Cacio e Pepe Pizza

It’s crazy, but what makes this work are melted ice cubes that mix with the cheese to closely approximate the cacio e pepe sauce. It’s wack but delicious

3 ounces pecorino romano, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups)

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed black pepper, medium grind

1 pizza dough, store bought or see recipe here

Ice cubes

Olive oil

Cornmeal for under the pizza

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees for at least 30 minutes to be sure it’s really hot. Put a baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven while it heats

• Combine cheese and pepper in a small bowl, mix and set aside

• Shape dough into a 10-12 inch circle, with a raised edge

• Transfer dough to a pizza peel that’s been dusted with cornmeal, add 5 ice cubes and put into the oven

• Carefully slide pizza onto the sheet or stone, and bake until golden brown & fully cooked

• Remove and immediately add the cheese/pepper & drizzle with olive oil

• Slice & eat

Brussels Sprout & Bacon Flatbread

If you're a Brussels sprouts hater, there's a very good chance this could change your mind.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bacon strips, sliced widthwise
• 3-4 whole brussels sprouts, sliced thin
• ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon each Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pita bread
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• ½ cup fresh baby arugula

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven 425 degrees
2. Heat a medium frying pan, add bacon - cook until just the edge of crispy, leave about ½ tablespoon of grease in the pan discarding the rest and add Brussels sprouts -  cook about 6-7 minutes and set aside
3. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic - mix well
4. Spread ricotta mixture evenly on pita, add bacon/Brussels mixture and top with Monterey Jack cheese
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cheese melts and pita is slightly crispy
6. While flatbread is in the oven, mix arugula with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper
7. Remove flatbread, top with arugula and serve.

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Pesto Pizza

So fricking simple and delicious – a great reason to keep pesto in the fridge. It's super easy and quick, and by quick, I mean in about a minute.

Makes 1 Pizza

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Pizza Dough (store bought or homemade)
• All-purpose flour
• 2-3 tablespoons cornmeal
• One 7 oz container pesto sauce (you'll use about half)
• ¼ -½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 fresh mozzarella cheese ball (broken up in smallish pieces)
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (unless you are using a pizza oven like Uuni)
2. Sprinkle just enough flour to prevent sticking on dough and working surface. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick or less
3. Spread cornmeal on baking sheet and lay the pizza dough on top
4. Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce into the center of the pizza and use the back of a spoon to spread it out to the edges.
5. Next sprinkle red pepper and top with mozzarella
6. Drizzle a little olive oil on top, season with salt and pepper to taste
7. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness, or until the crust is crisp and golden in a regular oven - but in a pizza oven only as long as needed
8. Slice, eat & repeat!

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Fried Pizza

Yes, you read it right, fried damn pizza. Make it, fry it, eat it. Oh my…

Makes 1

INGREDIENTS

• Oil to fry, canola works great
• 1 quarter of the 3 minute pizza dough
• Flour
• ⅓ cup tomato sauce, any you like
• ½ cup burrata cheese
• 2-3 basil leaves, torn into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Pour about ½ inch of oil into a large heavy pan (cast iron would be ideal) and heat to approx 350-375 degrees
3. Sprinkle a little flour on a working surface and roll out dough into a circle 6- 8 inches in diameter
4. Carefully put the dough into the hot pan - lay it down facing away from you
5. Cook about 1-½ minute on each side, flip over carefully using tongs
6. Drain fried dough on paper towel, then place the crust on a baking sheet
7. Spread sauce evenly over the crust and then the burrata
8. Sprinkle with basil leaves and top with parmesan
9. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts
10. Slice and serve - you can thank me later.

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RICOTTA BACON FLATBREAD

We showed you how to make your own pizza dough... and now we show you what to do with it. You're gonna like this.

Makes 1 flatbread

INGREDIENTS

• 1 quarter of the 3 minute pizza dough
• Olive oil
• ¾ cup ricotta cheese
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions
• ½ cup cooked bacon, crispy & crumbled
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher Salt
• 1/3 cup diced fresh tomatoes to garnish

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven 425 degrees
• Sprinkle a little flour on working surface and roll out dough into approximately an 8x11 flatbread
• Place on lightly oiled baking sheet pre-bake about 7 minutes
• In a small bowl combine ricotta cheese and olive oil, mix well
• Spread the ricotta on the pre-baked dough
• Top with onions, bacon, red pepper flakes and salt to taste
• Put back in oven and bake 5 more minutes
• Remove, top with tomatoes and serve

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Finlandia Black Garlic Flatbread

The beauty of this recipe is that it can be adapted to any flatbread, pizza or even sliced loaf of bread – like a baguette. Because once you know how much to spread on, you can do it with anything. 

Serves: 2-4 people
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 flatbread, any size will do
• Finlandia Black Garlic Creamy Gourmet Cheese
• 4-6 tablespoons Basil Pesto
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Spread about a 1/8 inch layer of the Finlandia Black Garlic Creamy Gourmet Cheese on the flatbread
3. Add a thin layer of the pesto on top of that
4. Sprinkle a small amount of the red pepper flakes on top, and finish with a light sprinkling of the shredded Parmesan
5. Bake until beginning to get golden brown – 15-20 minutes
6. Remove, slice and serve
7. Repeat

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*Finlandia Butter can be found at Vons, Albertsons and Safeway. Finlandia Cheeses are also available, in Southern California at Costco and other fine retailers.

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Leftover Steak & Caramelized red onion Naan

This is so delicious. A great party food appetizer, if you are entertaining, the blue cheese pairs well with good bottle of red. 

Serves 2 as appetizer

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb leftover pre-cooked chilled steak (I used filet, but anything you like)
• 1 naan bread
• 1 red onion
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat broiler
2. In medium skillet on low heat, add butter, oil and red onions cook for 5 minutes or until sugars release and gets sticky
3. Add brown sugar to onions, cook 3 minutes
4. In small pot on med/low heat, bring balsamic vinegar to simmer, turn down as low as possible, reduce vinegar until consistency of maple syrup
5. In dry skillet heat naan for 1 minute each side, just to soften, put to one side
6. In skillet, high heat, lightly oiled, add waffer thin sliced steak, cook 1 minute
7. Build: naan, generous layer red onions, steak, top with blue cheese
8. Broil on high 1 minute
9. Evenly drizzle over 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction, cut and eat.

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Pizza Dough in 3 minutes

 Of course you can buy pizza dough already made at the store – but why would you when it’s this easy and can be made in a food processor? And whether it’s for a pizza, calzone or simply a doughy bread for the grill – it’s the best.

2 to 2 1/2 cups unsifted, all-purpose flour

One 1/4 oz packet instant yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

3/4 cup warm water, between about 110 and 120 degrees F

1 tablespoon olive oil

• With the 'S' blade in place, put 2 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, garlic powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor - pulse a couple times

• Add the warm water and the oil - process until a soft dough forms

• If it's still sticky, add extra flour a few tablespoons at a time and process

• Take out of processor, shape into a ball, put into a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until approx doubled in size, about an hour

• Then shape and use as normal

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Sausage & Mixed Pepper Flatbread

Makes 4 flatbreads

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage
• One each red & yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into thin, 1 inch pieces
• 1 large clove garlic
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 4 Naan bread, flat bread or whatever (instead of pizza) aaprox 4x 8 inches each
• ½ cup basil pesto
• Shredded mozzarella
• 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Cook sausage until almost done and add peppers – allow to soften
3. Add garlic, and when fragrant after about a minute add spinach
4. When spinach has wilted, add salt & pepper to taste and remove from heat
5. Spread ¼ of the pesto on each naan, add some mozzarella, the sausage mixture, more mozzarella and finely the Parmesan
6. Bake until crispy,  melty and gorgeous – about 15 minutes

 

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Pesto Meatball French Bread Pizza

Makes one French loaf - serves about 6

Frozen meatballs, pesto & French bread tun into a wildly good pizza-kinda-thing.

Ingredients

• 20 frozen 1-inch meatballs
• 2 tablespoons butter 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• 1 loaf French bread
• 1 cup Mozzarella, grated

Directions

1. Place meatballs on a plate and microwave until just softened, then cut in half
2. Put in a bowl and toss with pesto - set aside
3. Melt butter in a medium pot on low heat, add garlic
4. Cook about a minute or until just fragrant then whisk in flour
5. Continue stirring and cook about a minute until it becomes a thick paste
6. Add milk and whisk to incorporate
7. When it starts to thicken, add Parmesan cheese and stir well until thick & smooth
8. Preheat broiler
9. Cut french bread lengthwise and add a generous layer of the cheese sauce to both cut sides
10. Add a layer of meatballs and top with mozzarella
11. Place under the broiler until bubbly, melty and gorgeous
12. Slice & serve

Fresh Mozzarella & Tomato Pizza

Serves 6 as an appetizer

Also referred to as a 'Margherita" pizza (but different from the Margarita drink) this is easily on of my favorites. The fresh mozzarella makes it the bizzle. The quantities below will make a 10-inch pizza, or 2 of the smaller appetizer sized ones.

Ingredients

• 1-10" ready made pizza crust - like Boboli
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced 1/8" thick
• 3-4 Roma tomatoes, sliced 1/8" thick
• Fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Put tomatoes in bowl with olive oil & garlic, mix well
3. Put tomatoes on crust & cover with mozzarella (NOTE: Do not cover too perfectly - you want some of the tomatoes showing through)
4. Top pizza with some of the basil leaves
5. Bake approximately 12-15 minutes

Smoked Salmon, Dill And Goat Cheese Pizza

Serves 4

Bring on the brunch baby, cuz this is one of my favorite things to serve.

Ingredients

• 1 - 10 oz pre baked pizza crust
• Olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped fresh dill
• 5 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces smoked salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons capers, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Brush crust lightly with olive oil.
3. Spread goatcheese over the crust, sprinkle with 1/2 the dill then top with sliced onions
4. Bake until cheese melts and crust starts getting crispy about 12 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, top with salmon and remaining dill

(Spicy) BBQ Chicken Pizza

Makes one 12 inch pizza

Make this with a deli roasted chicken. I mean you can cook your own, but why would you? The spicy chili sauce is optional - but shouldn't be.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (about 8oz) cooked shredded chicken
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce, approximately
• 1 pre baked pizza crust
• 1 cup - shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoons Asian chili sauce, optional
• fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Mix cooked chicken with the BBQ and chili sauces
3. Spread chicken over crust and top with red onion and then the mozzarella
4. Bake 10-12 minutes until top starts to brown and get bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Roasted Yellow Pepper Pizza

Serves 4

Great color, great taste and you get it together in about 2 minutes. What's not to like?

Ingredients

• 12" precooked pizza crust
• 5 ounce tub goat cheese
• 2 ounces arugula leaves, the ready-to-go kind is easiest
• 12 ounce jar roasted yellow peppers
• 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Drain peppers
3. Spread goat cheese on crust, cover with arugula and spread peppers, over the top
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until beginning to brown and get crispy
5. Remove from oven, season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese
6. Slice (of course) and serve

Optional: If you love red onion like I do, you can roughly chop 1/2 red onion, oven roast it for 10 minutes then sprinkle on top of the pizza with peppers.

White Pizza with Spinach & Garlic

Makes One 12 inch pizza

This is not your usual pizza. There's no red saucey stuff, there's three kinds of cheese and all kinds of flavor. And isn't flavor what it's all about?

Ingredients

• 1 ready made pizza crust
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 2 - 3 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 - 8 ounce bag of fresh spinach leaves
• 1 package sliced Provolone cheese
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Lightly rub or brush the crust with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil
2. Heat a pan on the stove and cook garlic in the olive oil about 30 seconds
3. Add the spinach to the garlic and stir until wilted - this won't take more than about a minute
4. Sprinkle Feta over the crust, it's ok if there's gaps
5. Spread the garlic and spinach over the Feta and top with slices of Provolone (it's still ok if there's gaps between the slices)
6. Top with the Mozzarella
7. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes, or until the crust starts to brown and the cheese gets all melty

Red Pepper and Blue Cheese Bruschetta

Makes 16 - 20 pieces

This is an awesome appetizer. A different take on the average bruschetta.

Ingredients

• One long thin sourdough baguette
• One - 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained well
• Olive Oil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• One - 4 ounce package blue cheese crumbles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to broil
2. Cut the heels off the bread and slice in half lengthwise, then into 4 even pieces
3. Put the 4 pieces on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and put under broiler so it begins to crisp, 3 to 4 minutes
4. Rough chop the peppers
5. Cover each piece of bread with the chopped peppers and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to taste
6. Cover evenly with blue cheese crumbles
7. Put back under the broiler to heat through and melt the cheese for about 5 minutes
8. Cut diagonally into 2 to 3 inch pieces and serve