friday pizza night!

My friend Sue has inspired me to get back on the friday pizza bandwagon.  (Not exactly sure why I fell off…quite possibly because of our desire to try every highly touted pizza maker in Portland, and believe me, that’s a LOT!)  The idea called to us both after reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable, Miracle.  Whatever the season, whatever the available toppings, the author and her family put together delicious homemade pizza at the end of the work and school week.  I love this idea – combined with TV trays and a good movie, what could be better?   A fun routine to look forward to, everyone participates, and it’s truly amazing the unique and yummy pizza combinations we come up with using mostly just our CSA veggies.  Put carmelized onions or leeks with just about anything, and it’s sensational.  Experiment beyond mozzarella if you’re adventurous – chevre, fontina and many other cheeses would be the perfect complement, depending on your veggies of choice.  And I often will replace the tomato sauce with some of my pesto sauce from my summer basil haul.  Here’s a link to Barbara Kingsolver’s site and seasonal pizza ideas:  Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Vegetable Miracle.

Sue very generously jump started me into my 2013 pizza resolve with an evening of interactive demonstration.  She swears by the Basic Pizza Dough in the New Basics  cookbook, and after trying every available canned sauce, declares Cento brand the hands-down winner (available at Sheridan Fruit for certain, probably others places as well).  Doubling the dough in this recipe will result in three very thin crust pizzas for this week, three (frozen) for next!  Simple.  But if you’re not up for homemade, New Seasons has a good pre-made dough, as do many bakeries and pizza restaurants (Hot Lips, Grand Central, etc.).  Have fun tasting and comparing them all!