking dish creating an even layer. Top the bread chunks with half of the corn mixture, half of the chopped herbs and ⅓ of the shredded cheese mixture. Pour half of the egg mixture over the dish. Drop ⅓ of the fresh mozzarella chunks over the egg. Repeat the layers with the rest of the bread, corn mixture, herbs, ⅓ of the shredded cheese mixture, eggs and ⅓ of the fresh mozzarella. Top with final ⅓ of the shredded cheese mixture and remaining chunks of fresh mozzarella. Push down on the top of the strata to make sure all of the bread is covered. Cover the dish with plastic wrap. Place a plate on top of the baking dish and put a 1-2 pound weight on top of it. A 28-ounce can of tomatoes works perfectly.

Part 2: Resting time:

Refrigerate for 1-12 hours. I left it overnight for around 9 hours.

Part 3: Cooking the strata:

Heat the oven to 325°. Remove the strata from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Top the strata with the reserved shredded Parmesan cheese. Cook the strata, uncovered and on the middle rack, for 40-45 minutes.

Let cool slightly before serving.

Happy Cooking!

Looks yummy, right?

See all the layers?

Hmm. What's this?

Bread, cheese and eggs all in one? Sounds like my kind of meal!

I'm too busy eating to look at you!

Baby Food Recipes 3/31/12

Here are the recipes for some of the new foods Eliana has been eating lately. I’m still mashing food (as opposed to pureeing it) by putting it in the food processor, so there are still small chunks for her to pick up.

Roasted Beet Sticks

- Medium beets with skin on

Cover beets individually with tin foil. Place in roasting pan and roast at 400 for around 30 minutes depending on their size. Let beets cool before touching them. Unwrap them and peel. The peel will come off easily in your hands. Then cut into 1/2 inch thick sticks. Can serve either warm or cold to baby. 

What is this tasty thing?

Vampire Baby

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Spinach

- 1 sweet potato, scrubbed with skin on

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 1/8 teaspoon chopped garlic  

- 1 handful organic baby spinach, washed and patted dry

- ¼ cup part-skim ricotta (room temperature)

- 1/8 cup shredded parmesan (room temperature)

- ¼ tablespoon unsalted butter (room temperature)

Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, cinnamon and olive oil to taste

Bake sweet potato at 375 for an hour or until tender. Let rest until it can be held. Heat olive oil on medium heat and sauté onions with a dash of salt for around 3-4 minutes until they begin to turn yellow. Add garlic, stir and cook another minute. Add spinach, and some of the salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Stir and cook around a minute until spinach is bright green. Set aside. Put ricotta, parmesan, butter and rest of salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and cinnamon into a blender. Add onion mixture and puree on high until smooth. Cut open sweet potato and scoop out flesh and put into a small bowl. Add pureed mixture and mix with a large rubber spoon.

Let cool slightly before serving to baby.

She LOVED the sweet potato mixture.  

Broccolette-Ricotta-Cumin Puree 

- 1 cup chopped broccolette

- Around ¼ cup ricotta

- Cumin, salt, pepper, and chopped garlic to taste

- Reserved cooking liquid

Steam garlic and broccolette. Add a bit of cooking liquid, the ricotta, salt, pepper and cumin and puree. Taste and adjust seasonings, liquid and ricotta as desired.

Let cool slightly before serving to baby.
Since Eliana hasn't really been letting me feed her, it is hard to give her something pureed. I've gotten around it by spreading purees on toast or mashing them with brown rice.

Very tasty despite how it looks.

Food as a tasty and nutritious finger paint.

Baked Tofu with Asian Marinade

- 1 container extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

The following ingredients to taste:

- Grated fresh ginger

- Low sodium soy sauce or Tamari

- Toasted sesame oil

- Safflower oil

- Chinese 5 spice

- Dijon mustard

- Orange juice

- Shaoxing Hua Diao cooking wine or Rice wine (the alcohol will cook off in the oven but it can be omitted or replaced with white grape juice)

Press the tofu to drain out the excess water. Begin by cutting it down the middle lengthwise. Then place the two halves side by side on top of a plate lined with paper towels. Cover the tofu with more paper towels and another plate. Then put heavy books on top of the plate to press out the excess water in the tofu. I like to leave it for up to 3 hours but no less than 40 minutes. In a medium bowl, add the rest of the ingredients whisking and tasting often to adjust flavors to your liking. After the tofu is pressed, cut into ½ inch strips. Place in a large zip top bag with the marinade and shake the bag so the marinade covers the tofu. Marinate the tofu in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Shake off marinade and place tofu strips on the baking sheet. Keep the marinade to spoon over the tofu after it is cooked. Bake tofu for 20 minutes, turning once. Heat the marinade in a small saucepan on medium heat for around 5 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving to baby. 

Happy Cooking!