While I'm At It...Pizza!!

Hey guess what?  I'm going to do another post.  I've been holding out so long, I realized I have another awesome recipe for you.

The husband man and I were watching the Travel Channel a few weeks ago and saw this sicilian pizza from a NY eatery called Spumoni Gardens that looked like it was from heaven.  I decided I must have that pizza.  Sicilian pizza is a thick but light crust covered in cheese, then tomato sauce then more cheese, then olive oil. 

A few recipes later I think I have a pretty awesome pizza going on.  My brother in law wasn't sure what to make of it, not having any meat, but we love it. 

Sicilian Pizza

dough:

1 1/2 cups water (105 F to 115 F)
2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast -or- 4.5 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour (approx.)

~Coat a large bowl with a teaspoon of olive oil and set aside.
~Stir water, yeast and sugar together and let sit for 10 minutes, until nice and foamy.
~Place one cup of flour on work surface.
~Pour olive oil into yeast mixture, then add salt and 3 cups of the flour. Stir until as combined as possible.
~Turn out onto floured surface.
~With well floured hands, knead dough to work in the cup of flour on the board.
~Continue kneading until nice, smooth dough-ball is formed.
~Place in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel and let sit for 30 minutes. In the meantime, make the sauce if you haven't already. 
~Dough should doubled (at least).
~Punch down the dough and cut in half for round pizzas or use all of it for a rectangular half sheet pan.

Sauce:

2 cans petite diced tomatoes  (I think S&W has the best flavor)
1/2 teaspoon salt (don't add more until you taste it)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash of red pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pepper to taste

~Drain as much of the juice from the tomatoes as you can so the sauce isn't too thin.
~Put everything in a blender or food processor.  Blend until fairly smooth.
~Taste and adjust spices.
~Keep it in the fridge until ready to use.  The longer it sits, the better it tastes!

To make the pizza:

Sliced or grated mozzarella
Grated Parmesan
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

~Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
~Press the dough into an oiled pan.
~Cover dough with sliced or grated mozzarella. 
~Spread the sauce generously (I use all of it) over the top of the cheese, right to the edge of the dough.
~Sprinkle the sauce with grated parmesan, and drizzle with olive oil.
~Bake for about 20-25 minutes. 
~I will usually turn on the broiler for the last 3-5 minutes to get it really browned on top, but you need to watch it closely so it doesn't burn.
~Let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting.

Pardon My Dust

Christmas is over and the new year is in full swing...I have been cooking, I just haven't been posting.  I am so NAUGHTY.  I have dug up some awesome childhood memory recipes over the last few weeks, but I can't post them until they've been through the rigorous testing process...which means I gotta make 'em and then have someone eat 'em.  Also, one is top secret for a party so I can't post it until the weekend anyway.

In the meantime, we've been making Chocolate Pudding Cake as the standard Sunday Dinner dessert at our house for the last few weeks.  Never had it before?  Think chocolate cake with a layer of hot fudge pudding on the bottom.  And it does that all in the oven without your help.  You can make it Vegan and you will more than likely have all the stuff in your kitchen already, so no trudging out in the snow for ingredients.  And warm out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream? (Moosetracks!!!)  Fuggedaboudit! 

Chocolate Pudding Cake

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk (you can use soy or almond milk)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 cups hot water

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
~Mix in the milk, butter and vanilla.
~Spread the batter into a 9x13 pan.
~Mix together the white sugar, brown sugar and cocoa powder.  Sprinkle all the mixture evenly over the cake batter. 
~Pour the hot water over the sugar mixture.
~Bake in oven for 40 minutes.  Don't worry about testing it.  It should look like cake with little pudding volcanoes here and there.
~Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.  Scoop into bowls and serve.