Gourmet Pizzas

We love pizza night. It's a Sanders Family tradition. Living out in the country, ordering pizza is not a convenient option so we began making homemade pizza. Everything is made fresh, from the crust to the sauce. Believe me, it's easier than it sounds! With a little prior planning, it only takes only an hour or so, not counting the rising time for the crust(my crust can even be made ahead, and refrigerated or frozen). Now, think about it, how long does it take that pizza joint to bring you a conveyor-belt pizza on a busy night? 45 minutes to an hour. Another great thing about the homemade pizza is the quality control. You can make it as healthy, or as indulgent as you want. It can be completely fresh, or made from canned ingredients, all depending on your taste, and the amount of time you have. Being a family with an adventurous pallet, we've created all kinds of pizza recipes. From pepperoni, cross-cultural pizzas, like our Mexican pizza using tortilla dough instead of pizza dough, and even pizza rolls and Stromboli, the possibilities are endless.
Here are some of our gourmet pizza recipes, using seasonal summer veggies. Let me know what you think!

Garden Veggie Pizza
• 1 recipe of homemade pizza crust (makes two med-large pizzas)
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
• 3 or 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 package each shredded mozzarella cheese and Colby jack
• 2-3 roma tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tbsp each fresh minced parsley and basil
• 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• ½ can black olives, sliced
• Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper to top

Heat oven to 450 on convection setting. Sprinkle cornmeal on two pizza stones or sheet pans. Roll out crust and slap in on the pan. Push and stretch gently to edges. Mix oil, garlic, and minced herbs in a small bowl, and spread evenly on pizzas. Top pizzas with enough cheese to cover to the edges. Add sliced vegetables. Bake for 10 minutes on top rack. Remove, and blot top with paper towel. The vegetables sometimes produce a lot of water, and this will keep your pizza from being soggy. Put back in the oven for 5 – 10 minutes longer. It all depends on your oven. Just keep an eye on it. Enjoy hot, with a fresh garden salad.

Mediterranean Pizza
• 1 recipe of homemade pizza crust
• A few tablespoons of homemade or jarred basil pesto
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 package feta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 – 3 roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in small chunks
• Extra virgin olive oil

Heat oven to 450 on convection setting. Sprinkle cornmeal on two pizza stones or sheet pans. Roll out crust and slap in on the pan. Push and stretch gently to edges. Thinly spread a few tablespoons of basil pesto on each pizza crust. Sprinkle feta cheese, and mozzarella cheese on top. Add slices of garlic, sliced vegetables, and artichoke hearts. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Serve with cucumber and tomato salad, or a Greek salad.

Homemade Pizza Crust

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 tsp honey
2 tsp yeast (not rapid rise, or bread machine, just plain yeast in a jar)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt

Measure out your flour, throw in the salt, and give it a couple of quick stirs. Mix your honey into the warm water, then mix in the yeast. Add to flour, then add one tbsp olive oil. Stir until it gets stiff, then knead, on a floured surface until it's smooth. Put the other tablespoon of oil in a fresh bowl (or wash the one you already used). Drop your dough in the bowl, and turn it once to coat. Cover with a towel, and let it rise for an hour. Punch down, divide it in half, and roll it out on a floured surface. The dough will be very elastic, so it won't roll easily. If you have the courage, you can pick it up, and toss it from hand to hand to stretch it some. Plop it on your prepared pan, push gently to edges, and there you go.