Pizzettas with Heirloom Tomatoes

I am definitely a pizza girl. If I had limited food choices to eat for the rest of my life, cheese pizza would top the list. I’m not much of a meat on my pizza girl – occasionally, but I prefer plain cheese. If I add toppings, it’s usually tomatoes, spinach, caramelized onions, mushrooms,  (Round Table paper-thin is my favorite) or olives. I do sometimes eat Hawaiian pizza or Round Table – pepperoni, mushroom and olive – but it’s a rare thing.

Thin crust vs. thick crust? – I prefer thin crusted pizza, but I do love a great Chicago style thick crust – just not when ordering plain cheese. Needs to be loaded with toppings.

Well, now that you are “all up in my pizza” dos and don’ts – let me share an amazing Corn Meal Pizza Dough and Pizzettas with Heirloom Tomato recipe with you.

Dough Ingredients:

1 Package Active Dry Yeast
Pinch of Sugar
3/4 Cups Warm Water (100 degrees F)
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Corn Meal
1 1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Recipe makes two 8-10 inch pizzas or 6 pizzettas – depending on size

Directions:

In a mixing bowl combine the yeast, water and sugar and mix well. Let sit for 5 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble.

Add in remaining ingredients and knead to a rough ball. Knead by hand for 12-15 minutes or in a mixer for 8-10 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic (pressing an indentation into the dough should spring back).

Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic. Place in a warm area and let dough double in size (about 1 hour). Punch dough down and portion into desired number of pieces. Let dough rest 5 minutes before rolling out.

Pizzetta Ingredients:

1/2 Recipe of dough
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
3 Heirloom Tomatoes – Sliced and drained on paper towels. Chef Terese used Black Brandy Wine
4 ounces cooked bacon* – chopped into a 1/2 inch dice
2-4 ounces parmigiano reggiano
2 ounces arugula – washed and spun dry
Sea salt and Pepper to taste
Drizzle with decent extra virgin olive oil – Chef Terese used Apollo

* Let’s talk bacon – Chef Terese used a Keller Premium-Artisan Applewood Bacon – $10/lb. and WOW was it awesome! The smoky flavored “yum factor” would be worth paying the extra money for. Don’t you like how I’ve now ramped up my game in the world of oils, cheese and bacon? Yes, I’m going to be eating Top Ramen for the non blog posting days, just so I can pay for more premium ingredients.

Pizzetta Directions – Part II:

Roll out dough to desired size. Transfer to an oiled pizza pan or onto a pizza peel dusted with flour or semolina. Place the toppings on the pizzetta starting with some cheese, then tomatoes, then bacon. Top with a little parmigiano. If using a pizza stone, preheat stone in oven and use a pizza peel to slide pizzetta on and off the stone.

Bake pizzettas in preheated 425 degree oven for 10-14 minutes or until crust is golden brown, crispy and cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven, top with arugula and cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Bacon…

Yum…

If you have leftover dough, you can store it in the freezer in an oiled Ziploc bag. Defrost overnight in the fridge in a covered bowl. Let rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature before working with it.