Best Pizza Dough | Sylvia's Sourdough Pizza Dough | Joyce's Pizza
Caramelized Vegetable Pizza | Parmesan Thin Crust Pizza
The Origin of Pizza?
By Cynthia Bowan
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Back in the late Forties, maybe early Fifties, the average person had never heard of pizza. Then suddenly, one pizza shop opened, and the craze caught on, and life has never been the same since.
But no one REALLY knows how it all began. There are many stories, of course, and perhaps a government cover-up or two, but who can say? Certainly no one in the public eye has ever admitted or even referred to how pizza became a much loved food.
You must realize that there were TWO phenomenon which simultaneously occurred at that time - not just the appearance of pizza, but the appearance of U.F.O.'s.
Some recently de-classified material might explain exactly what happened. Especially since the Roswell, NM incidence, which is reported to have occurred in July 1947.
Summer 1952, a Pittsburgh couple had been out at a drive-in movie. They were on their way home that night, and found themselves driving the back roads through a thick fog. (The husband knew a short cut, his wife later explained.) At approximately 1:20 a.m., the car stalled on a deserted stretch of that country road and the engine died. Barney, the husband, got out, lifted the hood but couldn't find anything wrong. Suddenly, a bright light blinded them, and they passed out.
When they awoke, they were lying on examining tables in a circular, metallic-appearing room. Machines of various types lined the walls with lights, noises and fantastic odors emanating from them. Strange creatures with large heads and oblong-shaped eyes were watching them, and from time to time, touching them with long, thin, bony fingers.
"It was just like the hospital tests when I had my gall bladder out," said Barney.
Barney and his wife, Betty, were amazed that they could understand what these creatures were thinking. As they were helped off the tables and seated at a low counter, one of the aliens revealed telepathically that he was the leader and that they were simply interested in Earth people. Their own home planet, Khours, was located in a galaxy far, far away.
Betty and Barney were allowed to walk around and look at the machines. Betty stated that she felt sure there was a link between the aliens and ancient Egypt, because the symbols on their coffee pot looked like something she had just read in National Geographic.
The aliens were hospitable, offering their guests a pale golden beverage and flat pieces of what appeared to be bread with vegetables and a white cheese-like substance on top.
After a couple hours, the visit was over and they were returned to their car just before dawn. They did not report this for many years, because they felt no one would believe them. After all, who ever heard of anyone being abducted by aliens who then fed them?
However, the next day Betty began wondering if she could duplicate the aliens' food. After letting some bread dough rise, Betty spread it flat in a greased cookie sheet, added some crushed tomatoes, seasonings and cheese. She then baked it until the crust was a light golden brown underneath and the cheese melted. It took several attempts to get a pretty close copy.
The experiments were shared with their neighbors and best friends, Wilma and Fred. Betty decided to call the dish "pizza", which was about as close as she could come to the alien leader's name, Pi-Ah-Za.
While Betty and Wilma worked on the pizza, Barney and Fred were in the garage trying to duplicate the beverage. But they never came really close, so they made do with some bottles of Iron City. The combination of beer and pizza was a winner.
They started out small, just a little place in one of the little mill towns outside Pittsburgh, but it became a hit almost overnight. Their business empire grew over the years. But Barney never could figure out how to make the alien drink, until several years later, when he made a discovery.
When the aliens had released Betty and Barney, they casually asked where people went skiing. Barney figured, maybe Denver or something like that, because of the mountains and the snow.
During the 70's, Barnie discovered, to his great amazement and delight, that a light golden malt beverage, bearing a name pretty close to that of the aliens' home planet, was being marketed around the country, and had been brewed...in Denver.
Well, there are a million stories in the naked city, some are real, some are half-real...we must all decide for ourselves.
In order to help you with your decision, I offer you the following recipes. May you Enjoy! them, and every time you do, realize that not all aliens are bad.
CYH - consider yourself hugged.
Best Pizza Dough
1 pkg. dry yeast
3/4 c. warm water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 c. flour
Mix ingredients together, adding flour last. Cover and let rise 1/2 hr. Top .0as
you desire.
Sylvia's Sourdough Pizza Dough
1 c. sourdough starter
1 c. or less water
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. yeast (optional, depending on how strong
your starter is)
Add ingredients to your bread machine in the order given for you particular brand of machine. Select "dough" mode. Remove when cycle is finished, shape and top. This makes two 9 inch pizzas. Bake at 475F. for 12 - 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is lightly browned. This dough only needs one rise.
You can also added 1 tsp. each of oregano, basil and thyme, 3 T. of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and one minced clove of garlic to the dough recipe with good results.
Caramelized Vegetable Pizza
TOPPING
1 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sm. yellow onions, cut into 1/2" wedges
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4" strips
OR 2 small plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
2/3 c. shredded Provolone cheese
CRUST
3/4 c. cup warm water (70º to 80ºF)
1 T. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
2 1/3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. medium-grind black pepper
To make topping: In large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, rosemary and
salt; add onions and bell pepper, tossing to coat. Arrange in single layer
on foil-lined 15 x 10-inch baking pan; roast at 425F on bottom rack for 20
to 25 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
To make crust: Measure all ingredients into bread machine pan in the order
suggested by manufacturer. Process on dough/manual cycle.
To make pizza: When cycle is complete, remove dough to floured surface. If
necessary, knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle. Roll or press
dough to fit bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of greased 13 x 9-inch pan; top
evenly with caramelized vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 425F on
bottom rack for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is
golden brown. Cut into 12 appetizer-size portions; serve warm.
*Dough can be prepared in all-size bread machines.
Source: "Fleischmann's Yeast"
http://www.breadworld.com/index.html
Parmesan Thin Crust Pizza
2/3 c. warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 T. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 c. bread flour
2 tsp. instant active dry yeast
Add all the ingredients in the bread pan of bread machine. Process according to manufacturer's instructions for a dough setting. Meanwhile preheat the pizza stone or tiles to 450 F. for 30 minutes. Prepare your favorite toppings.
When the bread machine has completed the dough cycle, remove the dough from the pan to a lightly oiled surface. Knead the dough several times and form the dough into an oval; cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
NOTE: Dough may be refrigerated at this point and stored until ready to use. To store each batch of dough, spray a plastic bag with nonstick spray and place the dough in it. Store no longer than 7 to 10 days, or if frozen for up to 2 months. If refrigerated or frozen prior to use, allow the portions to come to room temperature before they are rolled out.
Prepare the peel with cornmeal or parchment paper.
Roll and stretch the dough into a 14-inch circle. Place the dough on the prepared peel. Brush the dough with some olive oil and layer your ingredients. Slide the dough (or the parchment paper and dough) onto the baking stone. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and the top is bubbly.
Joyce's Pizza (this is from Joyce Cosnotti, friend and former assistant to my husband)
1 loaf frozen bread dough
1 can flat anchovies
1 lg. can crushed tomatoes
1-2 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. oregano, or to suit taste
sliced Mozzarella cheese
shredded Muenster cheese
grated Romano cheese
Allow dough to thaw and begin to rise. Lightly grease hands and baking sheet with oil. Flatten dough to fit. Let rise until double. Drain anchovies well. To get rid of fish taste, soak 15 minutes in small amount of milk. Drain and rinse, proceed with recipe.
Flatten dough to fit baking sheet. Poke random holes in dough and insert anchovies. Mix tomatoes, garlic and oregano together. Spread across pizza crust. Top with Mozzarella and Muenster cheeses as desired. Bake at 350F., 20 minutes, or until bottom of pizza is lightly browned and cheeses are melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Romano cheese. Let sit at least 5 minutes before cutting.
Optional Toppings: sausage, peppers, mushrooms or pepperoni in any combination; ham and pineapple chunks; sliced green onions and olives; artichoke hearts; zucchini sliced with red, yellow and green pepper strips and then sautéed in olive oil and drained....let your imagination go!
By Cynthia Bowan
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Best Pizza Dough | Sylvia's Sourdough Pizza Dough | Joyce's Pizza
Caramelized Vegetable Pizza | Parmesan Thin Crust Pizza
