This October, we had just a little pizza social gathering at my neighbor’s home. The children made their very own private pizzas, my buddy James ran the Ooni pizza oven, and Kayla made Negroni Sbagliatos (as a result of TikTok advised us to!).
I’ve lately been cooking by a few recipes in Foodheim, a cookbook written by the hilarious and proficient Eric Wareheim, aka Arnold from Grasp of None. You possibly can’t learn this e book with out salivating and craving a few freshly-baked pizzas with a easy, briny inexperienced salad on the facet. Whereas I really like cooking recipes I’ve by no means tried earlier than, there’ll all the time be one thing so satisfying a couple of easy pizza—particularly one with a few artistic toppings.
At the moment I’m sharing some distinctive pizza topping concepts that can take your pizza expertise to the subsequent degree.
I hope you’ll give one in every of these pizza topping concepts a strive in your subsequent at-home pizza night time. Now if Santa may please convey me an Ooni pizza oven, I’d be one blissful pizza pie maker!
A number of extra instruments you’ll want:
First, take into account your dough.
Whereas the toppings are the thrilling a part of any pizza, the dough is what actually takes a pie from okay to superb. If you’re shopping for store-bought pizza dough, it’s KEY that you simply let it come to room temperature earlier than shaping it. We’re speaking about letting it sit in your countertop for ~4 hours if it’s been within the fridge. Dealer Joe’s has an awesome premade dough you’ll be able to hold within the fridge for weeks.
If in case you have extra time, I feel Eric Wareheim’s fermented dough recipe is value the additional time. It’s barely candy, fluffy, and offers you good large puffy sections because the pie bakes. Yow will discover instructions to that recipe right here, however do your self a favor and simply purchase his e book. 5/5 stars.
1. Margherita Pizza, With a Twist
For this month’s pizza social gathering, I introduced components to make a Margherita pizza, with a little bit of a twist. I used a contemporary crimson sauce, which concerned blitzing San Maranzo tomatoes, garlic, and salt in a blender. I additionally used two cheeses—low-moisture mozzarella AND low-moisture contemporary mozzarella. If you’ll find mozzarella pearls that aren’t floating in water, you’re golden.
I baked the pie with the 2 cheeses on high, then sprinkled on contemporary basil (no exceptions) and a drizzle of the highest-quality olive oil I had available. I used to joke that Ina Garten all the time known as out the significance of utilizing high-quality EVOO, however she’s proper. With out it, this pizza doesn’t style pretty much as good. Oh, and don’t neglect to sprinkle the pizza with Maldon salt earlier than serving immediately.
2. Lemon and Anchovies With White Sauce and Mozzarella
Foodheim has an identical recipe however I credit score my buddy, Pizza Mama Marlo Munch, for first introducing me to lemon slices on a pizza. (She used contemporary snap peas on her lemon pizza, however I feel that’s finest to do when they’re in season.) The secret’s to make use of an natural lemon (which may have a thinner pith) and slice it very thinly. This pizza is so creamy and zingy! It has a lot umami taste. In case you don’t love tinned fish, take into account placing the anchovies on earlier than it goes within the oven or pizza oven. They’ll break down a bit and add a scrumptious depth of taste to your pie. Right here is one Reddit consumer’s rave assessment of the recipe.
3. “Pizza Salad”
In Minnesota, now we have this superb pizza place known as Punch they usually have a recipe much like this one. Basically, you bake your pizza dough with plenty of olive oil on high after which place a scrumptious bib lettuce or arugula salad on high. I just like the salad wearing a balsamic dressing with prosciutto however this recipe from Bon Appétit would hit the spot too.
4. Cured Meat (Like Soppressata) With Fennel and Scorching Honey
I really like the mash-up of flavors right here, with the oily soppressata clashing with thinly-sliced fennel and smoky scorching honey. Use your cheese and sauce of alternative and high with olive oil, parsley, and Maldon salt! An analogous recipe will be discovered right here. My favourite scorching honey is by Zab’s.
5. Pickled Peppers!
I feel you can put pickled peppers on ANY pizza and it could style superb. If you have already got basic components like mushrooms and sausage available, high that pie with some pickled peppers and it turns into one thing completely totally different! They’re quite simple to make your self and take only a few minutes to yield a month’s value of flavor-packed toppings ready on the prepared in your fridge.
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Kate is at the moment studying to play the Ukulele, a lot to the despair of her husband, children, and canine. Observe her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.
