Tag: pizza

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pizza with prosciutto and peaches

A weekend at home after several busy weekends away really is the loveliest. Sleeping in, wandering around the city, stopping in for a donut, a beer, a coffee, a pupusa, maybe one of each? Then making your way home to cook a pizza and finish out the night with two episodes of Chef’s Table. At least that’s how we spent our gloriously food-filled Saturday. When we weren’t eating, we were walking (or watching Massimo Bottura make the most perfect tortellini you’ve ever laid eyes on).

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The pizza was inspired by the newest cookbook in our collection. The lovely ladies at Short Stack Editions came across our blog while looking for cooks who love pork to check out their newest cookbook, Prosciutto di Parma. Short Stack Editions makes beautiful, single subject cookbooks written by chefs who know the title ingredient intimately. The books are adorable, useful and range in subject matter from apples to honey, broccoli to brown sugar. We’ve enjoyed paging through Prosciutto di Parma and finding new ways to cook with an ingredient we adore but never take much further than a cheese plate.

This prosciutto pizza is a fun one. It’s salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy. It sounds a bit wild when you read the ingredient list, but everything goes together beautifully. And, for one reader out there who also happens to enjoy cured pork products, it’s your lucky day! I’ve got a second copy of Prosciutto di Parma waiting to find it’s new home. Comment on this post, and I’ll pick a winner to receive a copy of this sweet little book.

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Pizza with Prosciutto, Peaches and Burrata, adapted just slightly from Prosciutto di Parma by Sara Jenkins
Makes two pizzas 
1 ball of pizza dough, cut into two pieces
1 ball of burrata cheese, torn into pieces
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup spicy peach jam (recipe below)
a few tablespoons olive oil
flour for rolling out the dough
10 paper-thin slices of prosciutto
chives

Preheat your oven to 475° F. If you have a pizza stone and your oven’s heating element is located at the bottom,  move the stone to the top rack of the oven. We’ve had the best success cooking pizza on the pizza stone at the very top of the oven; the stone cooks the pizza’s bottom, and hottest heat at the top of the oven cooks the toppings and browns the crust.

Dust a ball of dough with flour and roll out your pizza dough; use a rolling pin or your hands,  it’s your choice. Divide the burrata in half, and then tear that half into pieces and scatter on the dough. Between the dollops of cheese, add a bit of the spicy peach jam. Don’t be to heavy with the jam, you don’t want a pizza that verges on dessert. Sprinkle the whole pizza with parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake the pizza until the crust is browned and cheese is melty, 15 – 20 minutes. When the hot pizza comes out of the oven, drape it with a few slices of prosciutto and add a sprinkle of chives. Enjoy hot, just as the prosciutto fat melts into the molten cheese and jam. Heavenly.

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Spicy Peach Jam
4 ripe peaches, cut into chunks
1 habanero pepper, whole
2 tablespoons sugar
1 lemon, juiced

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the peaches, habanero pepper, sugar and lemon juice. Over low heat, let the fruit cook gently until it is soft and jammy. About 20 minutes. You want to make sure you’ve got a pretty thick sauce so you don’t end up with a soggy pizza.

You will have extra jam, this recipe makes enough for 4 pizzas. It will keep in your fridge for a month or 6 months in your freezer. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion it would be transcendent on vanilla ice cream.

-Emily

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Recipes

pizza with goat cheese, corn, poblanos and cilantro

This recipe was inspired by a conversation with our friend Alexa. She saw something like it on Sprouted Kitchen, improvised with what she had in the fridge and voila, dinner. Her description sounded so good and I had almost all of the ingredients already, so I too improvised and mine also turned out delicious.

The flexibility of pizza as a medium really is awe-inspiring. The fact you can make a decent pizza with just about whatever configuration of cheese and veggie you happen to have on hand—magic.  This fact also makes bad pizza even sadder if you stop to think about it.

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We’ve made this pizza a few time since Alexa first told us about it and finally wrote up the recipe. You’ll probably want to make it this weekend—the end of summer (and corn season – even in sunny CA) is nigh.

Pizza with Goat Cheese, Corn, Poblanos and Cilantro
1 ball of pizza dough, divided in two and at room temperature for ease of shaping
1/4 cup sour cream, creme fraiche or mexican crema (whatever you’ve got around will work)
1 poblano pepper, charred and diced
1 ear of corn, cut off the cob
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly (or yellow onion, or shallot)
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 – 2 limes, depending on how juicy they are
a small handful of cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

Under the broiler, over a gas flame or on the grill, char the poblano. Let it cool and then cut it into small pieces, discarding the seeds. Cut the corn kernels off the ear. Slice a small onion thinly.

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Preheat your oven to 500°. Move an oven rack with pizza stone—if you’ve got one—to very top of your oven. Roll out the pizza dough as thin as you can get it. If you let the dough sit out for an hour or two at room temperature before shaping it, it will be easier to get the crust thinner. Once it is rolled out, dust your pizza peel or baking sheet with corn meal or flour. Place the dough on the pizza peel or on baking sheet. Time to top!

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Coat the dough with a thin layer of sour cream. Sprinkle on the poblanos, corn, onion and goat cheese. Brush some olive oil onto the parts of the crust that aren’t covered in sauce or toppings. Slide it onto your pizza stone or cook on the baking sheet for 15 – 20 minutes, until the crust is browned. Meanwhile, mix together the lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro. We used our magic bullet, but you could also just chop the cilantro and mix in a bowl. When the pizza comes out of the oven, drizzle on the cilantro-lime dressing and serve.

Speaking of perfect pizza, I wish we had a backyard of sorts so we can get this rad, tiny, wood-fired pizza oven and turn out even more delicious (wood fired!) pizzas in less than 5 minutes a pop. I would have homemade pizza at least once a week if I was the proud owner of one of those cuties.

-Emily

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Recipes

pizza with pancetta, shallot and mascarpone

First things first, Happy Valentine’s Day!

Now the first time I ever had cream in lieu of cheese on pizza was at Pizzeria Delfina. Let me tell you, it is a revelation. Replace mozzarella cheese with cream, creme fraiche or mascarpone and you will be transported to a magical land of pizza possibilities you never knew existed. If you are like me, you probably won’t want to come back.

We decided to make a pizza with pancetta, shallot, mascarpone and thyme. It is easy and it is perfection. If you needed something delicious to make for your sweetie tonight, this is most definitely it!

Pizza with Pancetta, Shallot and Mascarpone 
1 small ball of pizza dough
4 – 6 thin slices of pancetta
1/2 shallot, sliced thinly
1/2 cup mascarpone, creme fraiche or 1/4 cup heavy cream
1 sprig of thyme

Heat your oven (preferably with a pizza stone at the bottom) to 450 degrees. Lightly flour your counter and stretch the dough to your preferred thickness. We like our pizzas with thin crust. Spread an even layer of mascarpone, and sprinkle with shallots. Top with pancetta slices and a sprinkle of thyme. Brush the crust border with olive oil. Slide your pizza onto a pizza peel or baking sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the pancetta is crisped and the crust is browned. Slice and enjoy!

-Emily

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Recipes

polenta bread with roasted corn and peppers

This pizza-polenta hybrid was inspired by my friend Robin’s gushing description of a polenta bread served at a favorite restaurant of hers in Philly Mama Palma’s. We were out walking the dogs, she described this bread, I decided that I had to have it and soon.

This dish is fairly easy to make — some assembly is required— and quite substantial. I served it with a simple salad on the side. It could also make a pretty fabulous appetizer.

Polenta Bread with Roasted Corn and Peppers
1 ball pizza dough (Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods both have good pre-made ones)
olive oil
garlic

1 bell pepper (I used half red and half green from our CSA)
1 ear of corn
olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flake

1 cup polenta
1 cup milk
1 cup water
salt, pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

basil pesto (from my freezer—store-bought would do just fine also—the pesto adds an important acidity to the dish)

I made each of the elements (pizza crust, roasted veggies, polenta, pesto) separately and then assembled them onto the cooked pizza crust just before serving. This was the easiest way I could figure out to make this dish and in total it took about an hour to make. The pesto and roasted veggies can easily be done ahead of time.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, roast your veggies. You could do this in the oven with some olive oil,  over the gas burners of your stove, or on a grill. I choose the stove method. After roasting, dice the peppers and cut the corn of the cob. Combine in a bowl with some olive oil, salt, pepper and chili flake. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk and water to a boil. While the milk mixture is heating, roll out your pizza crust. Brush the top with olive oil, prick the dough with a fork and slide it onto your hot pizza stone or onto a cookie sheet placed closest to the heat source in your oven. The crust will take about 15 minutes to become golden brown and bubbly. Once the crust is in the oven, whisk the polenta into the hot milk mixture. Whisk until smooth, reduce heat and stir frequently. The polenta will thicken quickly and should cook in 10 – 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. After the polenta is cooked, turn of the heat.

Remove the pizza crust from the oven. Rub carefully with a clove of garlic. Spread on a layer of polenta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with the roasted veggie mixture and then top with a drizzle of pesto. Let it set up for a minute or two and then cut into that delicious carb-overload of a pizza pie!

-Emily

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Recipes

fava beans, four ways

How do I love thee fava bean? Let me count the ways. Sauteed, over pasta with parmesan, on pizza with onions and cream, pureed into a soup and chilled.

Jordan first introduced me to fava beans last spring with one of his favorite pasta dishes. He raved about the buttery and fresh quality of these beans. After trying his pasta, I was also hooked. This spring we’ve received several bunches of fava beans in our CSA and we’ve experimented with new recipes from a chilled soup to pizza.

Fava beans are available only in spring. They come in a large, green, slightly fuzzy pod. You need to first remove the individual beans from the pod and then remove their tough exterior skin. It is a fair amount of work to shell fava beans, but they are worth the effort. When purchasing the beans keep in mind that you should buy more than you think you’ll need since the actual size of the bean is small compared to the size of its pod. Now for the recipes!

Sauteed Fava Beans with Parmesan 

1 lb fava beans
1 clove garlic, sliced
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flake
shaved parmesan cheese (we like to shave slivers with a vegetable peeler)

Shell the beans. In a saute pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flake. Saute briefly. Add the fava beans. Saute until the beans are crisp-tender, about 3-5 minutes and add lemon zest. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with slivers of parmesan and lemon juice.

This dish is good as a side or as main course with some bread and salad.

Pasta with Fava Beans, Parmesan and Fresh Herbs
1/2 lb dried or fresh pasta
1 lb fava beans
1 clove garlic
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flake
grated parmesean
chopped fresh herbs (we like parsley)

Boil a pot of salted water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. If using fresh pasta, saute the fava beans first. Saute the fava beans following the recipe above. Drain the pasta, reserving a little bit of the pasta water. Add the pasta and parmesan to the saute pan. Toss to melt the cheese and distribute the beans. Top with fresh herbs to serve.

Pizza with Fava Beans, Spring Onions and Creme Fraiche 
1 ball fresh pizza dough (Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s sell fresh pizza dough that is pretty darn good and saves you an hour)
1/2 lb fava beans
1/2 spring onion, sliced thinly
1/4 cup creme fraiche (you could also use marscapone or ricotta)
salt, pepper, olive oil


Heat an oven to 425 – 450 degrees. We have a pizza stone in the bottom of our oven that we cook our pizzas directly on top of, but if you don’t have a pizza stone use a baking sheet dusted with corn meal. Roll out your pizza dough. Spread the creme fraiche in a even layer, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle evenly with onions, fava beans and salt. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Top with fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

We had our first pizza with cream at Pizzeria Delfina in the Mission. It was a life-changing experience. The creme fraiche offers subtle tanginess and richness without overpowering the flavors of the vegetables. If you’ve never had a pizza sans cheese, I recommend you give it a go. This pizza is amazing, and wouldn’t be half bad with a bit of prosciutto on top as well.

Chilled Fava Bean Soup
2 lbs fava beans
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
¼ cup olive oil
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper
creme fraiche and lemon juice, for serving

Shell and peel the beans. Peel and dice the onion. Thinly slice the garlic. In a dutch oven or heavy stock pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil until quite soft, 10 – 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook for two more minutes. Season with salt. Add the fava beans and cook for two more minutes. Add just enough stock to cover the beans. Chill the remaining stock. Cook the beans until tender. Puree in a blender until smooth, adding the leftover chilled stock until the desired consistency is reached. You might not use all of the stock. Check for seasoning. Chill and serve with a dollop of crème fraiche and a squeeze of lemon juice.

This soup is really simple, healthy and easy to make. We served it at our cooking demonstration a few weeks ago and it was a huge hit. We got more compliments on this soup than any other dish we prepared. In my mind, it means a lot when a chilled soup is the star of the show. This soup is not the heartiest of dishes and so it would be the perfect accompaniment to any grilled meat or fish.

Just in case it’s not totally obvious, we love fava beans in pretty much any incarnation. They are delicious and only around for a short time so go out and enjoy some while you can! I’m still brainstorming a fava bean dessert …

-Emily

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Recipes

brunch

I have a complicated relationship with brunch: I love breakfast foods. I love lunch foods. I love waking up late and still getting to enjoy breakfast in the company of friends. BUT… I hate waiting in line. I hate even more waiting in line for mediocre food (as brunch food out often is). I’ve struggled with these dueling desires for the last few years, especially during my stint in Washington D.C. where brunch is oh so fashionable. Last weekend I decide to host a brunch for a few friends hoping to maximize the elements of brunch I enjoy and minimize those that I don’t.

The Menu

Fresh Berry Tart with vanilla bean pastry cream (recipe courtesy of my new Tartine Bakery cookbook!)

Breakfast Pizza with fontina, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, eggs and chives (recipe by Jordan)

Hash Browns

Orange-Cranberry Scones (baked expertly by Jeff Quinn)

And of course, mimosas

(That goopy brown bit in the upper right is the hash browns. While not visually appealing, they were tasty).

Jordan and I diligently prepped all we could the night before and the cooking went splendidly that morning. Everyone showed up! The food turned out wonderful! The dishes were simple, but very satisfying. It was fun and relaxing – a perfect brunch! And the best part … No lines!

And perhaps one of the best compliments I’ve received lately from my dear friend Jeff: “… and I thought the gays had a monopoly on brunch!”

And just one more picture of my tart …

-Emily

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Restaurant Reviews San Francisco

pizzeria delfina

It’s no secret that Jordan and I both love pizza. We’ve walked by Pizzeria Delfina (18th and Guerrero in the Mission), and its sister restaurant Delfina several times and always been jealous of the diners. The food looks and smells incredible, there’s great outdoor seating and always a crowd waiting. So after a Greyhound happy hour at Doc’s Clock (21st and Mission), we decided to treat ourselves to pizza. We strolled over, put our name in and were seated outside with our pup almost immediately. (I was shocked that we were seated so quickly, but I guess we just had perfect timing because a serious crowd had formed as we finished our meal).

The waitress brought us breadsticks and a little dish of parmesan, chili flake and oregano to start (and a bowl of water for Willow – very sweet). We ordered two pizzas – the margherita ($12.5) and the special funghi ($16), which had maitake mushrooms and fontina cheese.

The pizzas were wonderful! They both had a nice balance between bread, sauce, cheese and toppings. For me, the funghi pizza was out of this world. The mushrooms were so earthy and they paired perfectly with the fontina cheese. Overall, I really enjoyed the whole experience – great atmosphere, wonderful food, a well-behaved dog.

We stopped by Bi-Rite Creamery for a gigantic soft-serve ice cream cone ($3) for dessert. The vanilla was delicious, the chocolate mint was a little overpowering. I’ll stick with just vanilla next time.

Conclusions: We’d go back to Pizzeria Delfina in a second. I kind of want to go again tonight!

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Recipes

pizza, pizza, pizza

Friday night we had a couple friends over to our place for dinner.  Emily and I discussed a dinner menu; we knew we wanted something casual that would be a crowd pleaser.  Obviously, the perfect answer was pizza.  (On a more personal note, I think pizza is one of the two perfect foods in the universe.  Maybe I’ll discuss the other later, but for now, I’ll keep you in suspense).  When making homemade pizza, I usually assume one pizza per two people.  It seems like a lot, but it’s really difficult to make large pizza at home (more than 12″) and I make pretty thin crust, so it’s not too filling.

I’m going to make a confession right away.  I bought the dough from Whole Foods.  I know it’s a terrible thing to do, but to be perfectly honest, their dough is really good.  I’ve made my own before and it only comes out okay in my opinion.  As an added bonus, they only cost $1.30 each.  I’ve also heard that Trader Joe’s dough is tasty too, but I’ve never tried it.

To make up for my store bought dough, I did make the sauce from scratch.  This is something I highly recommend because it’s super easy, cheap, it tastes better than jarred sauce, and you can make a batch as large as you want and just freeze it for at least a year.  I made a very basic version where I simply sautéed an onion, a carrot and a few cloves of thinly sliced garlic.  Then I deglazed with some red wine vinegar (probably about 1/4 cup) and added two 28oz. cans of whole tomatoes.  Let that simmer for a couple hours and puree to your desired consistency.  Season with salt, pepper, chile flake, and a couple tablespoons of sugar (to cut the acidity).

Now for the fun part.  Preheat your oven as high as it will go (If you have a pizza stone, which is highly recommended, preheat for about an hour so the stone gets good and hot).  I like to take the dough out of the fridge about a half hour before baking to make it a bit easier to work with.  Stretch it out with some flour on the counter and get it to a nice thin disc about 12″ in diameter.  Put some cornmeal on your pizza peel and lay the dough on it (I leave about an inch hanging over the edge of the peel as the dough seems to slide off more easily that way, that could just be me though).  Then you just throw on your toppings.  The only advice I can really give here is that less is more.  Just use a little bit of sauce, a good quality cheese (I like fresh mozzarella) and no more than 4-5 toppings.  We made three pizzas: one was sausage (pork of course), olives, and cherry tomatoes; basic mozzarella and basil; and bacon, sautéed chanterelles, goat cheese, garlic, and onion (I also threw some fresh tarragon on after it came out).

Conclusions:  We’ve done this before and we will do it again.  It’s super fun and not too difficult (your friends will love you for it too).  If you’ve never made homemade pizza before then just give it a try; it seems really hard at first, but the more you do it, the easier it gets.

P.S. We had a salad too.  Just spinach and arugula with more cherry tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette.  Tasty.

-Jordan