True Taste of Italy

This is the besta Pizza it has meat and veggies in one place LOL  jokes aside, this Pizza recipe is an old recipe that comes down from my mom side of the family.

It all start with dough, either make it yourself with a bread machine or buy pre-made dough, stay away from the Pillsbury brand way too oily and sweet, we need Pizza dough not a cake.

Typically I follow this recipe with my bread machine, and if you have one you should have your own recipe as well in your manual and or look it up on the web. Here is what I use. Place all ingredients in your bread machine and start the dough cycle.  It may take 2-3 hours depending.

• 3 ½ cups flour, divided
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Once dough is complete or ready to go extend it on a flat surface marble, wood etc anything may do, ensure you have a little of white flour on the surface to allow for better handling of the dough. If you have a pizza stone set it on the stone and or prepare a pizza pan by placing a little bit of flour at the bottom of the pan. Make holes in the pizza by using a fork, place a little olive oil with a brush, a little salt and black pepper; oven should have been warmed up to 400. Cook the pizza dough for about 5-7 min. Take the pizza out, (lower oven to 350) the boiled egg that you made earlier at least 4-5 prior to allow to cool should be sliced and placed on the pizza, slices of prosciutto ( I prefer the imported kind, but domestic may do if not available/ 1/2 lb of it) Using a oil bottle with a oil dispenser start dropping some olive oil on the pizza sparsely dont over do it, just a little to ensure the pizza and the prosciutto stays moist. Place the pizza back in the oven, another 5-7 min should be ready, remove from oven place the arugola on the pizza, a little bit more olive oil using the same bottle from before slice and enjoy.

• Key note- don’t over salt since prosciutto is salty naturally

Our Pizza with Potato and Rosemary (Pizza con Patate e Rosmarino) is not your typical American pizza.  As you will notice in the recipe, there are no tomatoes or cheese.  But, don’t let the omission of those ingredients fool you.  This pizza recipe is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients for Pizza with Potato and Rosemary:

• 1 recipe Basic Pizza Dough, rolled out
• olive oil
• 1 large Yukon or Russett potato, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions for Pizaa with Potato and Rosemary:

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Brush some of the olive oil on pizza dough.  Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and arrange potatoes and rosemary.  Place in oven.
• Bake about 30 minutes, remove from oven, and cool slightly.  Cut into wedges.

This recipe for Pizaa with Potato and Rosemary serves 4.

Making your own Basic Pizza Dough (Impasto per la Pizza) can be a lot of fun and hard work depending on the method that you use.  Dough can be made in a bread machine, food processor, or simply by hand.  Whichever method you choose, the end result will be spectacular and there are endless possibilities as to the toppings you can use to dress up your pizza.

Ingredients for Basic Pizza Dough:

• 3 ½ cups flour, divided
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions for making Basic Pizza Dough in a Bread Machine:

• (Please refer to your user’s manual for best settings.)  Add ingredients to bread machine bin in the order listed above unless user’s manual specifies otherwise.
• Select the dough setting, push start and complete full cycle.  When complete, place dough on a floured surface in in a floured bowl and cool to room temperature before rolling out.

Directions for making Basic Pizza Dough in a Food Processor:

• Use dough blade or cutting blade.  Pour 1 cup warm water (at least 85° F) in processor.  Add sugar and salt and mix on low for about 15 to 20 seconds.
• Add yeast and mix on low again for about 5 to 10 seconds.  Add 1 cup flour and mix on low for 10 to 15 seconds.
• Add olive oil and mix until they blend well.  Add remaining flour and mix on high until the dough turns into a ball.
• Turn machine off, open it and touch dough to check its texture.  If dough is too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour and mix again on high.  Continue adding 1 tablespoon flour at a time until dough is right consistency.
• If dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon warm water and mix again on high.  Continue adding 1 tablespoon water at a time until dough is the right consistency.
• Remove dough from food processor and place on floured surface.  Knead dough for about 1 to 2 minutes, form into a ball, and place in floured bowl covered with a lightly moist paper towel.  Store bowl in warm, dry area to rise for about 45 minutes.
• When dough doubles, punch it down to release air and knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.  Place covered bowl with dough in warm, dry area for additional 1 to 1½ hours to rise again.  Dough is ready to roll out.

Directions for making Basic Pizza Dough by hand:

• Pour warm water into a bowl.  Add sugar and salt and mix until they blend well.  Add yeast and mix again.  Set aside for about 5 minutes.
• Add 1 cup flour and olive oil and blend well.  Add remaining flour and mix well until dough turns into a ball.
• If dough is too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour and mix well.  Continue adding 1 tablespoon flour at a time until dough is the right consistency.
• If dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon warm water and mix well.  Continue add 1 tablespoon warm water until dough is the right consistency.
• Place dough on floured surface and knead dough about 1 to 2 minutes.  Form into ball, place into lightly floured bowl and cover with lightly moist paper towel.  Store bowl in warm, dry area for about 45 minutes to rise.
• When dough doubles in size, punch down to release air and knead for additional 1 to 2 minutes.  Place covered bowl with dough in warm, dry area for additional for 1 to 1 ½ hours to rise again.  Dough is now ready to roll.

Directions for rolling Basic Pizza Dough:

• Place dough on floured surface.
• If mixture appears too sticky, sprinkle extra flour over top.  Place both hands in center and press outward and turn clockwise.  Continue process until dough is about 1/2 inch thick.
• Use rolling pin to roll to about 1/4 inch thick.  Carefully transfer dough to greased baking sheet prepared with non-stick spray or paddle to transfer to pizza stone.
• Use fork to puncture some holes in dough to prevent bubbling.  Dough is ready for toppings.