Serious Pizza

Over a year ago now, I had the most delicious pizza of my life for the first time. During a Savor Seattle Gourmet Food Tour in Seattle we were introduced to 'Serious Pie." It's a small pizza place off Virginia Street in downtown Seattle owned by hometown Seattle chef Tom Douglas. I can't begin to explain this pizza. I can't even try. We've had it numerous times since and I will be forever attempting to replicate the delicousness.

So long Panago. Home-made pizza is the stuff.

(Use pizza dough recipe from "Throw Together Flatbread Post" 2 below.)

The key to this being awesome is to preheat your oven like crazy and get the dough really thin. It's not about cheese and crazy amounts of toppings, it's about simplicity and a few really great ingrediants.

Preheat oven to 490 degrees. (Preheat the pizza stone or baking tray as well.)

Roll out dough very thin. Sprinkle cornmeal on a baking tray or pizza stone. Stretch dough to desired size and thickness. Place stretched dough on baking tray. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt or dried oregano. Bake for 7 min (watch closly, it should buble up all pretty but not get too brown.)

Remove partially baked pizza from oven. Top with sliced tomatoes, caramelized red onions, procuitto and small torn pieces of fresh mozzarella (boccacini.) Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and crust edges are turning brown.

Remove from oven and top with something fresh. My favorite is handful of arugala or fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Yum!

(You can switch the toppings as you like too. Bacon or sliced mushrooms are frequent at our place. If you've got some good Truffle Oil you've been saving, drizzle the cooked pizza and greens with the oil before serving for an unbelievablely amazing dinner)

Sriracha Sesame Meatballs

Those of you who know me well, know my aversion to things like "meatballs." Generally, I think they're gross. But these little guys are incredible. I've made them probably 30 times since I found the recipe several months ago. They're are also super healthy.

The meatballs are made with TURKEY! If you like it spicy stick with the 3 tbsp of Sriracha. If you don't like spice you can cut it down to a mere 1 tsp (but you need to keep at least 1 tsp for flavor.)

Everytime I make them I'm surprised at how good they are. Doesn't make sense. The sum is greater then the parts my friends. So much greater.

Sriracha Sesame Meatballs

1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
3 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp thai fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 egg
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp sriracha hot sauce
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

Mix it all together in a big bowl. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make into meatballs, place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 20min until brown.

Serve topped with more green onions and sesame seeds.

So yummy!

Mushroom Risotto

This Mushroom Risotto is delightful. You know what makes it more delightful?...the arborio rice came to me from Chuck Hughes (from "Chuck's Day Off" on Food Network.) I was working at EAT! Fraser Valley last September (the weekend we found out we were pregnant!) and Chuck was making loads of Risotto. At the end of the weekend there was a few boxes left and I was happy to one of them when it was offered to me. No big deal :)


Now, risotto is not difficult. You must try it. You must trust me. Take under a half hour and serves 4.

Mushroom Risotto

1 cup Arborio Rice
1 Shallot, minced
4.5 cups Chicken Broth, boiling
1/4 cup dry White Wine
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan, grated
16 oz Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme, chopped

For the mushrooms:
Saute sliced mushrooms in olive oil in a pan with chopped thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Risotto:


1. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet until very hot. Add minced shallot and saute for 3 minutes until tender.
2. Add rice. Stir well and get it all coated in the deliciousness. Cook 3 minutes.
3. Add wine. Stir and keep stirring until it's absorbed.
4. Add stock, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring after each addition.
5. Continue to add stock until it no longer absorbs and the rice is cooked.
6. Stir in mushrooms, grated Parmesan, butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Plate and top with more fresh Parmesan.

Throw together flatbread

Thanks for coming! I've decided to restart my blog. It's been sometime, but I'm feeling like sharing some delicious things and this is just the place to do it. My intention is to tempt you with yummy looking photos and perhaps persuade you into trying a recipe or 2 yourself. I love the way I eat, I love sharing food with others.

Here's recipe for something I make all the time. Flatbread! It's the best through together meal there is. (Especially when you've got the dough ready to go in the freezer!) Think of some things that might taste good together and give it a shot.

Some of my favorite options are:

Procuitto, tomatos, basil and goat cheese
Balsamic onions, gruyere and thyme
Bacon, whilte chedder, rosemary and grainy mustard
Fried shallots, mushrooms, gruyere and thyme

I use a basic pizza dough recipe (adapted from the one and only 'Joy of Cooking')

Basic Pizza Dough (Flatbread dough)

1 1⁄3 cups warm water
1 tbsp honey
1 package (2 1⁄4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
3 1⁄2 to 3 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt

In a large bowl (or bowl of your mixer) combine water and honey. Sprinkle in yeast. Let sit for 5 min until frothy.

With mixer at low speed, mix in flour, olive oil and salt. (Start with 3 1/2 sups flour, add more until it comes together.)

If your mixer has a dough hook, throw it on and let it go for 10 min at med-high. Otherwise, knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 min.

Place dough in a large bowl greased with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1/5 hrs (until double.)

Punch down. Divide into 2. Place one in the fridge or freezer for later use.

Let the dough you're using rest for 15 minutes before rolling out.

Assemble your flatbread:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roll out the dough into any shape you like (the more rustic the better!)

Drizzle with olive oil and some garlic and/or herbs if you like. Bake for 5 min.

Take the bread out of the oven and top with the rest of your toppings. Bake another 10 minutes or so until everything is browned and ready to eat.

Finish with a sprinkling of whatever herb you're using, some balsamic glaze, or a dash or truffle oil (if you're lucky.)

Be creative and enjoy!

PS: The flatbread picture above has the following toppings:
Olive Oil, Garlic, red onions sauteed in balsamic, tomatos and goat cheese. Once it came out of the oven I through on some fresh basil and a drizzled on a balsamic glaze.