You Can't Quite Call It Pizza

James loves pizza and over the years it's been a pretty regular (a homemade version of course) feature on our dinner table. Since going gluten free James says he isn't so achy and his back feels better so I can't argue it's something worth pursuing but pizza is one of gluten free's many casualties.
A couple years ago uber chef Thomas Keller, a personal hero, started to market a gluten free flour called Cup 4 Cup based on the mixture he uses for gluten free rolls at his Yountville restaurants. More recently the flour was joined by a Cup 4 Cup pizza dough mix. The C4C products are easily double the price of any other gluten free mixes and flours. But for James and for pizza I thought I'd give it a try. I popped the little red bag in my cart and headed home with a smile.
I think I followed the directions. I did exactly as Chef Keller's instructions prescribed. And yet, the result is more of a rolled crisp bread than a pizza crust.
"Think of it as elaborate cheese and crackers" I said as I handed James his plate.
Maybe, I'm thinking, it just can't be done. If Thomas Keller can't devise a real chewy acceptable substitute for pizza dough I am willing to believe it can't be done. If he can't do it, I'm not sure I should try.
Tasty enough but not pizza.

Weekend Pizza

Easy. Fast. One pan to clean up.
Tonight's version was red onion, artichoke, black pepper salami, raclette and gruyere cheeses on garlic herb crust (okay I admit it -- the dough was from Trader Joe's, James doesn't mind a bit).

Saturday Night Pizza

College football and homemade pizza, topped with a collection of fridge leftovers -- salami, prosciutto, garlicky pesto sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and thinly sliced potatoes.

What Could Be More American?

Hamburgers, hot dogs, apple pie . . . maybe -- but the truly all-American meal around here? Pizza. Tonight a farmer's market version topped with mushrooms, summer squash, sweet onions, prosciutto and of course cheese. Crispy crust for a post holiday workday dinner.

Pizza Before And After

I rarely take before photos but tonight's pizza just seemed so cheerful, springy and kind of pretty I couldn't resist. Bright green pesto and pink prosciutto, thinly sliced potatoes and lots of chopped garlic, parsley, oregano, crushed red peppers all topped with a spinkle of parmesan and delicious shreds of fresh mozzarella cheese. Before and after weekend pizza night.

Almost Pizza

I had the crust all ready but no mozzarella. Nothing that really screamed pizza. So I went for something a little different. Thinly sliced potatoes, red onion, ham, fresh thyme, and Gruyère topped with a sprinkling of crushed red peppers.

Pizza . . . Plain and Simple

Peperoni, mozzarella, parmesan, crushed red peppers, oregano (fresh and dried) and parsley. That's all.

New House New Pizza New Oven

Potatoes, chili peppers, red onions, garlic, ham, and smoked mozzarella on a crispy crust.

Another Pizza Saturday Night

Garlic herb crust topped with onions, mushrooms, capicola, parmesan, chiles, mozzarella, and more garlic -- finished off with a fresh, lightly dressed arugula salad.

Another Pizza Night

I make pizza a lot. It's just so easy (and a good way to use up some odds and ends in the fridge) and James loves it so much it still feels special to him. Tonight's toppers were thinly sliced red onion, chopped garlic, mortadella (basically Italian bologna but so much tastier), parmesan, mozzarella, and sprinkles of crushed red peppers and dried oregano. After 17 minutes in a hot oven our one dish dinner is crispy and ready to serve. Hardly any leftovers, hardly anything to clean up. Score!

Cauliflower Pizza

Quick easy pizza night. I thinly sliced fresh cauliflower and tossed t with S&P, crushed red peppers, oregano and olive oil. The dressed vegetable covered the waiting rolled crust. I covered the cauliflower with thin strips of prosciutto, a dusting of grated parmesan and thinly sliced rounds of fresh mozzarella. Crispy, delicious, ready in a flash.

Pizza From The Past

Tonight during dinner I glanced over at James' plate and flashed back to the "ground beef pizza" served in my elementary school cafeteria. That sad little square. The loveless child of frozen pizza and sloppy joes with spongy crust, greyish meat and "cheese food" sprinkled on top.

I hadn't thought about that in years until my own version shook free memories better left untouched. To be fair my pizza was homemade, long simmered ragú dressed with thinly sliced red onion, buffalo mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. But the effect, with the crust a bit soft from too much sauce, was sadly similar.

Can I Still Call It Pizza?

Corn, leek, prosciutto, chopped garlic, chiles, Romano, cheddar and mimolette cheeses. Nots ure what to call it but James seemed to like it.

Random Pork Pizza

We are pizza eaters. I make James some home-cooked pie at least twice a month and I always think it's a good way to recycle, well re-purpose, some ingredients from the fridge. Today I had the leftover end of a garlic salami (saucisson a l'ail) and the last bits of a pork terrine. I sliced those thinly and laid them on the herb and garlic crust (yes -- thank you Trader Joe's), drizzled with olive oil. Next came slivers of red onion and sliced mushrooms. I topped James' pie with fresh burrata I found in the cheese case at Costco, crushed red peppers, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The fresh cheese made the crust a little wetter than I like so I popped it back in for extra toasting (an extra 5 minutes at 500º).

No complaints from James. He went back for thirds.

A New Pizza

Tonight I was feeling a little bold. I wanted to try something different.

I layered fresh ricotta, red onions, thinly sliced cauliflower, bits of ham, with compté cheese, parmesan, and of course a drizzle of olive oil.

I always know I've done okay when James goes back to the fridge for cold pizza later that night or the next day. I might just make this one again.

Mortadella Pizza

I don't know why I never thought of it before. I love mortadella, the Italian smoked bologna studded with pistachio nuts. I love buffalo mozzarella. Mortadella pizza, what have I been waiting for?

I spread the crust thin and topped it with a drizzle of olive oil and rounds of fresh mozzarella followed by wide slices of the delicious smoked bologna (how did I come to love Mortadella I never eat American bologna) and a dusting of parmesan cheese. I sprinkled the top with chopped garlic and fresh thyme leaves and popped our dinner pizza in the oven for 17 minutes.

Really, what have I been waiting for?

"The Best Pizza Ever"

Our potatoes are pretty special to me. Not just for the effort of growing them but because James always says they are the best tasting potatoes. I'm potato proud and I like to make recipes to showcase their backyard goodness. For tonight's pizza I peeled and sliced a few of our purple vikings, a purple-skinned, bright white fleshed potato that's faint sweetness is as good mashed as it is roasted. With the thin slices I layered on red onion, prosciutto, crushed red chiles, oregano, olive oil, buffalo milk mozzarella and a sprinkle of grated parmesan. Just as the pie came out of the oven I dropped some chopped fresh basil on top.

Maybe it was the best pizza ever, maybe it's just the potatoes.

Saturday Night Pizza Dinner

Sliced mushrooms, red onions, and chopped garlic topped with raclette, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses -- and, of course, a drizzle of olive oil, chili peppers, and oregano.

Weekend Pizza

Everything tastes better on crispy dough. Tonight I sliced up a new flavor (nice discount coupon on the package) of Aidell's chicken sausage (spinach and feta) and tossed it on dough lightly drizzled with olive oil along with red onion, fresh garlic, chopped parsley, oregano and dried chiles. I topped the pie with mozzarella and sprinkled on a little feta too. Fifteen minutes later James was pretty happy with his dinner topped with a little more fresh parsley and fresh oregano. Pizza is always a winner.

Pizza Is Always A Favorite

"You know I could eat pizza seven nights a week," James replied happily when I asked if pizza was okay for dinner. And, it's so easy for me.

I nearly always have crust in the freezer and today I happened to have the last little bit of fennel tomato sauce ready to go. I spread the sauce on the rolled dough, covered it with thin slices of fingerling potatoes, red onions, fennel salami, and taleggio cheese and a sprinkle of parmesan. The pie baked for 15 minutes at 500º until crispy and golden brown. I sprinkled on a little fresh basil as James came to the table.

James said it might have been my crowning pizza achievement.