Nonas Pizza Pies Recipes

NONNO'S PIZZA

Steps:

• Combine the tomato puree, basil, kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 1 hour to let the flavors marry. Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for an hour as well.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Stretch the dough in the oil, flipping it back and forth and stretching it to fit the baking sheet. Use your fingers to make a few dimples in the dough. Spread the sauce evenly over the top all the way to the edges. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the ricotta salata, oregano and flake salt. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

NONA'S PIZZA PIES

Steps:

• 1. Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage in a medium skillet until browned, stirring to crumble; drain well and set aside.
• 2. Line a 9 inch pie plate with half of pastry; flute edges. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees.
• 3. Combine cottage cheese and eggs, beat well. Stir in sausage, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, parmesan cheese and pizza sauce. Pour into two baked 9" pie pastrys.
• 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove pizza from oven, cover with remaining mozzarella. Put back in oven and bake for another five minutes or until cheese is melted. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

JIM LAHEY'S NO-KNEAD PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• To make dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, and salt. Add water and stir until blended (the dough will be very sticky). Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 12 to 24 hours in a warm spot, about 70 degrees.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top with flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Shape the dough into 3 or 4 balls, depending on how thick you want the crust. Generously sprinkle a clean cotton towel with flour and cover the dough with it. Let the dough rise for 2 hours.
• To make sauce: Blanch tomato for 5 seconds in boiling water and quickly remove. Allow to cool to the touch. Peel the skin with your hands and quarter the tomato. Remove the jelly and seeds, and reserve in a strainer or fine sieve. Strain the jelly to remove seeds, and combine resulting liquid in a bowl with the flesh of the tomatoes. Proceed to crush the tomatoes with your hands. Add salt and olive oil and stir.
• To make pizza: Place pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat on high broil. Stretch or toss the dough into a disk approximately 10 inches in diameter. Pull rack out of oven and place the dough on top of the preheated pizza stone. Drizzle 5 generous tablespoons of sauce over the dough, and spread evenly. Try to keep the sauce about ½ inch away from the perimeter of the dough. Break apart or slice the buffalo mozzarella and arrange over the dough. Return rack and pizza stone to the middle of the oven and broil for approximately 6 minutes. Remove and top with basil, olive oil, and salt.

NONNA'S PIZZELLE

Steps:

• Preheat pizzelle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Mix flour and baking powder together in a bowl.
• Combine eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until well-blended. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Fold anise seeds and vanilla extract into batter with a spatula.
• Drop a teaspoon of batter onto the preheated iron. Bake until golden, 30 to 40 seconds, or a few seconds longer for darker pizzelle.

NO-OVEN PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 mins. Tip in tomatoes and passata, and simmer for 5-10 mins or until the tomatoes are soft. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, season, then allow to cool.
• Put the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the olive oil then add 6-7 tbsp warm water or enough to make a soft dough. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to fit a 22cm frying pan or make 2 small ones. Heat a glug of olive oil in the frying pan, then press the dough into the pan and cook over a medium heat for 8-10 mins or until the base is golden.
• Heat grill to hot. Spread the pizza base with the tomato sauce, scatter on the cheese and grill until it has melted and the base is golden at the edges. Serve immediately.