hhdd 17: pizza night!

hhdd in all its pre-baked goodness

i have only been in this blogging world (reading and posting) for about two months, but i am crazy about all these blog events! they are just so darn fun. i love to see what everyone else does, i love trying to come up with something creative. oh yeah, and i love the eating part! :)

so here's my third event. hay hay it's donna day hosted by 80 breakfasts. i never even heard of donna hay (the horror!) until i stumbled upon this event. i have to admit i was more attracted by the idea of making pizza than about honoring this special lady; although reading over some of the past events makes me excited for next month's too!

mr. mimi making the donna hay pizza pie

pizza. gosh, i LOVE pizza. i could eat it every day of the week. i could eat it for lunch *and* for dinner. i love it with lots of veggies and fresh mozzarella. i'm lucky enough to live in one of the best cities for amazing pizza, but i've always been wanting to make my own. finally last month i made my first pizza, although with a dough from the local pizza joint. i was eager for a second round, with a "real" dough.

it ain't delivery, it's homemade!
adapted from donna hay, modern classics 1, p. 186

1 tsp active dry yeast
pinch sugar
2/3 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tb olive oil
fine cornmeal for dusting

1. place yeast, sugar, and water in bowl. set aside until bubbles form.

2. add flour, salt, and oil and mix to form smooth dough. knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

3. place in oiled bowl and allow to stand in warm place until it has doubled in size.

4. preheat oven and baking stone to 425F. divide dough into three. dust work surface with fine cornmeal; stretch and push dough to desired thickness.

5. top to heart's desire and bake on baking stone (or tray) for 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp.

6. enjoy your amazing personal piece of heaven and vow never to get delivery pizza again! :)

we decided on three pizzas tonight ...

mediterranean style with marinated artichoke hearts, fresh mozzarella, rosemary olives, hot pepper flakes, and homemade pesto sauce

classic garden style with tomato, arugula, garlic, and goat cheese

mexican style with red peppers, corn, olives, jack cheese, scallions, and chile adobe sauce

tips for the above: get the best artichokes you can find. we were lucky to get some marinated hearts in fresh bulk (rather than the can/jar stuff) that were amazingly soft and sweet. sauté the arugula with some garlic before topping. not only is this flavorful, but it helps control the excess moisture when baking. if using fresh tomatoes, squeeze the seeds out to help with the moisture too. toss corn in olive oil, salt and pepper so that it roasts on the pizza instead of baking away to dryness.