Camerons Four Cheese Pizza Recipes

DEEP-DISH CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Sprinkle the yeast over the hot water in a small bowl. Let stand until dissolved and slightly foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and add the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust the dough with flour and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until very smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough into two 1-pound balls; wrap one ball in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using. Transfer the other ball of dough to a 9-inch round cake pan coated with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover and let the dough rise again until almost spread to the edges of the pan, about 1 hour.
• Make the pizza sauce: Combine the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, sugar and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl; season with more salt and sugar if needed. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups.)
• Make the pizza: Preheat the oven to 500˚ F (use the convection setting, if available) with a pizza stone, baking steel or inverted large baking sheet in the lower third of the oven. Press the dough to reach the edge of the pan, then press the dough up the sides to create a lip 1/2 to 3/4 inch higher than the center of the dough. Top the dough with 2 tablespoons Parmesan and sliced mozzarella, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Spread a heaping 1/2 cup pizza sauce over the cheese, almost to the edge. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Place the pan on the hot stone and bake the pizza until the crust is deep golden brown and any cheese poking through the sauce is lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a small offset spatula and remove the pizza to a cutting board.

CAMERON'S FOUR-CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• For the pizza dough: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4-cup warm water.
• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and mix on low speed until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and clusters around the dough hook, about 5 minutes. The pizza dough can also be made in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse once or twice, add the remaining ingredients, and process until the dough begins to form a ball.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand for 2 or 3 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled.
• Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
• Yield: Makes 4 (8-inch) pizzas
• For the Pizza: Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• To prepare each pizza, dip the ball of dough into flour, shake off the excess flour, place the dough on a clean, lightly floured surface, and start to stretch the dough. Press down on the center, spreading the dough into an 8-inch or 10-inch rounds, with the outer border a little thicker than the inner circle. If you find this difficult to do, use a small rolling pin to roll out the dough. Brush lightly with pesto and scatter the oven-dried tomatoes evenly around the inner circle of the pizza.
• Sprinkle the mozzarella and Fontina, arrange the slices of the Roma tomatoes, and then sprinkle with the goat cheese, oregano, thyme, and finally the Parmesan. Bake on the pizza stone until the pizza crust is nicely browned, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• When the pizza is removed from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and garnish with the chiffonade of basil leaves, cut the pizza into slices, and serve immediately.
• Yield: 1 (10-inch) or 2 (8-inch) pizzas; 3 to 4 servings
• Preheat the over to 250 degrees F.
• In a pot of boiling water, blanch tomatoes. Drain and refresh in ice water. Drain. Peel, core, cut into quarters, and remove seeds.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the tomato quarters on the tray, cut side down. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme and garlic. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and sugar, and sprinkle evenly over the tomatoes.
• Bake until the tomatoes begin to shrivel, about 1 hour. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, transfer to a container. Pour olive oil over and cover the container. Refrigerate and use as needed.
• In a mortar and pestle, pound the basil, garlic, nuts and salt until thoroughly mashed. Add the oil, a few drops at a time, until you have a smooth paste.
• Pesto can also be made in a blender. Pour in the oil first, then the garlic, nuts, and finally the basil leaves. Blend on low to a smooth paste. Season with the kosher salt.

BASIC PEPPERONI PIZZA AND FOUR CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• For the pizza dough: Sprinkle the active dry yeast over 1 1/2 cups of warm--not lukewarm--water.
• In a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, drizzle in the olive oil and mix until combined. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix until combined.
• Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil and tip the dough in. Form a ball and toss to coat the dough ball in the olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 or 4 days refrigerated.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• To prepare the dough for the pizza assembly: Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll out one part as thinly as possible and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
• For the basic pepperoni pizza: Spread the sauce over the pizza base. Top with the sliced mozzarella and pepperoni.
• For the four cheese pizza: Drizzle on the olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Pour the jar of pesto onto the dough and spread evenly. Add the mozzarella, fontina, goat cheese and Pecorino Romano.
• Bake both pizzas until the crusts are golden and the cheese is bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes.
• For the tomato basil salad: While the pizzas are baking, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a small skillet. Add the garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute and removing it from the heat before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden). Pour it into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add the tomatoes, balsamic, basil and some salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to combine, and then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed. Set aside.
• Top the four cheese pizza with the tomato basil salad. Cut the pizzas into slices and serve.
• Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil into a hot pan over medium-high heat. Throw in the garlic and chopped onions and give them a stir. Cook until the onions are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, whisking to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Cook until the liquid reduces by half. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of sugar. Add the dried oregano and basil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

FOUR CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 550 degrees F.
• Stretch the pizza dough and fit it into 2 pizza pans. Combine the mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and Asiago cheeses in a bowl. Evenly distribute the cheese mixture over the crusts. Top the pizza with the Pecorino and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the crust is brown and the cheese is melted, about 6 to 8 minutes.

CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone in the center rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F for 1 to 2 hours before you're ready to bake the pizza to get the stone nice and hot.
• Generously sprinkle a flat work surface with flour. Use a rolling pin to stretch the dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza peel or unrimmed baking sheet so it can slide right onto the pizza stone in the oven. (I use the bottom of a baking sheet.)
• Top with the mozzarella, sprinkle with the oregano, then gently spread the marinara sauce on top, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges for the crust (my favorite part!).
• Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler. Use the peel or baking sheet to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone. The heat from the stone will cook the bottom of the pizza and the boiler will char and cook the top, mimicking a Neapolitan pizza oven. Bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is evenly crisped, 5 to 6 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan if desired. Slice the hot pizza and serve immediately.