Pizza Bianco

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I think you'll enjoy this pizza, but I really think it has been misnamed. If you make this pie according to directions, you'll end up with something that is more like a loaded focaccia than a standard pizza pie. I get around it by cheating. I could have made my preferred crust, but I've been so busy this week that I bought pizza dough at the market and once it was rolled, proceeded to make the filling and topping and shamelessly called the pie my own. No one was looking. It is hard to go wrong with the flavor palate presented in this recipe, though I do think caramelized onions would kick the pie up notch or two. If you are looking for new pizza combinations, you might want to give this simple recipe a try. Here is how the pizza is made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Whole-Wheat Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Bitter Greens

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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I think those of you who enjoy bitter greens will really like this pizza. I decided to feature it today because I was in the mood for something different and I thought the pie would be delicious. Save for pine nuts, the ingredients used to make it are not terribly expensive and they are readily available at this time of year. Those who are on limited budgets will have to make all the elements of this pie from scratch, but I think you'll find that everything is doable and the steps required to make the pie are not terribly time consuming. Pine nuts are ridiculously expensive right now, so feel free to replace them with slivered almonds or sunflower seed kernels. I found the recipe for the pie in Food and Wine magazine and I didn't vary much from the version they featured. The only change I made was to make one large pie rather than the three smaller ones they recommended. I really liked this pie, but I hasten to add that the Silver Fox and I enjoy bitter greens. If you are not fond of them, it's probably best to stick with your standard pizza recipe. Here is how the pie is made.

Whole-Wheat Pizza with Onions and Bitter Greens...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
Dough
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water, divided use
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling and rubbing
Toppings
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
10 thyme sprigs
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 head of radicchio (6 ounces), thinly sliced
2 cups thinly sliced kale leaves (3 ounces)
1 tablespoon thinly sliced sage leaves
5 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions:
1) To make the dough: In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine yeast with 1/4 cup warm water and sugar and let stand for 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of water, whole-wheat and all-purpose flours, salt and olive oiland beat at medium speed until a soft, supple dough forms, about 8 minutes. Roll dough into a ball, rub it with olive oil and return it to a bowl. Cover dough and let stand until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
2) Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place a pizza stone on bottom rack of oven, allowing at least 30 minutes for it to preheat. Punch down dough and divide it into 3 pieces; form them into 3 balls and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.
3) Meanwhile prepare toppings: Heat canola oilin a large skillet. Add onions and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring once or twice, until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until onions are very soft and golden, about 15 minutes longer; add water as needed to keep onions from scorching. Discard the thyme.
    Spread pine nuts in a pie plate and toast in oven until golden, 2 minutes.
    In a large bowl, combine garlic and olive oil. Add radicchio, kale and sage, season lightly with salt and pepper and toss.
4) Turn broiler on. Roll or stretch one ball of dough to a 10-inch round and transfer it to a floured pizza peel. Mound one-third of the greens on top, followed by one-third each of the onions, pine nuts and cheese. Carefully slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake until the crust is browned and the toppings are sizzling, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut pizza into wedges and serve right away. Repeat to make the remaining 2 pizzas.

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Two Years Ago Today: Elote - Mexican Corn on the Cob

Three Years Ago Today: Raspberry and White Chocolate Ice Cream

Pide - Turkish Pizza

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When traveling, those of us who have replaced backpacks and hostels with more upscale arrangements are often shortchanged. While accommodations may be more comfortable, it can be difficult for tourists to get a feel for the food of the areas they are visiting. In an effort to please everyone, hotel dining rooms have dumbed down the food they serve and those who want to sample local fare often have to hit the streets in order to find it. While our hotels in Turkey served wonderful food, it was usually an adaption of Turkish food and both Bob and I preferred the more authentic street food and meals we found on our own. We were also extremely fortunate to have a guide whose plans for us included wonderful lunches in Turkish homes and local restaurants. One of the dishes she introduced us to was pide, the Turkish equivalent of pizza. Pide is made in wood-fired ovens and while it is bears some resemblance to pizza, it is not as heavy. An assortment of ingredients can be used to top it and it makes an extremely satisfying meal that is inexpensive and a lunchtime favorite in areas where it can be found. I thought you might enjoy it as well, so I wanted to pass the recipe on to you. I have included instructions for making the dough that forms the pide base, but the world will not end if you use a commercially prepared equivalent. My only caution is to keep the crust thin. This is an interesting dish and I think you will enjoy it. Here's how it is made.


Pide - Turkish Pizza...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Dough

Ingredients: (makes approx four Pide bases)
2 teaspoons dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2/3 cup warm water or milk
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
1) Sprinkle yeast on top of water or milk. Stir in sugar and let sit until mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
2) In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in yeast and olive oil and mix until well-blended. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3) Return dough to bowl. Dust top with flour and cover bowl with clear plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Let sit in a warm spot until dough is 50 % higher than before, about 20 minutes.
4) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
5) Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and kneed each of them on a lightly floured surface to eliminate air bubbles. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into an elongated oval or rectangle.
6) Using one of the toppings below, spread each piece to within 1-inch of edges. Crimp edges and brush with olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet if desired. Bake for about 15 minutes on a baking sheet or directly on oven racks.

Meat Topping

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 peeled and diced tomato
1 sweet bell pepper, finely diced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, spread thinly over dough. Bake as instructed above.

Cheese Topping

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (15-oz.) can chopped tomatoes, drained
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Black olives
Oregano
Coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:
Saute onions in olive oil until transparent, add garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant. Add tomatoes, and let mixture cook until most of juice has evaporated. Spread sauce on top of pide. Top with black olives and some of the feta and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and black pepper to taste.Bake as directed above.







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Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Egg Pizza with Red Caviar

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This brunch pizza is a study in wretched excess. It is also delicious and will make any late morning meal special. The pizza is loosely based on one that was developed by Wolfgang Puck and served as part of a holiday brunch at Postrio, one of his restaurants. The idea of pizza for breakfast or brunch may be off-putting to some, but if you look at the ingredients used here, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. While smoked salmon and caviar aren't everyday foods, the components of this dish are really breakfast items that are served in a slightly different way. I've simplified the original recipe and eliminated making the pizza crust. I use pocketless pita bread as the base for the pizza and it works quite well. It makes life much easier, but if you'd like to see the original recipe you can find it here. This wonderful dish is easy to make and I have only one caution to share with you. Do not over cook the eggs. They should be barely set when spread on the pizza base. They will continue to cook in the oven and they'll be rubbery if they are overdone. I know those of you who try this brunch-style pizza will love it. Here's the recipe. We'll not talk of cost.

Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Egg Pizza with Red Caviar...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients:
1 8-inch pocketless pita bread
4 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese
2 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons salmon roe

Directions:
1) Place a pizza stone on middle rack of oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place pita bread on a flat surface.
2) In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. When butter melts, add egg mixture and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until slightly set but still very moist, about 4 minutes.
3) Immediately spread eggs on pizza, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread cheeses on top. Using a peel or large spatula, carefully transfer pita to hot pizza stone and cook just until cheese melts and starts to bubble, about 5 minutes. Use peel or large spatula to transfer to a cutting board. Arrange smoked salmon on top. With a large, heavy knife, cut into wedges. Garnish with chives. Top with salmon roe. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings.






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Tomato, Herb and Blue Cheese Pizza - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have one other pizza that counts blue cheese in its ingredients list. This pie is all over the internet, but I have been unable to trace its original source. Folks who love to cook and eat, sometimes bypass a recipe because it's parentage is suspect or it comes from a source that is not properly credentialed. It's the old "whose your daddy" school of cooking. In the case of this pizza, that would be a mistake. This will not set the culinary world on fire, but it makes a fast, easy and delicious meal. It has the colors of a calico quilt and is as pretty to look at as a pizza can be. I bake my pizzas in a rectangular pan because I find this shape easier to serve and store. If you prefer a round pie, the only thing that changes in this recipe is the type of pan you use. Don't be put off by the blue cheese. It blends nicely with the other ingredients and doesn't overpower the pie. While the recipe uses frozen bread dough, you can use your favorite crust or bake it on lavash or another type of flatbread. Here's the recipe.

Tomato, Herb and Blue Cheese Pizza...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 (1-lb.) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small red onion, thinly sliced, pulled into rings
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 ounces of crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Cut bread dough in half. Press each portion onto bottom of an 9 x 13-inch baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray; build up edges slightly. Prick dough several times with a fork. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
2) Brush dough with oil. Combine basil, oregano and garlic powder and sprinkle dough. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Arrange onion and tomatoes over crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella and blue cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes longer. Yield: 2 pies.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Greek-Style Flatbread Pizza - One Perfect Bite
Caramelized Onion, Blue Cheese and Walnut Pizza - One Perfect Bite
Mexicali Pizza - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday
Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory

Caramelized Onion, Blue Cheese and Walnut Pizza

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I used to serve small squares of this pizza as a cocktail appetizer. People loved the combination of caramelized onions with blue cheese and toasted or candied walnuts. We had it so often that I grew tired of it and that usually marks the death knell for my recipes. Once retired, they're rarely used again. This one has been pardoned and given a second life because of Meatless Mondays. As you can see, I've resurrected the recipe and we had the pizza for supper tonight. The recipe makes a nice pie and if you're looking to serve something a bit outside the box, you might enjoy this one. The pizza can be made with a standard dough or served on a flatbread or tortilla. While this is simple to make, it is not speedy and you'll need time to caramelize the onions. The mantra here remains the same. The onions must be watched as they cook. Once they start to caramelize they move from brown to black in the wink of an eye. If they char or burn you'll have to start again. This is a highly flavored pie and to enjoy it, you have to love all three of its major ingredients. If the trio appeals to you, you'll love this pizza. Here's the recipe.

Caramelized Onion, Blue Cheese and Walnut Pizza - Meatless Monday...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds yellow onions, very thinly sliced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 pound pizza dough
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1) Heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter in a large heavy skillet set over medium heat. Add onions and salt, stirring frequently until onions begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Add sugar and cook, stirring frequently until onions are well-browned, about 15 minutes longer. Do not allow onions to burn. Season with pepper to taste.
2) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray bottom of a round or rectangular pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Press dough into pan, building up sides slightly. Brush crust with reserved 1 tablespoon oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread onions on crust. Top with walnuts and blue cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese starts to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Serve hot. Yield: 4 -6 servings.

You might also like these recipes:
Greek-Style Flatbread Pizza - One Perfect Bite
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Greek-Style Flatbread Pizza

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was a wonderfully busy day today. We headed into the Lorane Valley to look at property and on our way back stopped for a quick visit with friends who have just opened their nursery and farm stand for the season. We did a quick walk through of our Saturday Market and had a very late lunch at a favorite local Thai restaurants. By the time we reached home the sun had set and we knew that dinner would be light and late. I decided to make Greek pizzas that use lavash as a base for Mediterranean-style ingredients. They are much lighter than their doughy cousins and I actually prefer the thin crisp crust to that of a standard pizza. These are easy to do. If you don't care for the Greek version, use standard pizza ingredients or better still use the flatbread for a wonderful pissaldiere. I think many of you will like this light pizza. Here's the recipe.

Greek-Style Flatbread Pizza...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 soft lavash bread
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced pitted Kalamata olives
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1-3/4 cups crumbled feta cheese
1-1/2 cups baby spinach, wilted
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced cremini mushrooms

Directions:
1) Preheat broiler. Place lavash on large baking sheet; brush with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and broil until it begins to crisp, about 1 minute.
2) Reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Turn lavash over on baking sheet, broiled side down. Brush with remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack and feta cheese. Top with wilted spinach, olives and mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a wide spatula, slide lavash dierectly onto an oven rack. Bake until pizza is heated through and cheeses melt, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cut into squares. Yield 2 to 3 servings.

You might also like these recipes:
Mexicali Pizza - One Perfect Bite
Focaccia Bread - One Perfect Bite
Whole Wheat Olive Bread - One Perfect Bite

Mexicali Pizza - Outdoor Wednesday

Mexicali Pizza before and after baking.


The first hellebores of the year are now in bloom.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I originally put this recipe together for my Texas grandsons. I wanted something that they could make by themselves for a quick lunch or light supper. We were so busy last summer that they never got to try them, but somewhere along the line the pizzas became a go-to recipe for our dinner on those nights when the clock winds down before the day has ended. They take 10 minutes to assemble and another 10 minutes to bake. Everything needed to make them can be found in most pantries. I've deliberately kept them meat free, and will leave any additional toppings to your imagination. You can also use low-fat refried beans without changing the nature of the "pies". While I make them with flour tortillas, there's no reason a pizza crust can't be used. We like a little heat with our meals, so I use a spicy salsa and Pepper Jack cheese. If you prefer your food less spicy, use a mild salsa and a bag of pre-shredded Mexican cheese. Toppings can include olives, tomatoes, scallions and cilantro. I've tried to keep this a recipe a canvas that you can paint as you choose. I think you'll like this. Here's the recipe.

Mexicali Pizza...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 8-inch flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 can (16-oz.) traditional Mexican refried beans
1 cup medium thick and chunky salsa
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or a mix of shredded Colby and Pepper Jack cheese
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or other toppings of your choice

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Warm refried beans in a microwavable bowl for 1 minute on High power. Carefully spread beans over tortillas. Top with salsa and cheese. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese melted.. Sprinkle with toppins of your choice while the pizzas are warm. Carefully move to serving plates. Yield: 2 small pies.

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer