My paternal Grandmother Margherite from Emilia Romagna made some of the best pizza I had ever had. She had one simple recipe which created the foundation for as many styles and flavors of pizza one could imagine. Its a relatively easy to handle recipe, and one can prepare either via hand as she did, or in a Food Processor.
Here is the translation for the title recipe:
THE SWEET LIFE PIZZA OF MY GRANDMOTHER ...
PIZZA DOUGH ...
1 1/3 cups warm water ( 105 degrees farenheit )
1 package active dry yeast
3 cups all purpose flour ( I use unbleached ); plus more for kneading process
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Evoo ( extra virgin olive oil, preferably Italian from Umbria )
TO MAKE THE DOUGH BY HAND ...
1) In a large glass bowl, mix the water and the yeast
2) Whisk until the yeast has dissolved
3) In another glass bowl, incorporate the flour and the salt and very very gradually add the yeast mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms
4) Turn the dough out on a floured wooden board or work surface
5) With lightly floured hands, knead until the dough is smooth and elastic - approximately 10 minutes
TO LET THE DOUGH RISE ...
1) Lightly oil a large glass bowl and add the dough turning several times to oil the top
2) cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft free warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size
TO MAKE DOUGH IN A FOOD PROCESSOR ...
1) In a 2 cup measure, dissolve the yeast in warm water
2) In the FP, mix the flour, and salt and pulse to combine
3) Gradually pour the water through the feed tube, with machine on
4) Process until the dough forms into a ball
YIELD: 1 1/2 pounds of dough - 2 pizzas or 4 calzones
EGGPLANT, PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA, SUNDRIED TOMATO & PARMESANO PIZZA ...
2 small Japanese style eggplants or aubergines ( 10 ounces each approximately )
2 tablesp. Evoo
4 sundried tomatoes ( top pizza sliced julienne strips )
4 juicy red plum or vine tomatoes
2 tbslps. fresh basil genovese
1 clove minced garlic
a few slices of Italian cured sausage or Prosciutto di Parma Ham
salt and freshly ground green, white, rose and black pepper to taste
4 ounces bufala di mozzarella
1 tblsp. Reggiano Parmesano or Grana Padano
Flour for dusting
EQUIPMENT :
Now to achieve the crisp and slightly smoky char of Pizza baked in an Italian ovem.. an unglazed clay or baking stone is required.
RECIPE FOR THE BAKING ...
1) now once the dough has doubled in size; slice the dough in half. Squeeze out any air bubbles and shape each piece into a ball and put the balls several inches apart on a lightly floured surface working board
2) Cover with Plastic wrap and permit the 2nd rising for 1 hour; until again double in size.
3) If using a baking stone or pizza stone, preheat oven to 450 farenheit degrees and lightly oil 2 large baking sheets and roast the eggplants that have drained overnight in the kitchen sink, in a colander or strainer
4) with a vegetable peeler, remove the lengthwise strips of violet peel, and slice the eggplants cross wise into 1/2 inch thick slices and arrange on baking trays
5) Brush with a cooking paint brush the eggplant slices and sprinkle with salt and bake for 10 minutes each side or until golden brown ( total: 20 mins. )
6) Now increase oven temperature to 500 degrees farenheit and char the eggplant a bit
7) slice both types of tomato ... and peel if you wish your fresh tomatoes and seed ... Gently squeeze out the seeds and discard.
8) Slice the fresh tomatoes and combine with fresh Basil, and garlic and season with salt and freshly ground pepper corns ( to spread on the dough evenly )
9) dust a pizza baking sheet or also called a peel or another baking sheet with flour and flatten 1 ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and gently stretch the dough and reshape to circular and handling carefully, pat or stretch the dough on lightly floured surface and stretch into 10 inch circle
10) working rapidly, spoon the tomato mixture over the dough and arrange half the eggplant, half the charcuterie of choice and half the sun dried tomatoes and half the cubed fresh bufala di mozzarella on top and then, sprinkle with freshly grated Reggiano or grana padana; one can add Provolone Aged Cured cheese shredded to provide a slight hint of spice
11) slide the pizza onto baking stone or baking tray on lowest oven rack
12) bake for 7 mins. until crust is golden brown and crisp
13) prepare your 2nd pizza and slice the pizza and serve with a lovely wine of choice or chilled beer of choice and a green salad ...
DIETARY DATA ...
565 calories per person / 4.4 grams saturated fat / 10 grams unsaturated fat
Have a nice Sunday;
ENJOY,
Maré ...
