Homemade Pizza - making the dough and sauce from scratch

*Post by Mark.

To me, there's no better street food than pizza. In fact, I love it so much that if I had an extra fifteen grand floating around, I'd probably spend it on wood-fire pizza oven. Sure, that may not sound like a household necessity, but the ability to cook a pizza in three minutes flat at 1000° F is one I'd take advantage of every day. Needless to say, I don't have such an oven, so I do the best with what I have.

I may not be able to cook my pizza much hotter than 475° F in a standard oven, but that isn't to say I can't still take delight in making my own dough and pizza sauce from scratch.

Ingredients for the Pizza Dough:

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-weat flour
• kosher salt

In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup luke-warm water, the honey and 1 teaspoon olive.  Sprinkle the yeast over top and let sit about ten minutes until foamy.

In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, the whole-wheat flour and one teaspoon kosher salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir. Add the remaining 1/2 cup all-purpose flour as needed to form a soft dough. Work the dough on a floured surface, kneading until the surface of the dough is smooth. The dough should not be sticky. 

Oil a large bowl with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and turn the ball of dough in the bowl to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it in warm place for about an hour. The dough should rise to about twice its original size.

Ingredients for the pizza sauce:

• 3-4 Heirloom Tomatoes, cut into chunks
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 
• Fresh Basil, chopped
• Garlic, coarsely chopped
• Oregano
• Salt and pepper

All of the ingredients can be added in any amount for obviously varying tastes, but I'm never shy with the amount of garlic or basil I use when I make my sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the garlic. Cook the garlic while constantly stirring for 1-2 minutes. Then add the tomato, basil and oregano. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sauce begins to thicken.

Once most of the liquid has been cooked out, transfer the chunky sauce to a food processor, purée and you have yourself homemade pizza sauce. 

Punch the dough down and let rest for another ten minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F, lightly oil a baking sheet and stretch the dough across it. I like to use the whole wheat flour because it makes the crust a little healthier and more wholesome without conceding any flavor. Sprinkle a little kosher salt over top and add your choice of toppings.

I layered this pizza with dollops of sauce, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, and fresh basil. 

Cook the pizza at 475° F for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove it from the oven, slice and serve. No doubt, this is some of the best pizza we've made at home - that is, until we install the brick oven in the second bedroom.  

Pork Belly Adobo

*Post by Angela.

I should have known. The first moment that the idea of making pork belly adobo popped into my head, I should have known it would lead me to Marvin over at Burnt Lumpia. Sure enough, the very first entry  to appear in my Google search was this unbelievably decadent, yet virtually idiot-proof recipe. Marvin posits that it's the best adobo he's ever had, and, judging by Mark's inarticulate moans as he shoveled it into his mouth, my partner-in-crime agrees. I certainly couldn't get enough, continuing to eat past the point of discomfort. That is how good this dish is, my friends.

List of ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar (I doubled the original amount because the sauce is my favorite part)
• 2 tbsp sea salt
• 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 lbs skin-on pork belly (I was surprised to find pork belly at Whole Foods relatively cheap, just a little over $5 a pound)
• 15 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 bay leaves
• Steamed white rice, and lots of it (trust me.)

First, the prep work, which is so easy as to be virtually non-existent. I smashed and minced the garlic, then cut the beautiful slab of pork belly into cubes.

I mixed together the vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then poured it over the pork belly, garlic, and bay leaves in a large pot. I brought the liquid to a boil, then reduced the heat to low, covered and simmered for about an hour and 15 minutes. Every once in awhile I'd uncover the pot to check the seasoning (I added a tiny bit more salt at one point), and each time, the acridity of the vinegar hit me so hard I coughed.  AWESOME, and I'm not being the least bit sarcastic. I love vinegar with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. No, seriously.

I turned the heat off, then, using a slotted spoon, I scooped the pieces of pork belly onto a baking sheet (skin side up) and stuck it under the broiler until the tops had turned a gorgeous brown, about 2-3 minutes.

I plated up some rice, then served it with the glistening cubes of pork belly and plenty of the delicious sauce. Marvin claims this recipe serves 6; Mark and I managed to polish it off in under an hour, repeatedly hauling ourselves up to get more until it was all gone. Is that a little disgusting, considering the fattiness of the dish? Sure. Do I regret it? Not. One. Bit.

Chicken Pot Pie

*Post by Angela.

When I made my tomato and corn pie for guests the other day, I initially made double the crust recipe, on the assumption that I would make two pies so that we could have leftovers. Unfortunately, time being what it was that day, I wasn't able to do that (and no leftovers, boo!). So I had an entire pie crust waiting to go, and I didn't want to waste it. I also didn't feel like making a dessert pie, so the next idea to pop into my head was chicken pot pie.

While I've often enjoyed the mini-microwaveable versions from the grocery freezer section (shut it, you know you do, too), I've never made chicken pot pie before. I found this relatively simple to follow recipe from the delightful blog Moms Who Think. I adapted it slightly, based on what worked for me (with regard to the roux) and my preferences.

List of ingredients:

• 1 batch of pie dough or 2 store-bought, unbaked pie crusts (you'll have to roll out one to fit over top)
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stick (1/2 cup or 8 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 3 tbsp dry sherry
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tbsp melted butter

I actually prepped all the components of the pot pie the night before we were going to eat it, as I was going to a dance class the next evening after work, and wanted Mark to be able to throw it in the oven so that it would be ready by the time I got home (that didn't actually happen, as I came home too late to go to my class). I poured the chicken broth into a saucepan, brought it up to a simmer, then added the chicken and cooked about 10 minutes, covered. I removed the chicken, reserved the broth, then shredded the chicken using a fork.

In a large pot, I heated the canola oil over medium heat, then added the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cooked until tender, about 7-9 minutes. I scooped out the cooked veggies and put them in a big bowl along with the shredded chicken.

Using the same large pot, I melted the butter, then gradually sprinkled the flour on top, constantly whisking. It's important to add the flour a sprinkle at a time (but quickly), otherwise you will get lumps. I cooked this roux for about a minute.

Again, constantly whisking, I added the chicken broth, milk, and thyme, and cooked until the sauce thickened into gravy, which happened surprisingly quickly, maybe about 2 minutes. Mmmmm. GRAVY.

I added the sherry and some salt and pepper to taste, cooked about 30 seconds more and removed the gravy from heat. I stirred in the chicken and vegetables, making sure everything was thoroughly mixed together, then covered the mixture and put in the fridge, covered, overnight.

The next evening, I took the filling out of the fridge and stirred in the parsley, then preheated the oven to 400 degrees. I rolled out one of the dough halves, draped it over the pie tin, and spooned in the filling.

Then I topped it with the other rolled out dough half, cut four slits into the top, and brushed it with melted butter. I threw it in the oven for about 40 minutes, then letting it cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before slicing into it.

Wow, this was a hearty meal. After just a couple of pieces each, Mark and I were stuffed, leaving a whole half a pie for leftovers the next day. I gotta say, being as objective as I can possibly be, I think this was better tasting than the microwave version, and I know for sure it was a lot healthier. I may not make this again until cold(er) weather sets in again, but it'll definitely be making a come back.

Tomato and Corn Pie

*Post by Angela.

The first thing I think of when I want to make seasonal summer dishes is corn. The second thing? Tomatoes. With the official beginning of summer just around the corner, I thought it was appropriate to bust out a recipe from Smitten Kitchen I've attempted before, Deb's vaunted tomato and corn pie. It turned out a little runnier than desired, but with the sweetness of the corn, the juicy tomatoes and the sharp gooeyness of the cheddar, it was still absolutely delicious.

List of ingredients:

• 1 3/4 lbs beefsteak tomatoes
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 stick cold unsalted butter (6 tbsp), plus 1 tbsp melted
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise mixed with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I made my own mayo using this recipe, then stirred in some chopped basil and lemon zest. It was phenomenal)
• 3 large ears of white corn (you could use frozen, I guess, but fresh corn is SO GOOD in this recipe!)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• Salt & pepper
• 8 oz coarsely grated sharp cheddar (about 1 pkg)

First things first. I had to deal with the tomatoes. Beefsteak tomatoes are big and beautiful things, but they contain a whole heck of a lot of moisture, which is not too good when you are putting them in a pie (soggy crust = sad Angela). So, a few hours before I wanted to bake the pie, I peeled the tomatoes (remember when I told you how to do that?), sliced them about 1/4" thick, removed the pulp and seeds, then salted them generously and set them, covered, in a colander to drain. I drained my tomatoes about 4 hours, but they still had a little too much moisture - next time I will maybe drain them longer or perhaps pat them dry with a towel before putting them in the pie.

Then I moved onto the crust.  I'm definitely getting much better with crusts. I sifted together the flour, the baking powder, and 3/4 tsp of the salt. I cubed the cold butter then worked it into the flour mixture with my hands, until it was well incorporated and resembled coarse meal. I then poured in the milk and worked the mixture until it became a nice silky dough. I divided it in half and rolled both halves out on a floured surface until they were big enough to cover my pie tin (about 1/8" thickness). I draped one half over the pie tin and reserved the other half, covered in plastic wrap.

Next, I prepared the corn. Using this cool new gadget I got, I removed the corn kernels from the cob (you can also use a knife, but it's a little more dangerous. At least for me). You want about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of corn kernels (I had 2 cups). Roughly chop the kernels and set them aside.

Now I was ready to assemble the pie! First I preheated the oven to 400 degrees, then pulled out my dough draped pie tin. I started with a layer of corn (about a cup), then sprinkled 1 tbsp of basil, 1/2 tbsp of chives, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper on top. Then I added a layer of cheese, about 3/4 cup. I added a layer of the tomato slices, then started over again with the remaining corn, basil, chives, salt and pepper, 3/4 cup cheese, and a layer with the remaining tomatoes. I topped it all off by slathering the mayo on top and then sprinkling with the remaining cheese.

I carefully placed the other circle of crust on top of the pie, sealing the edges. 

I cut four slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape, then brushed the pie with the melted butter and stuck it in the oven for about 45 minutes, until the crust was golden. I took it out and let it cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. To keep up with the theme, I served the pie up with a salad of arugula, fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, and basil, topped with a simple olive oil, lemon juice and parmesan cheese dressing.

Like I said up top, the pie was still a little runnier than I would have liked from the tomato juices. But ah, goodness, this was good, summery and decadent tasting, like sunshine baked into a buttery, flaky crust.

Broccoli Beef

*Post by Angela.

Broccoli beef, that staple of greasy Chinese take-out restaurants, is a dish I ordered probably hundreds of times throughout college and law school, yet for some reason had never attempted to make until recently. It's a very quick and basic dish that pretty much anyone can make well, especially using this simple recipe from Jaden Hair from Steamy Kitchen. I didn't do anything to change it, other than to "Ang" the garlic (tripled it).

List of ingredients:

• 2 tsp + 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tsp dry sherry
• 1 tsp + 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 lb beef, sliced thin
• 4 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp corn oil (or any other type of high heat oil)
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3/4 lb frozen broccoli florets (obviously, you can use fresh broccoli - we just had frozen sitting in our freezer already)

First, I made the marinade, mixing together 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp dry sherry, 1 tsp cornstarch and the black pepper in a small bowl, until the cornstarch was dissolved. I also defrosted the broccoli.

I added the meat to the marinade, mixed it thoroughly and let it sit for about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, I mixed the remaining tbsp of cornstarch with a little over a tbsp of cold water to make a slurry, and, in a separate bowl, I mixed together the 4 tbsp of oyster sauce, the remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp dry sherry and the chicken broth to make the broccoli beef sauce.

I got out my wok, heated it over high heat, then added the corn oil, swirling it around a bit. Then I added the meat and let it sit without messing with it, for 1 minute.

 

I added the garlic, flipped the meat and let it cook just 30 seconds more.

I poured in the sauce (if you are using fresh broccoli florets, you should throw them in here) and brought it up a boil, then poured in the cornstarch slurry. I cooked another 30 seconds until the sauce had thickened.

I took the wok off the heat, added the broccoli and mixed it all up until everything was covered with the sauce. I served it over white rice. This is yummy, easy, and so very cheap to make - I wish I had tried it earlier in life, as I could have saved tons of cash and time spent waiting for the delivery guy.