---

 

TIPS TWO & THREE: Toppings & Creativity (Bonus Recipe!)

posted on: Tuesday 2 Feb. 2016

When it comes to toppings, in short: think outside the (pizza) box.

Pizza for Good‘s unofficial subtitle is “Instinct in the Round” because your options to create awesome pizza is limitless. In other words, you can service a homemade pepperoni pizza and call it a day—even in that down-the-middle choice, you can innovate greatly with your own flourishes:

• homemade pizza sauce
• high-end pepperoni that you slice thin yourself
• make ricotta at home and dollop it on your pie
• sprinkle on some sauteed, chopped garlic
• finish your pie with mozzarella and sharp cheddar for an extra bite

Any and all of those little tweaks would turn an average pie that Domino’s might serve into a custom creation that will WOW your Super Bowl guests.

The book blog offers one free recipe called “Pesto Perfect,” which includes my secret way to make basil pesto. Take it, change it, make it yours.

Within the pages of Pizza for Good, I take Chick-fil-A ingredients and turn it into a pizza; there’s a sweet-and-savory pie with a cherry glaze called “Pi”; and an a French twist to Chicken Piccata that makes for an awesome bite. As pictured above, I turned whole garlic cloves and make it in to a pizza that would ward off any of the angriest vampires. (All these recipes are in the book, including many others, along with their backstories.)

As a bonus to you—and to give you another trick in your arsenal—I’m posting a second recipe, entitled “Lextstacy.” Courtesy of musician, artist and great friend Alexis Vear, she even recorded an exclusive performance of her song of the same name.

Here’s the recipe:

• 1 16-ounce container mascarpone cheese
• 1 16-ounce container ricotta cheese
• 1 8-ounce wedge Parmesan cheese
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium jalapeño pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella, plus more to taste
• 1 9-inch pizza dough round (see Needing Dough? Make It Easy on Yourself for more information)

1. In a large saucepan, combine the mascarpone, ricotta, Parmesan, and garlic. Cook on medium heat, and remember to kick your personal instinct into high gear, because the mixture ought to be to your liking. I recommend adding an equal balance of the ingredients and then adding more of what you prefer. When satisfied with the taste and consistency, continue cooking over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture is bubbling, between 5 and 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice the jalapeño to your preference.
3. Remove the cheese mixture from the heat and, using a ladle, spread it directly onto the dough. Add a light covering of shredded mozzarella, then top with the jalapeños. Bake until bubbling and serve immediately (see Dough-nated for baking instructions).

TIP FOUR: Shop Smart

posted on: Wednesday 3 Feb. 2016

 

Let me make one thing perfectly clear: I have a love-hate relationship with Food Hole. Mostly hate.

However, Whole Foods can—if you squint carefully and avoid the $22 artisan dog biscuits—offer some good deals on fresh stuff that can help you make your Super Bowl soiree sing. WF’s in-house brandis often on-par with standard grocery store prices. With that in mind, here are a few quick things to keep in mind when shopping for Sunday:

• Splurge in strategic places. You’ll be using a shit-ton of mozzarella. Given that, you could buy that in bulk (see the Farmer’s Market bullet), save some scratch and apply that to a higher-quality meat selection. Also, organic pizza sauce is not very much more, and you can brag to your guests how hippie-fabulous you are by serving pizza with organic sauce. From a can, sure, but I’ll be the first to tell you: Muir Glen organic pizza sauce kicks ass.
• Store brands are your friend. As mentioned, some store brands are actually quite good. Food Hole’s 365 EVOO, for example, is a decent and inexpensive way to stock up on olive oil. (But don’t forget the ongoing olive oil scandal plaguing the industry right now; odds are the oil in your pantry comes from an old well in Texas. Do your research and choose wisely.) Publix has GreenWise and Kroger has SimpleTruth—the latter having a bit of a scandal of its own to deal with. Read labels and weigh the cost against what sort of pizza and flavor profile you’re going for.
• Farmer’s Markets love you. There are many dedicated search engines ready to point you toward your closest CSA (community-supported agriculture), Farmer’s Market and other dirt-to-table evangelists. These locations offer fresh, local alternatives to mass-produced foods that most Americans are used to by now. Whenever I throw my NYE Gourmet Pizza Extravaganza, I shop at Dekalb Farmers Market because the prices are great, selection is wide and stuff is fresh. I highly recommend you do the bulk of your shopping at a location like that and fill in with a mainstream grocery story.
• Call to compare. Finally, be creative on how you source your dough. Call a local pizzeria or Italian restaurant and see what the cost would be for 10 dough rounds vs. what you’d pay for store bought. The prices may surprise you. If you dare to be on hold for a bit, call ahead to markets if you’re unsure if a location has a specific item. That’ll save you from searching and driving too much.

In summary: be discerning, query all food labels and pinch your pennies where you can. This party doesn’t have to break the bank.

 

TIP SEVEN: Two Bonus Tips

posted on: Saturday 6 Feb. 2016

• 2 cups of riced cauliflower (about 1 large head of cauliflower)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cups of mozzarella or Mexican blend cheese (for mixing)
• 1.5 tsp oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 cups mozzarella or Mexican blend cheese (for topping)

1. Preheat to 400°, prepare large baking sheet lined with parchment paper

2. Break apart raw cauliflower head into florets. Put florets in food processor and pulse until cauliflower resembles rice or couscous.

3. Place riced cauliflower in microwaveable container and cover with microwaveable Saran Wrap, leaving a corner folded for venting. Microwave for 10 minutes stirring halfway through. (This will cook the raw cauliflower)

4. Place the microwaved cauliflower in a large mixing bowl. Add the 2 eggs, 1 cup of cheese, 1.5 tsp of oregano, minced garlic, and salt and pepper. You may wish to add any other seasonings as well. Mix well. The mixture should resemble a textured-dough.

5. Put the mixture into the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Mold into either a round shape for a pizza crust or a more rectangular shape for breadsticks. Be sure not to mold it too thick or too thin to assure even cooking.

6. Bake the crust (do not add any toppings yet) for about 25 minutes or until nice and golden. Once golden, take out and sprinkle cheese and other toppings and put back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

7. Slice and serve. If making breadsticks, serve with side of marinara.

---