Cheese Pizzettes Recipes

PIZZETTE - MINI PIZZA BITES WITH ASSORTED TOPPINGS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water with sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
• In a mixer bowl add flour and yeast water, give a quick stir.
• Using a dough hook attachment start to knead slowly increasing the speed.
• Add salt and extra virgin olive oil.
• NOTE: Don't add salt immediately as it'll weaken yeast quality!
• Knead for about 5 minutes.You should get a smoth and pretty soft dough. It'll be slightly sticky but manageable to handle it with your hands.
• Transfer the dough in large oiled bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap and let rise for 2-3 hours in a warm (not hot!) place.
• Past 2-3 hours the dough should double in size.
• Transfer it to a slightly floured work surface.
• Roll with a rolling pin to about 3-5 mm thick.
• Using a round cookie cutter about 3 inches in diameter cut out pizzette circles.
• Place pizzette on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper leaving some space in between.
• Cover with a linen towel and let rise for 30-60 minutes in a warm place.
• While pizzette are rising it's a good idea to prepare the sauce and the toppings.
• In a skillet pan add tomato puree/passata di pomodoro, let simmer on low heat until slightly reduced. The thickness of the sauce should be good enough to stay on pizzetta, not too liquid-y but also not paste-like.
• Add fresh basil leaved roughly torn with your hands.
• Cook for another few minutes and let cool.
• Cut, slice and pit all other ingredients that you've chosen as your pizza toppings.Here you can mix, match and be creative!
• Preheat oven to 375F / 190C
• Using your point finger press around and in the center of each pizzetta (see photo) to form a slight cavity to hold in the topping.
• Top with your favorite toppings.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until cheese is well melted and pizzette have a light golden edge. Be careful and don't overcook as the dough might become hard.

BEET, APPLE, AND CHEESE PIZZETTES

Steps:

• Preheat a gas or charcoal grill with a cover. (The pizzettes can also be baked in the oven. Place an oven rack in the upper 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Bake the pizzettes on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet until the crust is golden, 12 to 14 minutes.)
• Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal. Set aside. Using a mandoline slicer, slice the apples and beets into 1/16 to 1/8-inch thick slices. Set aside.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch diameter circle. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 6 circles of dough and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Divide the fontina and sprinkle on top of each circle of dough. Divide the apple and beet slices and place on top. Add the goat cheese and sprinkle with herbes de Provence. Drizzle with olive oil and place on the grill over low, indirect heat. Cover the grill and cook until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese begins to melt, 8 to 10 minutes.

PIZZETTES WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, GOAT CHEESE, AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over low heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, herbs de Provence, and sugar. Stir to combine. Continue cooking over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and dark golden brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Roll out the pizza dough into a 1/4-inch-thick round. Using the cookie cutter, cut out 24 dough circles. Arrange the circles on a large heavy baking sheet. Place a small spoonful of the caramelized onions on each dough circle. Top with a small amount of goat cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
• While still hot, top each pizzette with a piece of prosciutto. Arrange on a serving platter and garnish with sprigs of parsley or rosemary. Serve immediately.

TOMATO-BASIL PIZZETTES

Steps:

• Make the dough: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. Put 1/2 cup flour, the yeast and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. With the motor running, add 3/4 cup hot tap water (about 115 degrees F). Turn off the motor and add the cornmeal, cheese, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1 cup flour. Pulse until the dough forms a ball, then continue pulsing until smooth but still wet, about 15 more times.
• Make the pizzettes: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, 12 to 15 times, dusting lightly with flour if too wet to handle. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 1/4-inch-thick disk, about 14 inches across. Using a 3-inch-round cutter, cut the dough into 16 rounds, gathering and rerolling the scraps if needed. Transfer the rounds to the prepared pans.
• Mix the olive oil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Brush each round lightly with the herb oil, then top each with a slice of soppressata and 2 to 3 tomato slices. Sprinkle with the parmesan. Bake one sheet at a time, until the crusts are golden, about 8 minutes.
• Drizzle the pizzettes with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and top with the basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PIZZETTE WITH FONTINA, TOMATO, BASIL, AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Lightly sprinkle rimmed baking sheet with flour. Roll out pizza dough on lightly floured surface 1/4-inch thick. Using 2 1/2-inch diameter cookie cutter, cut 16 dough rounds. Arrange rounds on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle rounds with Fontina cheese, dividing equally. Place 2 tomato quarters on each round, pressing gently into dough. Sprinkle tomatoes with Parmesan cheese. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Bake pizzette until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Drizzle pizzette with olive oil, then sprinkle with basil and lightly with salt and pepper. Drape prosciutto strips over. Arrange on platter and serve immediately.

CARAMELIZED ONION, RADICCHIO, AND GOAT CHEESE PIZZETTES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F. Set stone on lowest rack of oven at least 1 hour before baking pizza (if you have a gas stove, stone can go directly on oven floor).3Cook onions in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until deep golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, radicchio, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide dough into quarters on a flour-dusted surface and gently stretch each piece into a thin disk about 6 inches across. Dust baker's peel with cornmeal and put 2 disks on it.
• Jerk peel once or twice; if dough sticks, lift and sprinkle more cornmeal underneath. Top each disk on peel with one fourth of onion mixture, goat cheese, and thyme, leaving a 3/4-inch border.
• Line up far edge of peel with far edge of stone in oven. Tilt peel, jerking it gently to start pizzas moving, and once edge of pizza touches stone, quickly pull peel back to transfer pizzas to stone. Bake pizzas until dough is crisp and golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer with peel to a cutting board.
• Cut pizzas into slices and serve immediately. Make 2 more pizzas in same manner.

BROCCOLI & GOAT'S CHEESE PIZZETTES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
• Bring a medium pan of water to the boil, add the broccoli and boil for 1 min. Drain and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Lightly dust your work surface with a little flour. Split the dough in half and roll into two oval shapes. Mix the mascarpone and lemon zest together in a bowl. Remove the hot tray from the oven and use a palette knife to transfer the bases onto the baking tray. Spread with the mascarpone and top with the broccoli and courgette, then season with black pepper. Put back in the oven to bake for 10-12 mins or until crisp and golden around the edges.
• Scatter with the crumbled goat's cheese and red chilli, and drizzle over a little olive oil to finish.

CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine biscuit mix and water; mix well. Press into a greased 12-in. pizza pan. Spread with pizza sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.