Pizza

I washed up on the shores of the weekend wanting nothing more than to spend some quality time with an old friend, the kitchen. After weeks without so much as a simple cookie or even a small batch of pancakes it was time to reconcile our relationship, the kitchen and I, and bake. I leafed through my notebook of recipes and then pulled a few of my favorite cookbooks off of the shelf, finally settling with a book about bread by Laurel Robertson. After my unintended hiatus I wanted to make something that would take some time. Spend an afternoon kneading dough, mixing ingredients, and walking around in a cloud of flour.

I stumbled upon a recipe for Sicilian pizza and was reminded of the pizza we ate in Italy. Thick square slices with chewy dough; bright, flavorful sauce; and delicious cheeses. In Italy a pizzeria or a street cart selling slices was never more than twenty steps away, so the thick slices soon became a familiar afternoon snack.

I carried the cookbook into the kitchen and with a spoonful of honey and a glass of warm water my pizza began. 

The rhythmic folding and pressing of the dough was cathartic and as the afternoon sun poured into the kitchen a sense of calm fell over me. 

While the dough rose I began to work on some of my homework and then later I picked up a book that I had been meaning to read for some time. By the time I turned the finished dough out of its bowl the sun had already begun its descent, falling slowly behind the mountains.

I topped the pizza with mozzarella and cheddar, with kalamata olives and fresh mushrooms. The dough was thick and chewy and the sauce was dimensional: tangy yet tempered, the flavor of tomato rounded out by the garlic and herbs. Besides the dough, the pizza wasn't quite like those we had in Italy but delicious nonetheless.

But what was most gratifying was to be back in the kitchen; baking, photographing, and blogging again - it's good to be back.

Sicilian Pizza

adapted from The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book

makes one 12" x18" sheet pan or two rounds

Dough

1 teaspoon honey

2 1/2 cups warm water

2 teaspoons (1/4 oz or 7g) active dry yeast

1 tablespoon salt

6 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup warm water

Sauce

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cloves garlic

6 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/3 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon each, dried oregano and basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dissolve the honey in the warm water, and stir in the yeast. 

In a large mixing bowl whisk salt into the flour. Make a well in the center, and pour the olive oil and the yeast mixture into the well. Starting from the center, use a spoon or your hand to mix until all of the flour is incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto the counter and then pour a half cup of warm water into the mixing bowl. Use this water rather than flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and the countertop while you knead. Knead very well, about 20 minutes.

Pour any left over water out of the mixing bowl but don't dry, a wet bowl will prevent the dough from sticking. Form the dough into a ball and place it in the mixing bowl. Cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. After about 1 1/2 hours wet your finger and gently poke a hole in the center of the dough, about 1/2 inch deep. If the hole doesn't fill in, then it is ready for the next step. Press the dough flat, then reform into a smooth ball. Cover, and let the dough rise for a second time, this time for about half as long as the first rising.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured countertop. If you are making two round pizzas rather than one on a sheet pan, cut the dough in half and set one piece aside. With floured hands pat the dough and press with your fingers or knuckles to flatten and release the accumulated gas. Lift the dough off of the countertop and, holding the dough about an inch away from the edge so that the crust stays rounded, twirl the dough between your  fingertips - pulling and stretching the dough. You can also use a rolling pin but be careful not to roll over the edges to avoid flattening out the crust. Dust the pizza stone or sheet pan that you will be baking the pizza on with cornmeal. Place the dough on the pizza stone, or in the sheet pan pulling the dough up to the sides of the pan. 

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Mix together sauce ingredients in a blender or a food processor. Brush the dough with olive oil and spread with tomato sauce (the recipe above makes enough sauce for one sheet pan or two pizza rounds.) Top with cheese - about one cup of mozzarella mixed with other cheeses, I used a sharp cheddar - and your favorite toppings.

Bake for 25 minutes, until the crust is golden.