A Pizza Tasting for some Special Friends

My incredibly sweet, beautiful, talented, and awesome niece recently asked if I would cater a dinner for a team of her staff members. I was floored, and then flattered. To imagine that she would trust me with this was off the charts cool. We discussed the menu for a while, and I suggested a pizza tasting. I liked the idea as it would carry the conversation over a couple of hours of sampling different foods and it would pair well with our favorite beverage - wine. As I was working on the menu, I liked the concept even more as it allowed me to be more creative with the evening. I started with some homemade hummus to allow me time to hide behind the prep work.

Below is the menu for the evening. Click on the items to see the recipes. They use this basic pizza crust.

Appetizer – Homemade hummus

Served with sea salt flat bread and pita chips

Pizza 1 – Pizza Margherita

Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil

Pizza 2 – Pizza Blanco

Roasted garlic and cambozola cheese with fresh rosemary

Pizza 3 – Spinach Chicken Alfredo

White sauce with fresh baby spinach and grilled chicken

Pizza 4 – Fancy Pig Pizza

Prosciutto & pancetta with caramelized onion

Pizza 5 – Spicy BBQ Chicken Pizza

Slightly spicy take on a traditional pie

Pizza 6 – Fresh Berry Pizza Tart

 Mascarpone Cheese with mixed berry compote

Pizza 7 – Chocolate Soup Pizza

A slightly sweet crust with a variety of chocolate toppings –

S’Mores, Almond Joy, Peanut Butter Cup, and Peanut-ty M&Ms

Homemade Hummus

Abbey LOVES hummus. After 3 attempts, she's told me that mine is "as good" as store bought. I'm taking that as a compliment.

2 garlic cloves

2 cups canned chickpeas (liquid reserved)

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 to 1 ½ lemon)

3 tablespoons chickpea liquid (or water)

1 tablespoons EVOO

Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (2-4 dashes, if desired)

In a food processor with blending blade mince the garlic, and add the remaining ingredients and process until it has a coarse puree consistency. You may want or need to add an additional teaspoon or two of olive oil and salt to get desired consistency and flavor.

Serve immediately, or chill for later use. Serve with pita chips, warm pita slices, or warm salted flat bread.

(Naked) Pizza Margherita

1 pizza dough ball

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic (minced)

3 Roma tomatoes (sliced to approx. 1/4” thickness)

Kosher salt

1 (8 ounce) ball of fresh mozzarella (drained and slice to ¼” thickness)

Fresh basil leaves (½ to 1 bunch, to taste)

Preheat oven and pizza stone for one hour at 500 F. Place the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl and let set 5 minutes for flavors to combine. Roll out the pizza dough and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Place the pizza on the pre-heated stone and bake the dough for approximately 5 - 7 minutes, until dough starts to crisp. Remove from the oven and add a second coat of olive oil and top with mozzarella and tomato slices. Add basil leaves to taste and return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Remove from the oven and top with additional basil (chopped or torn to small pieces). Let set for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing.

Pizza Blanco

1 pizza dough ball

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 bulbs of garlic, (tops cut and oven roasted)

4 oz wedge of Cambazola cheese (cut to ¼ to ½” pieces)

Kosher salt

1 or 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (stripped from stem)

Preheat oven and pizza stone for one hour at 500 F. Place the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl and let set 5 minutes for flavors to combine. Roll out the pizza dough and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Place the pizza on the pre-heated stone and bake the dough for approximately 5 - 7 minutes, until dough starts to crisp. Remove from the oven and add a second coat of olive oil. Top with cheese pieces and sprinkle with rosemary. Return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and serve with the roasted garlic. When eating, remove a clove of the roasted garlic and spread on top of the pizza.

Spinach Chicken Alfredo Pizza

1 pizza dough ball

10 to 12 oz of sliced (¼" thick) grilled chicken breast

2 cups baby spinach (washed and dried)

1 cup grated mozzarella

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Alfredo Sauce -

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup grated parmesan

Salt (to taste)

Preheat oven and pizza stone for one hour at 500 F.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, and add garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes to combine flavors. Add the flour and mix well while cooking for 2 minutes. While stirring with a wire whisk, slowly and continuously add the heavy cream. Add a pinch of salt to taste, reduce heat and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside.

Roll out the pizza dough and brush with olive oil. Spoon about 2/3 of the sauce on the pizza. Top with chicken slices. Spoon remaining sauce over chicken slices, and sprinkle ½ of the spinach leaves over the pizza. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of the entire pizza.

Place the pizza on the pre-heated stone and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crust and/or cheese starts to brown. Remove from the oven and add the remaining spinach leaves. Remove from the oven and let set for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing.

Fancy Pig Pizza

The title only makes sense if you know my daughter, Rachel. She first tried Prosciutto at her Uncle David’s house, and she has since called it fancy ham. Having discovered Pancetta, the obvious name became fancy bacon. Thus the name, Fancy Pig. (Chef's note: Because the pancetta and prosciutto are naturally salty, I would advise that less is more. AND you will not want to add salt at any point in the cooking process.)

1 pizza dough ball

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup marinara

4 oz pancetta (cooked, but not crisp)

3 slices Parma prosciutto

1 cup provel cheese (or substitute provolone and mozzarella)

1 tablespoon butter

2 large or 3 small shallots (sliced thinly)

Marina Sauce -

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

1 onion (diced)

1 large (or 2 small) carrot, diced

1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

Preheat oven and pizza stone for one hour at 500 F.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, and add the onion, salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook about 5 minutes until onions begin to wilt. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté until the carrots are soft. Remove from heat add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and return the pan to the burner. Let simmer about 30 to 45 minutes. Using a submersible hand blender, blend the marinara to combine the tomato and carrots. Alternatively, you can use a countertop blender in two batches after the sauce has cooled. Set aside.

In a small pan, melt the butter and add the shallots. Cook until the shallots are soft and golden brown in color, about 8 minutes. Set aside on paper towel to absorb excess butter.

Roll out the pizza dough and brush with olive oil. Spoon about 2/3 cup of the sauce on the pizza. Top with pancetta, prosciutto, and shallots. Spoon remaining sauce over pizza and top with the provel cheese.

Place the pizza on the pre-heated stone and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crust and/or cheese starts to brown. Remove from the oven and let set for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing.

(Slightly) Spicy BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 pizza dough ball

10 to 12 oz of shredded grilled chicken breast

½ cup grated gouda cheese (creamy, not aged)

½ cup grated mild cheddar

1½ cup BBQ sauce

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven and pizza stone for one hour at 500 F.

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, and add BBQ sauce and crushed red pepper. Cook 10 to 15 minutes to heat through and combine flavors.

Roll out the pizza dough. Spoon about ½ of the sauce on the pizza. Combine the chicken with the remaining sauce and spoon evenly over pizza. Sprinkle the gouda and cheddar cheeses on top of the entire pizza.

Place the pizza on the pre-heated stone and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crust and/or cheese starts to brown. Remove from the oven and let set for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing and serving.

Fresh Berry Pizza Tart

1 pizza dough ball

Vanilla sugar (to taste – I use Penzey’s)

8 oz marscarpone cheese

1 tablespoon heavy cream

½ vanilla bean

1 ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (½ lemon)

2 tablespoons sugar

Fruit Compote -

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2/3  cup fresh blueberries

½ cup fresh blackberries

1/3 cup fresh raspberries

¼ cup strawberry jam

½ cup sugar

Preheat oven and pizza stone for one hour at 500 F.

For the compote, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the berries, jam and sugar and stir until warmed through. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the berries burst, or about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds from the inside. In a mixing bowl, combine the marscarpone, cream, vanilla seeds, lemon juice, and sugar. Set aside.

Roll out the pizza dough and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle a light coat of vanilla sugar on the dough, and place on the pre-heated stone and bake for 5 - 7 minutes, or until dough starts to crisp. Remove from the oven and spread the cheese mixture evenly on the warm crust. Drop spoonfuls of the compote on the dough (you will use about ¼ of the compote, reserving the rest for ice cream, smoothies, or other frozen treats). Place the pizza back on the stones for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese and compote starts to bubble. Let rest for 3 to 5 minutes and serve as is, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Soup Pizza

The idea here is to get creative with your favorite cookie or candy sweets. I opted for ¼ Peanut Butter Cups, ¼ Almond Joy, ¼ Peanut-ty M&Ms, and ¼ S’Mores. I precooked the pizza dough, and topped each quarter with toppings. I returned the pizza to the oven to finish it.

1 pizza dough ball

Vanilla sugar (to taste – I use Penzey’s)

Cinnamon Sugar (to taste)

1 tablespoon melted butter

      Toasted slivered almonds

      Sweetened coconut

      Toasted sweetened coconut

      Chocolate Chips (or plain Hershey chocolate bar pieces)

Peanut-ty M&Ms

      Cocktail Peanuts

      Plain M&Ms

S’Mores

      1 tablespoons butter

      1/3 cup crushed graham crackers

      1 tablespoon sugar

      Plain Hershey chocolate bar pieces

      Small marshmallows

Preheat oven and pizza stone for one hour at 500 F.

For S'Mores - Melt the butter in a microwave. Add the graham crackers and sugar and mix well. Set aside.

Roll out the pizza dough and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle a light coat of vanilla sugar and cinnamon sugar on the dough, and place on the pre-heated stone and bake for about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with your favorite toppings.

Peanut butter cups - lightly spread plain peanut butter on the crust, and sprinkle with chocolate chips and peanuts.

For Almond Joy - Place chocolate on the crust and top with almonds and sweetened coconut. Top with toasted coconut after your remove from the oven.

For M&Ms - sprinkle plain M&Ms on the crust and top with peanuts.

For S'Mores - layer graham cracker mixture on crust. Top with chocolate and marshmallows.

Place the pizza back on the stone for about 5 - 7 minutes, or until chocolate melts, and in this case, the marshmallows brown. Let rest for 3 to 5 minutes and serve as is, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

For Almond Joy - After toasting the almonds and coconut on a baking sheet in the oven or in a dry pan on the stove top, set aside to cool.

Peanut Butter Cups

      Peanut Butter

      Chocolate Chips (or plain Hershey chocolate bar pieces)

Cocktail Peanuts

Almond Joy

Basic Pizza Dough

My always amazing and generous wife thought I would enjoy taking a pizza class at the Culinary Center of Kansas City. She was right. The class was taught by Chef Cody Hogan. If you live in KC, you know about Lidia's. Chef Hogan is Lidia's exceutive chef, and one very cool dude. He shared his favorite pizza dough recipe with us. I'll share it with you, but preface this by saying if you don't take the class, it won't be the same!

Pizza Dough

Based on the dough from

The Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook

Yield: enough dough for about 6 pizzas

Sponge Ingredients:

2 teaspoons dry yeast

3/4 cup lukewarm water

2/3 cup bread flour

Dry Ingredients:

4 cups unbleached white flour

1/4 cup rye flour, whole wheat flour or buckwheat flour

1teaspoon salt

1/3cup olive oil

To make the sponge:

Dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup lukewarm water and stir in the 2/3 cup bread flour. Allow this mixture to sit until quite bubbly, about 30 minutes.

To make the dough:

Mix together the all-purpose flour, rye flour, and salt in another bowl.

Stir 1cup cold water and 1 cup of these dry ingredients into the sponge. Mix thoroughly and let sit for another 30 minutes.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and the olive oil and knead, by hand or in an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. It may be necessary to add more flour if the dough is too wet, but add only enough flour to form soft, slightly sticky dough. Very soft, moist dough makes the best crust.

Allow to rise until doubled; about 2 hours. If you have the time, this dough has more character if it is allowed to rise in the refrigerator overnight or at least for eight hours.

After the dough has doubled, fold it down and divide it into six pieces (or less for larger pizzas).Shape in to balls and allow to rest for about 1hour, covered, at room temperature. (This is a good place to freeze individually wrapped pieces of dough for future use. Allow to thaw thoroughly before using.) The dough can be rolled or stretched into the desired shape and thickness.