Hi everyone and please click on the title of this post to read more. I wanted to talk about togetherness today, as it is the week of Martin Luther King’s birthday as well as the Presidential inauguration. I am so thrilled that MLK day is finally getting the recognition it deserves on a community, grass roots level. I feel that more than ever before, almost everyone I know is participating in an act of community mindedness, a lot of it having to do with food.
My family is participating in an event to make food that will be delivered to homebound people in our town, bringing food and toiletries to our local food pantry, a collective of musicians are coming together to raise money for neighboring soup kitchens (www.parentswhorock.com) and there will also be a “souperbowl” where many people will be making soup together to bring to a local food pantry (www.cookingwithfriendsclub.com). It’s a beautiful outpouring and hopefully a sign of what’s to come after our community minded President elect moves into the White House this week.
Just to add to the warm feelings of connection, last night, my husband and I dined with his childhood friend and his wife with whom we were recently reunited by the founder of cookingwithfriendsclub.com, Alison Bermack. It turns out that they are all related by marriage and family! We had a great dinner at a spectacular restaurant named Carvajal in Perthamboy ( 319 Goodwin St
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
(732) 826-9700) that we thoroughly recommend. So much love!
Anyhoo, the following recipe and video are about the homemade pizzas that my daughter and her lifetime friend made the other night and you guessed it, they made it together! We hope you enjoy it and maybe you can make it with a friend.
Pizza Dough:
3/4 cup plus one TBS warm water
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
5 TBS coarsely ground cornmeal, separated 2 TBS and 3 TBS
kosher salt
olive oil for brushing
Suggestions for topping:
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup ricotta cheese
optional: 1 thinly sliced roasted eggplant, sauteed spinach with garlic and olive oil
Lightly coat a mixing bowl with olive oil, and set aside. In a bowl of a food processor, combine water, 2 teaspoons olive oil and yeast. Process to combine. Add flour, 2 tablespoons cornmeal and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Process until dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds. Process 5 seconds more, then transfer dough to a lightly floured counter. Knead for 30 seconds, and shape into a ball. Place dough in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 1 hour.
When one hour has passed, lightly brush a pizza stone or parchment paper lined baking sheet with olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining 3 TBS cornmeal. Spread dough onto baking surface by pressing it out with your fingers until it reaches the edges and there is an even, thin layer of dough. Place dough in a 400 degree oven until it starts to turn golden brown. Then , spread tomato sauce on dough, sprinkle mozzarella and place dollops of ricotta cheese all over the dough. Top with whatever else you want like sauteed spinach, roasted, thinly sliced eggplant, etc. Put pizza back in the oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. remove and enjoy!
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