Pizzapalooza
Recipes and photos by Judy Doherty
Pizza Crust
Makes 3 (9-inch) pizza crusts
- 2 cups water, warmed to 90°F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 4½ cups bread flour plus extra as needed for mixing and rolling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sugar (use agave syrup if making vegan)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Mix the water and yeast and let rest until yeast starts to bubble. Add remaining ingredients and mix by hand or with a mixer using the hook or paddle attachment. You want a moist ball of dough, so add more flour or more water as needed to get the right consistency. Mix the dough until you are able to make a smooth “gluten window,” which means the dough doesn’t break when stretched.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for an hour or until the dough rises to double. (If desired, you can refrigerate dough to use the next day.)
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Set up 3 baking trays and lightly oil and dust each with cornmeal or line with parchment paper.
Sprinkle your work surface with flour and coat your hands with flour as well. Coax the dough out of the bowl onto the floured work surface and divide into 3 portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, roll dough into a ball and then pull or roll into a square or round shape about 9 inches across. Place each on a prepared baking tray and let sit for a few minutes so the dough can relax and rise. Bake pizza crusts for 12 minutes or until golden and then remove from the oven and set aside. The crusts are now ready to be topped and baked again to make pizzas, or they can be wrapped and stored without toppings in the fridge or freezer to be used at a later time.
Greens & Burrata Pizza
Makes 1 pizza
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pizza crust (prebaked as at right)
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts*
- 8 ounces burrata, sliced
- 1 cup fresh arugula leaves
- Freshly cracked black peppercorns
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Lemon juice
Preheat oven to 425°F. Purée the fresh basil with olive oil in a food processor or chop basil very finely and mix with olive oil to make a basic pesto. Spread over 1 baked pizza crust. Top with spinach and artichoke hearts. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with slices of burrata and fresh arugula. Crack a few grinds of pepper over burrata. Garnish with basil and sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve.
*Preparing your own artichoke hearts from whole fresh artichokes is a project in itself, and more power to you if you want to trim and steam them. Most cooks will turn to canned or frozen, which will be ready to use once drained or thawed.
Steak & Mushroom Pizza
Makes 1 pizza
- 4 ounces sirloin steak
- 1 pizza crust (prebaked as above)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning mix
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup fresh microgreens (we used radish)
- ¼ cup shredded or grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Cook your steak by your preferred method to medium rare (or as desired) and slice thinly. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Spread the baked pizza crust with olive oil and tomato paste. Top with the Italian seasoning mix and the minced garlic. Sprinkle with the sliced mushrooms and onions. Bake until golden, 8–10 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread the slices of steak over the top. Garnish with microgreens and grated cheese. Slice and serve hot.
Spiced Chickpea Pizza
A 100% plant-based recipe!
Makes 1 pizza
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste (divided)
- 1 pizza crust (prebaked as above)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup sliced olives
- 1 cup spiced baked chickpeas (recipe below)
- 1 teaspoon za’atar seasoning
- Plain Greek or plant-based yogurt for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Spread 2 tablespoons tomato paste over the prebaked pizza crust and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the sliced garlic until soft but not browned. Add remaining 4 tablespoons tomato paste and drained chickpeas. Heat together until excess moisture evaporates, then spread this chickpea mixture over the pizza crust. Top with diced tomatoes and sliced olives. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the spiced baked chickpeas and the za’atar seasoning. Serve with a dollop of yogurt.
Roasted Spiced Chickpeas
Use on salads, wraps, pitas, crackers, and pizzas, or just eat plain as a snack.
Makes 1½ cups
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Preheat oven to 425°F. Drain the chickpeas, spread them on a towel, and pat dry. Place in a bowl and toss with the oil and seasonings. Feel free to add more seasonings if you like them spicier. Spread the chickpeas evenly over a nonstick or parchment-lined baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes. Stir once or twice to keep them browning evenly. Remove from the oven when they are browned and crisp.
Mixed Berry Dessert Pizza
Makes 1 pizza
Handmade pie dough for a single crust pie (see recipe below)
- ½ cup lemon curd
- 1 cup halved strawberries
- ½ cup raspberries
- ½ cup blackberries
- 2–4 tablespoons raspberry jam
- Sprig of mint
- Dusting of confectioner’s sugar
- Whipped cream for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover a sheet pan or pizza pan with parchment.
Roll out the pie dough and place on the parchment-lined pan. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20–25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Spread the cooled crust with lemon curd. Top with strawberry halves and fill in the negative spaces with raspberries and blackberries.
Heat the raspberry jam in the microwave or on the stovetop, then brush the top of the pizza with the jam, covering most of the berries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. Sprinkle the edges with confectioner’s sugar. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Offer freshly whipped cream on the side.
Handmade Pie Dough
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons of ice water (approximately)
Mix half the flour with all of the salt, sugar, and butter to form a paste. Then add the rest of the flour and the ice water, stirring gently until it comes together in a ball. Chill until ready to roll out.
Click here for Judy’s video on making pie crust.