California Crumbling Coliseum Pizza Pie Recipes

GRILLED CALIFORNIA PIZZAS

Steps:

• For the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 3 cups flour, then the salt, and mix. While mixing, add 1 more cup of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on low to medium speed for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking to the bowl.
• When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it several times to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and roll each one into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
• If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature. Roll and stretch each ball into a rough 8-inch circle and place them all on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. (You will be able to fit 2 pizzas on each 18 by 13-inch baking sheet.)
• Light your grill and wait until it's hot.
• Place the pizzas directly onto the grill and cook on 1 side for 1 minute. Turn the pizzas over and brush with olive oil or garlic oil.
• Top the pizzas with any toppings you wish, piling them high. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put the lid on your grill and cook for 5 minutes more, until the crust is crisp and the toppings are cooked.

CALIFORNIA CRUMBLING COLISEUM PIZZA PIE

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone onto the floor of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface, toss and shape the dough so that one side has a thick crust and the other thin and it looks like the crumbling Roman Coliseum. Transfer onto a pizza paddle that has been well-dusted with semolina flour. Coat the center of the dough with marinara sauce. Cover with a layer of salami and then the cheese. Place the peppers and avocado in a spoke pattern around the pizza. Scatter over the sausages, pine nuts, and parmesan. Bake until the crust turns golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Share and enjoy with beer or wine or both.

GRILLED WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for diffused indirect heat by building the hot coals evenly around the perimeter of the grill. Remove the center ring from the grill grate and insert a medium cast-iron skillet. Invert another larger cast-iron skillet over the top. This acts as a pizza oven for your outdoor grill. (If using a gas grill, heat to medium-high heat.)
• For the pizza dough: Add the flour, honey, salt and yeast to a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Then add 1 3/4 cups room temperature water and the olive oil and pulse again until the dough comes together into a rough ball and rides around the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until a smooth elastic ball forms. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and place each in a quart-sized deli container or gallon-sized resealable plastic bag with a drizzle of olive oil. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight and up to 5 days. This makes enough for 3 pizzas. Save the extra dough in the freezer for another time. It will last up to 2 months.
• When ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator and take it out of its storage vessel while still cold. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling.
• For the cheese mixture: In the meantime, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, pecorino and herbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• To make the pizza: Dust a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet with flour. Press one dough ball out on to the peel, shaping it into a circle. Slide the pizza onto the inverted cast-iron and dollop the cheese mixture over the surface. Scatter the asparagus, onions and Parmesan evenly over the surface and drizzle with olive oil. Cover the grill and bake until golden brown and crusty, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Using the peel, remove the pizza from the grill and slide it onto a cutting board. Drizzle with more olive oil, slice and serve with more freshly grated Parmesan over the top.
• (Alternatively, you can slide the pizza onto an upside-down sheet tray in the oven and cook in a 500 degrees F oven until golden brown and crusty, 10 to 15 minutes.)

NEW YEAR'S PARIS EGGS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the tomato slices until browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Beat the eggs and sour cream together in a medium bowl and stir in the salmon and chives. Heat the remaining butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook until lightly set and soft, about 2 minutes. Serve with the tomatoes and a croissant. Enjoy in Paris or while listening to Edith Piaf.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE PIZZA PIE

Steps:

• For the pie dough: Into the bowl of a food processor, add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the dough becomes crumbly. Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse after each addition until the dough holds together but isn't wet. (Add additional tablespoons of water as needed.) Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12-by-1-inch pizza or tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Flour a rolling pin and work surface. Roll the pie dough, starting from the center and working outward, into a 14-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Lay the dough in the prepared pan and press it into the bottom and sides. Fold the excess dough inward and crimp. Dock the dough with a fork.
• Put a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough and weigh it down with pie weights, a butter knife or dried beans. Blind-bake on the center rack of the oven until the crust is pale golden and just firm, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the cheesecake filling: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs and lemon zest and juice. Pour into the cooled pie crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
• Bake until the cheesecake is set and the middle barely jiggles, 50 to 60 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the cherry compote: Combine the cherries with their juices, granulated sugar, vanilla bean and lemon zest and juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the compote is thickened and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Pour the compote over the cooled cheesecake filling, and spread evenly over the top.
• For the whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or whisk, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest until medium to firm peaks form.
• In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• To serve the cheesecake pizza pie, top each slice with whipped cream and toasted almonds. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE TOFU MOUSSE PIE

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring often. Blend tofu in a food processor. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and blend again, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of a bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Place the tofu chocolate mixture into a bowl and slowly fold in the egg whites with a rubber spatula. Scoop the filling into the pie crust and refrigerate for several hours before serving.
• Serve with a bit of whipped cream or raspberry sauce (or simply thin raspberry jam with a bit of water and lemon juice). Don't say tofu, say terrific.
• *RAW EGG WARNING
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

TRADITIONAL RED MOLE CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the Mole: Roast the peanuts on a baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. In a small skillet, toast the sesame seeds for a couple of minutes until brown. Let cool, then finely grind in a food processor. Set both aside.
• Toast the anchos in a small skillet over medium heat. Soak in hot water to soften, about 20 minutes. Drain and remove the seeds and stems.
• In a blender, puree the anchos until smooth. Add the ground spices and puree.
• Pour the oil into a medium pot and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the puree and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the peanuts and sesame seeds and simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the chocolate and let it melt. Stir in the vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside.
• For the rice: Wash the rice and put it into a rice cooker or pan with enough water to stretch from the tip of your finger to the first knuckle on your index finger (that's a trick). Sprinkle in the saffron, cover and cook until the rice is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• For the chicken: In a large skillet, saute the onion in the oil. When the onion becomes transparent, add the chicken and cook until white on all sides. Add the mole and chicken stock and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Serve over the saffron rice with corn tortillas, glazed carrots and calabacitas.
• Combine corn, squash, chiles and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the squash can be pierced with a fork. Remove from heat, add the butter and salt. Stir and serve.
• Cut the carrots into sticks. Melt the butter and sugar in a large skillet. Add the carrots and cook over medium heat until the carrots are glazed and a little browned.

COOL CALIFORNIA PIZZA

Steps:

• Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles; on a baking stone, arrange dough triangles into a circle with their points toward the center; with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 12-inch circle, pressing seams together to seal.
• Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or until light golden-brown; remove from oven and cool completely.
• Stir together Parmesan and cream cheeses until smooth; add garlic and half the basil; mix well.
• Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over top of baked crust; top with vegetables and remaining basil; cut into squares.
• NOTE: Two teaspoons dried basil my be used if you don't have fresh basil.