Pizza Dough
Makes 4 Personal Pizzas or 1 18″ pizza
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon dry yeast
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Mix water and yeast and set aside to bloom for 5 minutes.
- Mix the flour, salt and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, then add the water after yeast has bloomed.
- Add olive oil and mix well with flour.
- Once the dough forms a ball knead for 3 minutes.
- Cover with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place to proof for 15-20 min.
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Divide dough into quarters to make a mini pizza.
- Lightly flour a work surface and place one quarter of the dough in the center.
- Use a rolling pin and flatten until dough is ½ inch thick. Lightly dust a sheet pan with semolina or all-purpose flour and place one quarter in the pan. Repeat with a second quarter.
- Top each round with ingredients of your choice; place in oven and bake until edges are crispy and a deep golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
- While pizzas are baking, repeat with the remaining two quarters. Note: if using a pizza stone, be sure to pre-heat the stone, and dress the pizzas with ingredients of your choice before placing them on the stone, to keep the stone hot.
Basil Almond Pesto
Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups
2 cups de-stemmed basil leaves
½ cup Parmesan
1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh garlic
¼ cup toasted almonds
½ cup olive oil
Zest from 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Put all ingredients in food processor and run until you have a thick paste. Season with salt.