Friday, June 26, 2009

Two Milestones

image via Tamara Davis Cooking show

We're experiencing two milestones at our casa... Audrey is hosting her first sleepover guest tonight and I made my first homemade pizza dough so the girlies can have a little "make your own pizza party".

I suppose the second doesn't seem like much of a milestone, but I've been a smidge intimidated by making homemade pizza dough. I decided to go with a recipe from the Tamara Davis Cooking show, as I've had success making her dishes before (and her videos ensure that I don't screw things up too badly.) Turns out I had nothing to fear. The process was awfully easy, and there was something strangely liberating about squishing my hands in that dough to knead it. Audrey would love it...we'll definitely make it together next time.

So, what are you cooking this weekend?


Pizza Dough (for 4 small pizzas) adapted from Tamra Davis Cooking Show
  • 4 cups of bread flour
  • 1 package of active dry yeast
  • 1½ Teaspoons of salt
  • 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Sprinkle 1 package of active dry yeast in a half a cup of warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

In a Cuisinart, put in flour and salt. Pulse.

Add olive oil, yeast, and another 1 ½ cups of room temperature water. Pour the water in slowly while the Cuisinart is on.

Stop blending when the dough binds. If it is too moist add more flour, if it is too dry add a little more water.

Knead the dough on a floured surface into a ball. Place the dough ball into a well-oiled bowl. Seal with plastic wrap or foil. Make sure the seal is tight to keep the dough moist. Let it sit for 2 hours.

It should double in size. On a well-floured surface, shape your dough by using your hands, into pizzas. Place them on parchment paper until you are ready to use.

9 comments:

  1. Some of these (http://atimetoeat.blogspot.com/2009/02/lunch-from-freezer.html) to keep us from eating fast food for lunch so often! And some of Nigella's breakfast bars. Looking forward to it!

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  2. Bravo! I've been hoping to come across and successful and easy dough recipe for some time now......oh and your jewellery is divine too xxx

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  3. what a great site!! love your banner, blog name and the photos. looking forward to following.

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  4. The wonderfully grumpy Mark Bittman also has a very easy and delicious pizza dough recipe in his How to Cook Everything cookbook. We've used it many times, and while once or twice the yeast was persnickity, almost always the dough was perfect if the yeast cooperated. Even my father-in-law thinks it's a good pie, and that's saying a lot... And bravo to the first sleepover. So fun. Miss those days.

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  5. Wonderful. We make homemade pizza every Saturday night and always look forward to it! Have a great weekend.

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  6. oooh good to know, thanks Lucia -- i have to say i have a smidge of a crush on that mark bittman.

    our green nest -- it went so well last night i think we'll make pizza night a weekly occurance too...excellent idea!

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  7. We had pizza night Friday. We've taken to grilling it. It's easy and so yummy with a Nice crispy crust (my personal favorite). You know making bread is just as easy and nothing really compares to good fresh bread.

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  8. yum! we make homemade pizzas all the time - dough and all - and I'm always so happy with how tasty they turn out. And it's so easy to do!

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  9. big yum and fun. and can i just say you are so stylish when you're cooking ... LOVE your ring!

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