La Pizza Mariangela

While reading my previous post about Mariangela's Pizza dough, my boyfriend and his parents went through a range of emotions: Upon seeing the title of the post, they became excited. Once they saw the first photos of the dough, their expectations continued to soar. However, as soon as they saw the turkey "pepperoni", mushrooms, and yellow cheese, their hopes were quickly dashed.

I could just see them - my boyfriend sitting in the office chair in front of the computer, his parents standing behind him looking over his shoulder as he slowly scrolled through my blog post only to reveal one "horrific" photo after the next. *sigh*

Pizza Hut Clone Pizza Revisited

My mom's pizza: tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, jalapeños, onions, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

In May of last year, I made this clone recipe of Pizza Hut's Pan pizza and was instantly hooked on it. I love thick and thin dough, but my favorite is the thick, pan variety. Even though this recipe doesn't yield a pan pizza exactly like that of Pizza Hut, it is fabulous and less oily. I didn't have any tomato sauce, so I watered down some tomato paste and added Italian seasoning, garlic salt, a little sugar, and pepper. That worked like a charm.

Another burnt creation thanks to my beloved oven. It all still tasted amazing, including the crust. My pizza: pepperoni, sauce, and mozzarella cheese

The maintenance workers came to fix my oven two times, and now it seems to be worse than before. Consequently, I burned my meat pizza and had to watch my mother's pizza like a hawk; hence, there are more photos of my mom's pizza than mine. I probably could have cooked the pizza a couple of minutes more to get more color on the crust, but my mother was pleased with how it looked, and it was well-cooked. Even my gently-burnt pizza was still amazingly good.

My mom "decorated" this pizza all by herself haha. I'm so proud of her.

In the original post, I had promised my mom that I would make this pizza for her in July of last year. Well, I am one year late in my promise, but the month is July, so I'm happy I could make this for her. She said this pizza was the best pizza she had ever eaten, and my mom is a pizza addict who has eaten pizza in New York, Chicago, and various parts of Italy. So, that is a major compliment!

I had only one cast-iron skillet, so I split the dough into two pieces. Once I baked my pizza, I transferred it to a plate and started working on my mom's pizza in the same skillet. I really like making pizza in a cast-iron skillet; it is much easier than making it in a pie plate or on the back of a jelly roll pan.

My mom's favorite part of the pizza was the crust on the top left part of the above photo, so I had to take a shot of it haha.

I hope you make this one day soon; it is a fantastic recipe. I am submitting this post to yeastspotting!

Pizza Hut Clone Pizza

adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Sauce:
1 (8 oz) tomato sauce (I used one 8oz tomato paste + 1/4-1/2 cup water)
1-2 Tbsp Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp dry oregano; 1/2 tsp marjoram; 1/2 tsp dry basil; 1/2 tsp garlic salt)
1/2 tsp sugar (to offset the bitterness of the tomato sauce)

Combine the ingredients. Allow the mixture to sit for 1 hour while the dough rises.

Pizza:
1 1/3 C Warm water (105F/40C) (OR you could use 1 1/2 cups of WARM milk in place of water and dry milk)
1 pk (2 1/4 tsp) dry yeast (I used active)
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 C non−fat dry milk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (for dough)
1/2 tsp salt (I used kosher)
4 C AP flour
approx. 6 Oz Vegetable oil (3 oz. per pan)

Preheat oven to 475F (I cooked at 450). Put yeast, sugar, and dry milk in a large (2 qt.) bowl or mixing bowl of stand mixer. Add the warm water, and stir to mix well. Allow mixture to sit for two minutes.

Then, add oil and stir again. Add flour and salt, and mix until dough forms and flour is absorbed. Turn out on to a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes (If using a stand mixer, mix the ingredients with a dough hook and then knead the dough for 5-6 minutes.)

Divide dough into two balls (about 450-460 grams each). In two cast-iron skillets (or you can use two 9' cake/pie plates or one 9-inch pie plate and one 9 x 13 dish), put 1-2 Tbsp of oil in each skillet/plate making sure it is spread evenly. Using a rolling pin or your hand, roll/pat out each dough ball to about a 9" circle in the skillet (you probably won't be able to spread the dough to the edges at this time).

Cover with a towel or a plate. Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Then, pat the dough once more to the edges of the skillet.

Poke holes in the crust or use pie weights, and parbake the crust for 2-5 minutes to prevent sogginess of dough after adding the sauce.

Spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough. Distribute 1 1/2 Oz. shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce. Place toppings of your choice. Top with 3 oz. mozzarella cheese. Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown about 15 minutes. Then brush outer edge of crust with garlic butter.

Pizza Braid and My Makeshift Pizza Sauce

Remember the BBQ Chicken Braid I made? Well, I took out the other half of the dough from the freezer, placed it in the refrigerator overnight, and then let it sit out on the counter for more than an hour (I forgot it was sitting there!! Oops!).
I added my own pizza sauce to the base, grated some mozzarella cheese, and then added pepperoni, Italian seasoning, and more cheese on top. I then braided the bread and brushed olive oil on top. I didn't to allow it to rise a second time because the sun was quickly descending, and it still tasted just fine.

Ah, lovely blue photos. *cry*

I actually enjoyed this one much more than the chicken one. Oh, it was so good. I dipped some of the braid in ranch dressing and some in marinara sauce. Both sauces were great complements to this dish. I can't wait to make this dough again and try out more savory dishes!

Look at that cheese peaking out of the braid!! Oh goodness!!

The recipe for the bread, braid, and process photos can be found here and printable recipe here. What fillings would you like to try in braid form?
*UPDATE* Someone asked me to post my pizza sauce on here. I didn't originally post it b/c it is so simple and I don't ever measure it out. I will just tell you what I use:

Makeshift/Quick Pizza Sauce

One small can (6-8 oz) of tomato sauce
About 1 Tbsp or more of dried Italian seasoning
1/2-1 Tbsp of fresh or dry basil, chopped fine (I'm so glad I'm growing this stuff.)
1/2-1 Tbsp of fresh or dried parsley, chopped fine (I know the Italian seasoning has basil and parsley, but I like to enhance the flavor with more)
About 1/2-1 tsp of granulated sugar (to counteract the acidity of tomatoes)
1 tsp garlic powder (optional. I sometimes forget to add this.)
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl or the can itself and spread on the pizza dough. I never cook this sauce before adding it to the dough. It just isn't necessary, and it's quicker.

That's it! Enjoy!

Pizza Hut Clone Pizza

For an update on this recipe, go here. The photos look better there; I promise!I was surprised at how good this tasted. The taste was very similar to that of Pizza Hut. I saw this recipe many months ago after doing a google search for pizza hut dough, but I never got around to making it because of the requisite non-fat dry milk ingredient. I later saw the recipe on Real Mom Kitchen and bookmarked it for the future.

When my mother came into town to visit me, she wanted me to make this pizza for her and thus purchased the missing ingredient, along with fresh mozzarella, provolone, mini pepperoni, and other things. Unfortunately, I never got around to making it for her (she is still complaining about that to this day hehe). I finally got around to trying it yesterday, and it was perfect. I think I like this recipe more than the Reinhart recipe! I love how I can make personal pan pizze instead of one big one.


I made three balls of dough in total and placed one in the freezer (for another day) and the other in the refrigerator (for tomorrow) after I allowed them to ferment overnight in the refrigerator. The first ball of dough was formed into pizza, baked, and eaten gleefully. Although the recipe doesn't state it, I highly suggest parbaking the dough for about 4-6 minutes before putting on the toppings. The edges of my pizza were golden brown; however, the base of the pizza was not done. I had to place foil along the crust and cook it for 5-7 minutes more than what the recipe states (and my oven tends to overheat!). I made this pizza with homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone, mushrooms, and mini pepperoni.

Don't worry, mom! I will make this for you when I visit you in July! Love you! :)

Pizza Hut Pan Pizza
adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

1 1/3 C Warm water (105F/40C)
1 pk Dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 C Non−fat dry milk
2 Tbsp Vegetable oil (for dough)
1/2 tsp Salt
4 C Flour
approx. 9 Oz Vegetable oil (3 oz. per pan)
Butter flavored Pam (optional)

Put yeast, sugar, and dry milk in a large (2 qt.) bowl. Add the water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes. Add oil and stir again. Add flour and salt and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed. Turn out on to a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, mix the ingredients with a dough hook and then knead the dough for about 4-5 minutes.) Divide dough into three balls. In three 9" cake pans ( or can use 1 - 9 inch pie plate and 1 - 9 x 13 dish) , put 3 Oz. of oil in each making sure it is spread evenly. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9" circle. Place in cake pans. Spray the outer edge of dough with Pam (optional). Cover with a plate. Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Sauce:
1 8 Oz Can Tomato Sauce
1 tsp Dry Oregano
1/2 tsp Marjoram
1/2 tsp Dry Basil
1/2 tsp Garlic salt
1/2 tsp sugar (to offset the bitterness of the tomato sauce)
Combine and let sit for 1 hour while the dough rises.

For Each Nine Inch Pizza:
Preheat oven to 475F (I cooked at 450). Spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough and spread to within 1" of edge. Distribute 1 1/2 Oz. shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce. Place toppings of your choice in this order: Pepperoni or Ham, Vegetables, Meats (cooked ground sausage or beef). Top with 3 Oz. mozzarella cheese. Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown about 15 minutes. I then brush outer edge of crust with garlic butter.

Calzone/Calzoni

Many people in the U.S. mispronounce and misuse the Italian word calzone. First, it has 3 syllables [kal-ZO-ne(h)], not 2 [kal-ZONE] (insert BUZZER SOUND here!). Second, calzone refers to one doughy envelope of yummy fillings, while calzoni refers to more than one, not calzones (insert appalled gasp here).



I usually make the pizza dough from Peter Reinhart, but I decided to try another recipe to see if there would be a big difference. I definitely prefer Reinhart's recipe. The dough comes out beautifully, and the texture is perfect with a satisfying crunch. The dough I found on allrecipes did not even come close. It had a plain taste by comparison, but it was satisfying enough. The allrecipe version produced enough dough for two big pizze (the plural for pizza), so I used the second portion to make calzoni. I took the frozen pizza dough out of my freezer and put it in the refrigerator to thaw out overnight.



My calzoni were filled with Italian sausage, provolone [pro-vo-LO-ne(h)], parmiggiano reggiano, a mixture of other cheeses, mushrooms, and spaghetti sauce. The calzoni turned out okay, but they came out misshapen because I forgot to transport the rolled-out dough to the jelly pan before filling them (DOH!). I studied some youtube videos to see how the Italians prepare their calzoni. They add tomatoes or tomato sauce and olive oil on top of the calzoni, and some also add salt and oregano, which is what I did. I also added extra parmiggiano reggiano on top. I plan to make these again with the Reinhart dough. I'm sure they will look and taste a lot better than these did. The ones pictured here were still delicious, though.

Frontega Turkey Sandwich

My craving for Panera's Frontega Chicken Sandwich convinced me to make my first homemade focaccia bread. Well, yesterday, I decided to make a "Frontega Turkey Sandwich" by grilling two slices of the homemade focaccia with a few slices of turkey, cheddar cheese (Kraft deluxe), Hellman's Mayonnaise, and sliced, pickled jalapeño peppers. It was so good I had to make it again the next day. I think it was better than the sandwich at Panera! YUM!!



I threw the sandwich on my flat grill and smashed it with a heavy bowl.



As a side, I fried some tortilla chips and sprinkled kosher salt on top. I also made nacho cheese sauce that I found here. I usually make my cheese sauce with a roux (equal parts flour and butter) as a base, but this time I made it with cornstarch. Both versions taste awesome; however, the cornstarch version is easier and doesn't require butter.



*sigh* My days of eating whatever I want are ending soon. On April 1st, I will be eating a lot healthier, so there will already be changes on this blog. In the meantime, I am enjoying the different, less-healthy foods that exist out there. I hope you enjoy them as well!

Two-Hour Focaccia Bread

UPDATE: For an updated post about this fabulous bread with much better photos, go here.



I was at Panera Bread ostensibly studying when I started craving the Frontega Chicken Sandwich, which is made with focaccia bread. In order to avoid spending money there, I decided to make my own focaccia bread at home. Before leaving, I started looking for recipes online and found a recipe from a blog called Joyful Abode that only required 2 hours of my time. The other recipes required that the dough be placed in the refrigerator overnight, and I wanted the bread tonight to accompany my spaghetti and meatballs.



Since I wanted a chewier texture, I kneaded the dough in the stand mixer (my mom gave me one for Christmas! Thanks, mom!) even though the recipe doesn't require it. Unfortunately, my oven overheats so I cooked the bread a little too long (fewer than 20 minutes when the recipe calls for 30 mins). Nevertheless, it tasted great! It was soft on the top and had a nice crunchy texture on the bottom.



I definitely plan to use this recipe again after I try the more labor-intensive ones. Next time, I will stand by the oven after 10 minutes of baking.



Two-Hour Focaccia

1 1/2 cups of warm (110 degrees Fahrenheit) water
4 tsp active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/4 tsp salt (I use kosher)
3 Tbsp olive oil (you will need about 2-3 more tablespoons later, too)

Dissolve yeast in the warm water. I place the yeast water in the stand mixer. After a few minutes, I place the other ingredients on top, or you can do it separately and then bring them together. Place all-purpose flour, salt, and olive oil on top of the yeast-water in the mixer. Beat it on high for about a 1 to 1.5 minutes. The dough will be sticky. Dip your fingers in olive oil to handle the dough easily. Drizzle your jelly roll pan with some olive oil and brush it all around. Use a cookie sheet with sides or a half-sheet cake pan. Scoop the dough into the pan and pat it around until lightly. Do not expect to fill the pan completely at this point; it will rise and expand. Cover it with PAN-SPRAYED cling wrap (so that the cling wrap won't stick to the dough), and let it rise for an hour. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pizza seasoning: In a small bowl, mix the following together: Parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic salt, oregano, and basil (or you could use Italian seasoning to replace the oregano and basil). Once your dough has risen, use your fingers to make little holes all over it and poke the dough. Then drizzle it with olive oil and top with your pizza seasoning and rosemary flakes. Stick it in the preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.