(I know, two blogs in one day. I can't help myself. Call me boingboing.)
We just made spontaneous pizza with stuff that we found in the kitchen, and it was the BEST. I'm chronicling it here so that when I ask myself how we did that, I'll be able to search and find it.
First, I took a grapefruit-sized hunk of that bread dough I had hanging out in the fridge. I put cornstarch* on our griddle and laid it out, smoothing it into pizza shape. Then Lala and I took the dogs for a long ramble during which Clara gamboled and Harriet tumbled. Miss Idaho just bounced.
Then we came home, and the dough looked riz enough, so I chopped up three cloves of garlic, and dumped them in a bowl with some olive oil, just a splash of balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper, and some sun-dried tomatoes. I set the oven to broil, and put the griddle on a medium flame on the stovetop.
Then I dumped the garlic/oil/tomato mixture on top and moved it around with my hands. I tore big pieces of fresh mozzarella and scattered them all over, then topped it with chopped fresh basil out of the garden and pine nuts.
I cooked that until the bottom was just making it to too-brown, and then popped it in the oven under the broiler for about three minutes. The top started to char, so I turned off the broiler and let it sit in the oven for a couple more minutes -- I wanted the crust to be done.
Lala chopped up some arugula from the garden and we sprinkled that on top, and IT WAS SO FLIPPING GOOD. Garlicky and tangy and crisp and crunchy but soft, too.... I want more now.
Inspired by this. You should make it right now, with whatever you have in the house. Unless what you have is tequila and and baking soda, in which case you should probably go shopping anyway.
*I meant to use cornmeal, but grabbed the wrong box, and I must say it worked out just right! Odd.
You probably mean cornmeal, right?
Posted by: Carol | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 16:07
nummmmmmy!
Posted by: haha | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 16:09
it is so much fun to make things exactly how you like it isn't it -- looks yummy .....
we have done a shrimp scampi style pizza and a clams casino style one -- I just make the ingredients for either then put it on the pizza much like you did and cook and eat -- someday I want to do a buffalo chicken flavored one too -- could be a disaster but could be spectacular too ;)
Posted by: rho1640 | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 16:22
...will be trying this tomorrow night! Thanks for the post!
Posted by: cockeyed | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 17:15
Aww shoot! You're making me really hungry, and I have to work until 10:30 tonight...
Seriously, that pizza looks divine and I plan to try it out tomorrow.
Posted by: Allison | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 17:32
Mmmm, tequila and baking soda.
Posted by: Mel | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 17:33
Hmm. You like pizza now? I am making this minute: veggie sausage & kale, with vegan cheese. (It turns out that I don't miss cheese that much--except for pizza and nachos.)
Posted by: Ann | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 18:29
dang, I come home from working at 9:30 pm and all I have in the fridge is a three-day old baked potato and a 1/3 of a bottle of wine.
I still don't think I can make pizza out of that.
Looks de-lish, and can't wait to try it!
Posted by: meg | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 18:44
We love that bread book with evangelical passion. Try the olive oil dough for pizza. It's extra yummy and easy to work with. (My favorite is oil cured olives w/fresh moz. Husband's fave is his signature fig/gorgonzola/pecan pizza.)
Posted by: Melinda | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 19:39
Intriguing method! We usually start throwing them on the grill this time of year.
Posted by: Lynn in Tucson | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 21:01
Sue and I make garlic scape pizza in the summer time.. if you loved this pizza, try garlic scapes instead of garlic and arugla. all the rest the same. and I think you'd be in love!!
Now I am trying to figure out how to make it to your house by pizzatime!
Posted by: anj | Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 06:32
You know, Mel has a point... enough tequila (and baking soda) and you probably could eat anything on a pizza. Even cornstarch.
Posted by: Kathleen C. | Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 07:22
Gold Star on the Beautiful Food Photo. Will try the bread receipe
this weekend! Trader Joe pizza dough no more!
Posted by: cgReno | Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 08:29
My mouth is watering right now. It sounds so delicious!
Posted by: Mai | Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:18
Thanks heaps for the bread recipe...I have made two loaves and the rest is sitting in the fridge, and now the pizza idea...any ideas on how not to gain weight while doing all this...lol
Posted by: cedar | Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 14:23
I have that book too, and love it! Tonight I made pita bread using the basic boule recipe, and they turned out great, My fave is to chop some kalamata olives and mix into the dough, and bake as usual. So yummy. If you like kalamata olives, that is.
Your pizza looks delish!
Posted by: Lori | Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 20:31
Funny thing! Knitting Hubby texted me a few minutes ago requesting goat cheese, artichoke heart, kalamata/fig tapanade pizza! Hooray for pizza!
Posted by: kitkatknit | Wednesday, May 06, 2009 at 15:43
Wait. Are you saying you cooked it on the stovetop? That can't be right. I'm just confused I think. It sounds really good though. I'm gonna make that bread dough eventually.
Posted by: Em | Thursday, May 07, 2009 at 09:36