Pizza night is a treat night in our house. It's the one night that vegetables are optional as long as lunch vegetables have been consumed. What is ironic is that the kid's favorite topping is spinach. Though I can't fit 2 whole servings on one little pizza, I feel warm and fuzzy that at our worst we are better than most.I am a variety girl, so our pizza toppings are constantly evolving. Pear Walnut is one of my long time favorites, adapted from my sister in law, Reachel's remake of a California Pizza Kitchen selection. This crust is the perfect balance of sweet, chewy, crispness. Letting the dough rise after mixing is optional. I usually use the time to prepare my toppings and preheat the oven. A pizza stone is a must, it draws moisture out so you can avoid the inevitable infliction; soggy bottoms.
Also check out my Sourdough Spelt Pizza
Multi Grain Pizza Dough
1 1/2 cup water
1 cupsour dough starter
2 cup spelt flour
1 cup amaranth flour
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon Real salt
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon yeast
2 cup white flour
Combine water, sourdough starter and whole grain flours. Mix and let sponge (rest) covered at least 12, but no more than 24 hours at room temperature (can sponge longer in fridge). After the soaking period, Place all ingredients except white flour in mixing bowl, yeast on top. Turn on mixer. Add white flour until dough pulls away from sides and center post. Knead 8 minutes. Preheat oven to 550 degrees (convection is best) Let dough rest 30 minutes in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap (optional). Divide dough in fourths, roll out on a floured surface, transfer to parchment paper. Top and bake on a preheated pizza stone for 6 minutes or until crust is crisp. Let cool 5 minutes for cheese to set before cutting.
Pear Walnut Topping
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 firm pears, sliced
½ red onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoon sucanat
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup walnuts
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup feta cheese
Saute pears on medium high heat in a large pan until browned, add onions, sucanat and sugar, cook. Turn off heat and mix in walnuts. Let cool slightly before arranging on dough, top with cheeses.
1 tablespoon Real salt
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon yeast
2 cup white flour
Combine water, sourdough starter and whole grain flours. Mix and let sponge (rest) covered at least 12, but no more than 24 hours at room temperature (can sponge longer in fridge). After the soaking period, Place all ingredients except white flour in mixing bowl, yeast on top. Turn on mixer. Add white flour until dough pulls away from sides and center post. Knead 8 minutes. Preheat oven to 550 degrees (convection is best) Let dough rest 30 minutes in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap (optional). Divide dough in fourths, roll out on a floured surface, transfer to parchment paper. Top and bake on a preheated pizza stone for 6 minutes or until crust is crisp. Let cool 5 minutes for cheese to set before cutting.
Pear Walnut Topping
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 firm pears, sliced
½ red onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoon sucanat
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup walnuts
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup feta cheese
Saute pears on medium high heat in a large pan until browned, add onions, sucanat and sugar, cook. Turn off heat and mix in walnuts. Let cool slightly before arranging on dough, top with cheeses.
Links; Whole Foods for the Holidays
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ReplyDeleteThanks for all of these great recipes! I love recipes that use real food and have "pep" to them. Thanks for taking the time to share them. Keep them coming!
ReplyDeleteThis is hands down my most favorite pizza recipe. Kara brought this for me a couple years ago when I was very sick, I will never forget that :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to try this recipe - it looks delicious! I do have two questions though. When you say, divide the dough in fourths, is that because this makes four small pizzas? Also, where do you buy your sourdough starter? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes, This recipe should make 4 medium pizza...depending on how thin you roll the dough. The best place to get sourdough starter is from someone who has some. It is a never ending culture that is fed a diet of flour and water at each use. You can make your own too, look online for the procedure. I got mine from Chef Brad, but he is out of business so no help there. If you live in AZ, I am good at sharing : ). Shar's Bosch store might have some. Best of luck.
ReplyDeletecan you replace the sourdough starter with anything?
ReplyDeletestarters stress me out. you have to keep them around, and label them, and yada ya.
unfortunately no one i know keeps starters around. cuz no one i know makes their own breads.
Jill, you can leave the starter out if it stresses you. They are pretty simple to keep up. I found a good source if you are interested: www.culturesforhealth.com. I use the Alaskan starter and thing it is very worth while.
ReplyDeleteAnother triumph. We are excited to incorporate this into our new family tradition---weekly pizza nights! I am pretty sure that it will be even better next time, as I am pretty sure I made some mistakes. It still came out really well though...but I think I killed my sourdough starter. Not sure how. It just didn't look right after that first use.
ReplyDeleteDo you like to make the full recipe each time and use half of the dough for something else? I made a full batch and we did the BLT-type pizza (which we did without chicken and it was still so great, by the way) and then I was left with half the recipe to find some uses for the dough. Can it sit in the fridge, or is it better to bake it up into something and use it right away? I know there is the "cactus pizza" and you say it makes a decent naan substitute...
I love to freeze the other half when I don't have a plan for it in the next couple days. Just thaw it the day before. It will be easiest to work with if you let it come to room temperature first.
ReplyDeleteSourdough starter does weird things, it will separate, get quite murky and smell different all the time (though always sour.) I once had a batch out overnight with a box of apples across the kitchen. The next morning the starter smelled like sour apple juice. Unless it comes into contact with metal, use a dirty spoon to mix it someone sneezes in it, it is most likely just fine.
Thanks. I guess I shouldn't have thrown it away...well, I'll know next time. :)
ReplyDeleteI made this, but it seemed like I needed lots more white flour to keep it from being REALLY sticky and to allow me to do anything with it. What are your tricks?
ReplyDeleteSourdough starters can vary in consistency. Add more whole grain flour if yours is on the thin side.
ReplyDeleteWe made this pear pizza last night. Me and my husband loved it and will definitely be making it for guests in the future. Thanks!
ReplyDelete