Saturday, May 30, 2009

i have always used spuds on my pizzas


usually i like to top them with mashed potatoes. although, from time to time, i've used sliced (very thin on a mandolin) spuds. i DO par boil them about 1 or 2 minutes. they're so thin they cook in a flash. i'm vegan so NO cheese for me. OR one can use soy or nut cheese. i'm a giant fan of mushrooms and onions too. i like caramelized ones, but my favorite is to just put thinly sliced raw rings on top of the mashed.

as i've said a million times, one doesn't need a recipe. a pizza can (and SHOULD) be topped with whatever vegetables you have on hand. sprinkle with whatever herbs or spices you like - and cheese or no cheese it's up to you. really, a good pizza doesn't need it.

i've posted my basic dough recipe before.
it's 3 cups flour to 1 cup water (warm). 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a bit of yeast, some kind of sweetener (agave, sugar, whatever) 1 tsp. give or take and a pinch of salt. dump the yeast in the warm water (it should be warm enough to dissolve the yeast but not hot enough to kill it) with the sweetener and about 1/2 cup of the flour. let sit until it bubbles a bit. then stir in the salt (i like to add it at this stage, it won't retard the growth as much), the oil and the rest of the flour. knead until baby bottom smooth (adding flour if you need it). put in oiled bowl and cover with a towel. let rise in a fairly warm place for an hour or so. punch down and either roll out or pull out to the shape of your pan (a pizza does NOT have to be round you know). i also put a tiny bit of olive oil on my pan. top with your sauce or your vegetables and cheese if you wish. i let my pizza sit like that (on the counter) another 1/2 hour or so. then bake at 400 for 15 or 20 minutes (watch it so your crust doesn't burn)

i saw this kick ass recipe in the nyt today. made my mouth water. and it could be vegan if you left the cheese off. plus it has a ww crust! yummmmmmmmmmmmmm
(there are a few recipes in their 'healthier pizza' article. check them all out
pizza with green garlic, potatoes and herbs

pic: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

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