Pizza Night

Seeing as last night's pizza plans got sidetracked, I decided to make this afternoon all about pizza. This morning's trip to the Halifax Farmer's Market resulted in some great ingredients for project pizza.  The first thing I spied when I arrived at the market were some HUGE wild caught shrimp from Mike's Fish Shop.  I picked up six and headed over to Norbert's where I bought some lovely chard and peppers.  Last week I had purchased some organic pepperoni from Angelhoeve Farm and was excited to finally put it to the test on our pizzas.  I am in the midst of a bacon craze and so picked up some more of that as well.  Four different pizzas, four taste adventures.

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH

2 cups warm water

1 Tbsp instant yeast

1 Tbsp local honey

4 cups organic whole wheat flour

1-2 cups organic unbleached white flour

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

4 Tbsp olive oil

Method:  Combine the honey and warm water in a large bowl.  Dissolve yeast in warm water.  When frothy, stir in salt and oil.  Gradually add in each cup of flour, stirring.  When it becomes hard to stir with a spoon, start to knead with your hands.  Then bring it out onto a floured countertop and knead for about 5 minutes.  Keep adding flour until the dough kneads without sticking to the counter.  Place into a greased bowl covered with a plate or saran wrap and let rise about 1 hour.  Punch down and divide into 4-5 ball of dough.

     Grease 4-5 cookie sheets and/or cast iron skillets and sprinkle with about a tablespoon per pan of organic cornmeal.  Spread each ball into a thin pizza crust.

BACON PESTO PIZZA with Wilted Chard and Onion

4 strips organic or pasture raised bacon, fried lightly and chopped into bite sized pieces

2 Tbsp basil pesto

3 leaves of chard, chopped

1 onion, sliced into thin wedges

1-2 cups organic mozzarella

Method:  Saute the onion in some olive oil until they begin to soften.  Then add the chard and saute until wilted.  Set aside.

Assembly:  Spread a crust with the pesto, followed by the some cheese, the chard/onion mix and then the bacon.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake at 450* for about 10-15 mins.

SHRIMP PIZZA with Wilted Chard, Onion, Rose Sauce and Capers

6 large wild caught shrimp, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 cup organic rose tomato sauce

some of the wilted chard and onion from previous recipe

1 Tbsp capers

organic mozzarella cheese

Method:  Spread a crust with the sauce, some cheese, the chard/onion, the shrimp and capers and end with the remaining cheese.  Bake at 450* for 10-15 mins.

PEPPERONI PIZZA with Mushrooms and Olives

1 organic pepperoni stick, sliced thinly

1 cup organic mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/4 green and black olives

1/2 cup organic tomato sauce

organic mozzarella cheese

Method:  Spread crust with the sauce and some cheese, followed by the pepperoni, mushrooms, olives and remainin cheese.  Bake at 450* for 10-15 minutes.

VEGETABLE PIZZA with Zucchini, Peppers, Mushroom and Olives

1/2 organic red pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 organic green pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup organic mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup black and green olives 

organic mozzarella cheese

organic tomato or rose tomato sauce

Method:  Spread sauce on a crust, followed by some of the cheese, veggies and end with remaining cheese.  Bake at 450* for 10-15 minutes.