Focaccia Pizza - Three Ways

Tomatillos, slivered onions and sweet pepper, crushed garlic, dove grey oyster mushrooms from Boston Valley, olive oil, dry mustard, cumin, mozzarella pizza.

Almond butter, honey cream, slivered apples, chopped toasted walnuts, butter, allspice pizza.

Roasted purple potatoes and carrots with oregano, sage, basil with tuna and mozzarella pizza.

The dough is simple. Set out covered until doubled. Cut into three balls, roll out thinly and lay out on a greased sheet. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.

1 3/4 cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
5 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Vera Pizzeria

Vera Pizzeria on a Saturday night is tight and loud and hoppin. A crowd kept flowing up to the bar in waves, calling out orders to Kerry and Jon who shook their steel tins so fast, spitting out drinks with names like Blood and Sand and the Bullet Train and Hanky Panky.


Jessica kept the rest of the house in order, keeping a sharp eye on the flow of tables and the bar and the front door.

I started out the night with the cracked pepper creamy parm pistachio salad and paired it with Jon's recommendation of a Pink Lady. On the overhead, playing in black and white with the sound off was Breakfast at Tiffany's. The salad was a great blend and the dressing was flavorful and thankfully didn't drown the mix of lettuces. I especially liked the crisp red onion.

A handful of other staff moved fast between the kitchen's large service window and the tables, moving plates and clearing empties with lighting speed efficiency.





I then went on to order dinner. I paired the Caprese pizza with a Bare Knuckled Boxer. The drink was outstanding with it's four year whiskey and house made almond syrup and sugared strawberries.

The pizza was simple with roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and a Balsamic reduction, but very well made and delicious. The German silent film of 1927, Metropolis started up and the crowd at the bar started to slow down.


Then I wound down the night with a slab of salted caramel cake which came with a shot of Fernet Bianca and I paired it with a glass of Hot Rum and Cider.











Which was the perfect way to end my visit at Vera since it was bitterly cold out. The whole evening was a wonderful escape and I highly recommend stopping by for drinks and more.

Garlic Scape Pesto Chicken and Sweet Pepper Pizza

Marinate chicken strips in pesto, or you can pick up a container ready made at the Lexington Co-op, for 2 hours. Cook the chicken on the stove for 15 minutes on medium. Cut up the chicken into bite sized pieces. Stretch the dough out on an olive oiled cookie sheet. Wipe down the dough with olive oil.

Layer on the chicken. Rough chop over 1 lb of sweet peppers and layer on top of the chicken. Sprinkle 1 lb of shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper and bake at 380 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Set out to cool on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut and serve with a big salad and iced tea.

Greek Pizza

Mineo & Sapio's cheese and parsley sausage is browned.

Pizza dough is swiped with a layer of olive oil.

 Lay a thin strip of cheese around the edges of the pan,

and fold the edges of dough over the cheese. Tuck them under so that there will be a cheesy crust.

Add in several types of mushrooms minced, chopped garlic and olive tapenade.

Layer it into the pan and spread it out evenly.

 Leto made a teeny tiny fairy sized pizza.

 Then add a thin layer of cheese.

Bake at 380 degrees until the crust and cheese are golden brown.

Slice and serve with a large vegetable salad.

Vegetarian Manakish - Arabic Pizza

This pizza is a popular arabic luncheon food consisting of dough topped with thyme, cheese, or ground meat. Similar to a pizza, it can be sliced or folded. The word manakish is from the root verb naqasha 'to sculpt, carve out', as the dough is rolled flat and then pressed in by the fingertips to create little dimples for all of the toppings to sit in.

These are made with Olive Oil, Za'atar (Oregano, Thyme. Basil, Cumin, Sesame Seeds, and Salt), Asiago Fresca cheese, homemade Salsa, slivered Chocolate Sweet Pepper, and diced Peaches.

Truly the easiest way to stretch out personal sized pizzas, 

use gravity to stretch the dough over two tall glasses.

Za'atar

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Bruschetta Pizza for Wine Tasting

This Bruschetta pan pizza was well baked for a crisper crust to make for easier handling while at the last of the 101 wine tasting classes that my good friend Bridget O'Malley of Gates Circle Wine and Liquor of Buffalo, NY lead this year. The pizza dough recipe can be found in the Pizza by Demeter post. The basil and oregano were from my garden and the tomatoes and garlic from our local farmer's market.

I made this to pair with the 2009 Bechtheimer Stein Gewurztraminer "Spatlese". Served chilled, this under $15 wine has a light golden hue and is a blend of sweet tropical, ginger, and spice flavors that pairs well with Asian dishes, desserts, and this pizza.