Recipe: Pizza

Before we started eating locally, our grocery shopping was very routine, as was our weekly meal plans. Stir-fry on Monday. Quinoa and Chicken on Tuesday. Curry on Wednesday. Pizza on Thursday. The days would sometimes vary, and sometimes I would attempt a new recipe, but usually, this was our norm.

This project has taught me to think on my feet, be flexible, and experiment wildly in the kitchen. While our weekly routine has changed considerably, there is one thing we tend to miss: Pizza.

We used to buy the dough from Trader Joe's, spread it out on our pizza stone, and fill it up with cheese and veggies. I thought I might be able to emulate this process from our local flour with local toppings....and boy was I right! We ended up with a delicious pie, fantastic dough and a finished product that left us feeling full but not stuffed.

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com.

Step 1 > After adding yeast mixture to flour, salt, sugar and oil, mix until a stiff dough has been formed. I used our mixer, because it's fast and easy.

Step 2 > Sprinkle work surface with flour.

Step 3 >  Pat dough out, flip it so both sides are covered in flour.

Step 4 > Start rolling out the dough, rotating every so often for an even pie.

Step 5 > Once it's the size and thickness you want, slide it onto your stone or pan.

Step 6 > Once you realize you forgot to pre-heat your stone, slide it onto the pan and shape it into a square.

Here's where many pizza purists will disagree, but this is how we like it.

Spread with olive oil, including on the crust. I am liberal with the oil.

Step 7 > Sprinkle ingredients. Here is what we used (all local):

* 3 Cloves of garlic
* Basil
* Spinach
* Anaheim Pepper
* Yellow Bell Pepper
* Extra sharp cheese from Golden Glen Creamery

I like to layer it, finishing with spinach and cheese.

The best part... topping it with little clumps of "Fromage Blanc" - Truffle flavored, ricotta-textured cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery 


Bake in a pre-heated oven (350 degrees) for 20-25 minutes.