Tonight: Pizza

Michel Boucher said:

Nothing fancy.

2 - 9 inch pizza shells, the thin variety.
red and green pepper, which I always have in the freezer, chopped
basil pesto for the base
pignoli to taste
goat's milk cheese, crumbled, to taste

Spread pesto on shell, add peppers, pignoli, and crumbled goat's milk
cheese so that they are evenly distributed over the entire shell.
Place prepared shell on 9 inch perforated pizza pan and bake for 14-16
minutes at 425F or until ready to your taste (crispy, soggy, howver YOU
like it). Serve with chopped olive pieces as garnish and a salad of
your choice.

I made pizza last night. Made the dough in my cuisinart and
it turned out perfectly in a matter of minutes.

My pizza sauce was commercial tomato pesto with extra EVOO
to thin it a bit. The rest was simple: finely chopped
garlic and finely shredded chicken breast, topped off with a
dusting of parmesean/romano/asiago and mozzerella.

I cooked my pizza on quarry tiles for about 10 minutes at
475F.

sf

sf said:

Michel Boucher said:

Nothing fancy.

2 - 9 inch pizza shells, the thin variety.
red and green pepper, which I always have in the freezer, chopped
basil pesto for the base
pignoli to taste
goat's milk cheese, crumbled, to taste

Spread pesto on shell, add peppers, pignoli, and crumbled goat's milk
cheese so that they are evenly distributed over the entire shell.
Place prepared shell on 9 inch perforated pizza pan and bake for 14-16
minutes at 425F or until ready to your taste (crispy, soggy, howver YOU
like it). Serve with chopped olive pieces as garnish and a salad of
your choice.

I made pizza last night. Made the dough in my cuisinart and
it turned out perfectly in a matter of minutes.

My pizza sauce was commercial tomato pesto with extra EVOO
to thin it a bit. The rest was simple: finely chopped
garlic and finely shredded chicken breast, topped off with a
dusting of parmesean/romano/asiago and mozzerella.

I cooked my pizza on quarry tiles for about 10 minutes at
475F.

sf

I cook pizza in an thin black steel pizza pan in a 425° oven that's
probably actually hotter than that because my oven is fast. Depending
on how thick the pizza is, it cooks in 10 to 15 minutes. I have a lot
better luck using the pan than I did trying to use a preheated baking stone.

Bob

sf said:

zxcvbob said:

I have a lot better luck using the pan than
I did trying to use a preheated baking stone.

Here are two "tricks"

1. Don't use a baking stone unless it's the size of your
oven rack - otherwise you're trying to hit a bull's-eye.

2. The motion is in your wrist and the same sort of action
chefs use to flip food in the pan. Use a forward motion and
then quickly pull back.

sf

That wasn't the problem. I meant the pizzas *cook* better in the thin
metal pan. And since the baking stone (and my wok) mysteriously
vanished a couple of years ago (right about the time the school was
having a rummage sale), I haven't bothered to replace it.

Bob

I just remembered a recipe that I have squirreled away. I had a similar
pizza at a vegetarian restaurant (minus the chicken, obviously), and it was
so good, it was downright memorable. I usually have to ask Crash if I had
seemed to enjoy foods and movies that I've eaten or watched in the past.
This pizza was GOOD. Not sure why I've never made the following recipe.
Maybe one day soon.

California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza

Notes: Makes 2 9-inch pizzas

Ingredients and Directions:
Spicy peanut sauce
1/2 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. minced ginger
2 Tbsp. roasted sesame oil
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Vietnamese chili sauce (or dried chili flakes)
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
2 Tbsp. water

Thai chicken pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
10 oz. boneless/skinless chicken breast,cut into 3/4-inch cubes

For the pizza
make pizza dough,use your own recipe
cornmeal or flour for handling
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
4 scallions,slivered diagonally
1/2 C. white bean sprouts
1/4 C. shredded carrots chopped,roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

To make spicy sauce
Combine sauce ingredients in a small pan over med. heat. Bring the sauce to
a boil; boil gently for one minute. Divide into 2 portions for use on
chicken and pizza;set aside.

To make Thai chicken
Cook the chicken in olive oil over med-high heat,stirring,until just
cooked, 5 to 6 min..do not overcook. Set aside in refrigerator until
chilled through. Once chilled,coat the chicken with 1/4c sauce. Set aside
in refrigerator.

To make the pizza
use a large spoon to spread 1/4c sauce evenly over pizza dough within the
rim. cover sauce with 3/4c cheese.
Distribute half the chicken pieces over the cheese followed by half the
green onions, bean sprouts,and carrots,respectively. Sprinkle an additional
1/4c cheese over the toppings and top the pizza with 1T chopped peanuts.
Transfer the pizza to oven;bake until crisp and golden and the cheese is
bubbly, 9 to 10 min. When cooked through,remove pizza from oven. Sprinkle
1T chopped cilantro over the hot cheesy surface.
Repeat with remaining ingredients for a second pizza.

aem' said:

Damsel in dis Dress said:

California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza

[snip recipe]

Also available in your market's frozen foods section, for those of us
who are inclined to view pizza as lazy-time food. ;-)

The lazier the better. I just have a feeling that homemade would be
better. Although I'll probably try the easy route, too.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

"Steve Calvin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The one (and only) thing that I've found worth while from Pampered
Chef is the oven stone. No preheating required (I know, but trust me
it works with this one).

I've got their round stone, which I just leave in the oven - so
preheating is no big deal. It works very well, but I really,
really wish it were larger. I've been looking for the mythical
big unglazed tile at the local building supply places, but so far
nothing bigger than a 12" square. If only I could find one
that was, say, 15" square, it would be PERFECT...

Bob M.

Bob Myers said:

"Steve Calvin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The one (and only) thing that I've found worth while from Pampered
Chef is the oven stone. No preheating required (I know, but trust me
it works with this one).

I've got their round stone, which I just leave in the oven - so
preheating is no big deal. It works very well, but I really,
really wish it were larger. I've been looking for the mythical
big unglazed tile at the local building supply places, but so far
nothing bigger than a 12" square. If only I could find one
that was, say, 15" square, it would be PERFECT...

Bob M.

How about get 4 of those 12" squares and have a 24x24" tile.

Bob

Steve Calvin said:

The one (and only) thing that I've found worth while from Pampered
Chef is the oven stone. No preheating required (I know, but trust me
it works with this one).

http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=164&categoryCode=FH

I had a Pampered chef pizza stone for several years, until I tried
pre-heating it. When I put the somewhat cool (not cold) dough on it,
it cracked. Kee-rack!

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

zxcvbob said:

That wasn't the problem. I meant the pizzas *cook* better in the thin
metal pan.

In that case, the problem was that you didn't properly
preheat the stone.

🙂

sf

Steve Calvin said:

The one (and only) thing that I've found worth while from Pampered
Chef is the oven stone. No preheating required (I know, but trust me
it works with this one).

Interesting concept, but it looks too small for me and I
could buy at least 25 tiles (2 full oven racks worth) for
that price.

sf

Damsel in dis Dress said:

California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza

Sorry Damsel,

I don't like anything about California Pizza Kitchen and I
don't like the looks of that pizza. BLECH.

sf

sf said:

Damsel in dis Dress said:

California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza

Sorry Damsel,

I don't like anything about California Pizza Kitchen and I
don't like the looks of that pizza. BLECH.

LOL! More for me!!!

I've never tried California Pizza Kitchen's pizzas, so I have nothing to go
by. Nevertheless, I intend to try this some day.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

Curly Sue said:

Steve Calvin said:

The one (and only) thing that I've found worth while from Pampered
Chef is the oven stone. No preheating required (I know, but trust me
it works with this one).

http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=164&categoryCode=FH

I had a Pampered chef pizza stone for several years, until I tried
pre-heating it. When I put the somewhat cool (not cold) dough on it,
it cracked. Kee-rack!

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Probably so. The instructions that came with mine specifically said
*not* to preheat. I never have and have always been happy with the
crust.

--
Steve

Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little
bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards...

sf said:

Steve Calvin said:

The one (and only) thing that I've found worth while from Pampered
Chef is the oven stone. No preheating required (I know, but trust me
it works with this one).

Interesting concept, but it looks too small for me and I
could buy at least 25 tiles (2 full oven racks worth) for
that price.

sf

It was a gift from the better half. She got roped into one of those
parties and felt like she should buy something. (Which is why I *hate*
those things, I refuse to go)

--
Steve

Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little
bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards...

Steve Calvin said:

Curly Sue said:

Steve Calvin said:

The one (and only) thing that I've found worth while from Pampered
Chef is the oven stone. No preheating required (I know, but trust me
it works with this one).

http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=164&categoryCode=FH

I had a Pampered chef pizza stone for several years, until I tried
pre-heating it. When I put the somewhat cool (not cold) dough on it,
it cracked. Kee-rack!

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Probably so. The instructions that came with mine specifically said
*not* to preheat. I never have and have always been happy with the
crust.

Yes, the instructions did say not to preheat and I succumbed to the
temptation of trying to compare the two methods. In my defense, there
was a certain amount of external encouragement for preheating the
stone to a very high temperature. :>

However, because I now often make a couple of pizze, one after
another, it would be impossible not to have it pre-heated between pies
and I'd eventually run into the problem anyway.

So far I haven't had a problem with pre-heating my current stone,
knock on wood!

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

"Curly Sue" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Probably so. The instructions that came with mine specifically said
*not* to preheat. I never have and have always been happy with the
crust.

Yes, the instructions did say not to preheat and I succumbed to the
temptation of trying to compare the two methods. In my defense, there
was a certain amount of external encouragement for preheating the
stone to a very high temperature. :>

However, because I now often make a couple of pizze, one after
another, it would be impossible not to have it pre-heated between pies
and I'd eventually run into the problem anyway.

I don't have a Pampered Chef stone, but I always pre-heat it. Frozen crust
has the potential for a problem, but I've not had any using a standard
dough. Of course there is an additional 70 degree temperature difference
with frozen. If we have friends for pizza, we could be making two or three
of them so it must be able to perform hot.

aem said:

Damsel in dis Dress said:

I just remembered a recipe that I have squirreled away. I had a

similar

Quoted message said:

pizza at a vegetarian restaurant (minus the chicken, obviously), and

it was

Quoted message said:

so good, it was downright memorable. I usually have to ask Crash if

I had

Quoted message said:

seemed to enjoy foods and movies that I've eaten or watched in the

past.

Quoted message said:

This pizza was GOOD. Not sure why I've never made the following

recipe.

Quoted message said:

Maybe one day soon.

California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza

[snip recipe]

Also available in your market's frozen foods section, for those of us
who are inclined to view pizza as lazy-time food. ;-)

-aem

AHA!!!! Gotcha. Frozen pizza... shudder! I will leave out the
sermon ;>

I don't think I've ever had frozen pizza, although I understand it
made the frozen food industry into what it is today.

When I was a kid we never even ordered pizza from a pizzeria. My
mother made it on Saturday night. It wasn't until I went to college
that I found out (shock!) that people drank soda with pizza (we didn't
drink soda at home).

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Curly Sue said:

aem said:

[snip]
Also available in your market's frozen foods section, for those of

us

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

who are inclined to view pizza as lazy-time food. ;-)

AHA!!!! Gotcha. Frozen pizza... shudder! I will leave out the
sermon ;>

Hey, when I'm lazy enough not to cook, the cook's shudders vanish.
<lazy smile>

Quoted message said:

I don't think I've ever had frozen pizza, although I understand it
made the frozen food industry into what it is today.

There are frozen pizzas of every type and quality, and we think those
by CalPizzaKitchen are among the better ones. For lunch, not for
dinner. Lazy-time dinner is takeaway Chinese or Thai....

-aem

[email hidden] (Curly Sue) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I don't think I've ever had frozen pizza

You're lucky. Many have broken a tooth on frozen pizza. I believe
that heating it before eating it is highly recommended.

--

[...] remember when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down 'ere on Earth!

Monty Python's Universe Song