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A family friend recently asked me if I had an easy pizza crust recipe. After looking through my cookbooks, I found a good one in a cookbook that was published by Valentini’s in Duluth called La Cucina Della Razza Dei Ciurri (2003). I don’t own a pizza oven, so I have had mixed results with pizzas in the past.
This recipe, however, worked well in a conventional oven. The bottom was nice and crispy and the crust was soft and chewy. If you want more color on your crust, I recommend brushing it with a bit of oil before baking.
I kept the toppings simple with fresh mozzarella and pepperoni, but I did make my own sauce. I like my sauce on the sweeter side so I added some brown sugar. I also added toasted fennel seeds for a unique twist. Feel free to sauce and top the pizza however you like.
In keeping with the Italian theme, I wanted to mention an upcoming spaghetti fundraiser in support of Trista Miller. I went to school with Trista and she was always a nice kid.
She is a young mother who is bravely battling cancer and deserves to have the community rally around her.
If you would like to support Trista, the spaghetti dinner will be held at Fish Tales Tavern in Babbitt on Sunday, Aug. 11, from 12-5 p.m. with a raffle drawing at 6 p.m.
EASY PIZZA WITH IRON RANGE PIZZA SUGO
Ingredients:
1 cup lukewarm water (about 100 degrees F) 1 1/8 teaspoons active dry yeast (half of a 1/4 ounce packet) 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Oil for greasing Pizza sugo (recipe as follows) Mini mozzarella pearls or sliced fresh mozzarella and pepperoni
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and salt. Add enough of the flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth, dusting with additional flour as needed. Cover the dough and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a pizza pan with a bit of oil. For a pizza with a medium thickness, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Place the dough on the pan. Spread on a thin layer of sauce and add mozzarella and pepperoni. Place the pizza on the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the toppings are browned and the bottom of the crust is crispy. Top with a little more mozzarella and bake another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is just melted. Yield: About 4 servings.
Notes:
The crust recipe is featured on pg. 129 of the aforementioned cookbook. I like to add the mozzarella in two stages because some of the cheese becomes browned and crispy, while the rest will be freshly melted and gooey. For an extra crispy crust, preheat a pizza stone on the bottom rack. Place the rolled out dough on a pizza peel that has been dusted with semolina or cornmeal. After topping, carefully slide the pizza onto the hot stone.
IRONRANGEPIZZASUGO Ingredients:
1 teaspoon fennel seeds 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup diced sweet onion 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 large clove garlic, smashed but still intact 1 can (28 ounces) San Marzano tomatoes (or San Marzano style if it better suits your budget) 1 cup water 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 2 bay leaves 3 large leaves of fresh basil, torn
Instructions:
In a large saucepan, add the fennel seeds and toast over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant, shaking the pan occasionally. Pour the seeds into a mortar and pestle (or in a spice grinder) and smash until coarsely ground. Set aside. To the pan, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the tomato paste and garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomatoes, water, brown sugar, reserved fennel seeds, and the remaining herbs and seasonings except the fresh basil. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Remove from heat and discard the garlic and bay leaves. Stir in the fresh basil. Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Yield: About 12 servings.
