Zach and I LOVE pizza. Unfortunately, we live in an area that isn’t really known for making a really good pie. Sure we have found a couple of pretty good artisan pizza shops, but nothing like that of the East coast. I don’t think there will be anyone that will measure up to the pizza from back East. We often resort to making our own, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I understand why many people tend to go the pre-made or frozen pizza route. It seems simple, but if only these people knew how easy it was to make your own! Not only is it super easy, but it’s super affordable too. I feel that these days pizza shops are out of control with their pricing. You could literally make your own for $1 per 12inch pie. The secret behind great pizza is the dough, and today we decided to stuff ours!
I feel like I’ve been on a “diverse” food mood lately. Pizza is another very diverse food. The sky is really the limit on what you can create. This is what makes them so fun! Breakfast pizzas are becoming especially popular these days. People are even going with vegan, gluten-free options for pizza and creating a cauliflower crust. I didn’t go this route today, but I’m thinking I may in the near future. A cauliflower crust sounds crazy enough that it may just work!
I love stuffed pizza crust. I have to admit I once was a Pizza Hut junky. Shh…Please don’t tell anyone. Obviously a thicker crust would have have made this pizza 8 feet tall once I stuffed it. Our very own pizza dough recipe worked just fine. Although not a super thin crust, we stretched it just enough so it would work the way wanted it to. We topped it with a delicious red pepper sauce infused with roasted garlic and thyme. Then we added some micro greens, provolone, tomatoes and sausage to bring it all together. If you are going the vegetarian route. The sausage can easily be omitted. It tastes just as great without as it does with.
* Please Note * The prep time in this recipe allows time for the dough to rise which is why I mentioned that it will take about 4 hours. Don’t be scared. You will not be kneading pizza dough for 4 hours straight. =)
What goes better than pizza and beer? Well not a whole lot actually. You really can’t have one without the other. At least I think so. Pale ales go great with pizza, so we most definitely had to go this route. Boulder Beer makes a good one in their Hoopla Pale Ale. Light and crisp and perfect with pizza…especially our pizza =).
We are inviting you to date night this weekend straight from our kitchen. Zach is making quail…or cornish hens…or whatever he happens to find. This should be fun and intriguing all at the same time! Can’t wait!
Hardware: * Bowls * Whisk * Stand Mixer (with dough attachment fixed) or Food Processor (with dough attachment fixed) * Sharp Knife * Cutting Board * Plastic Wrap * Tea Towel * Rolling Pin * Spatula * Cheese Grater * Saute Pan * Wooden Spoon * Blender * Pizza Peel * Pizza Stone *