Roasted Pepper Ricotta And Caper Pizzas Recipes

ROASTED RED PEPPER PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone or inverted rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F. Make the tomato sauce: Crush the tomatoes in a large bowl with your hands. Stir in the olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper.
• Make the pepper spread: Roast the chile pepper and bell pepper over the flame of a gas burner (or under the broiler), turning, until charred, 4 minutes for the chile and 6 to 8 minutes for the bell pepper. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Peel off the charred skins with your fingers (you may want to use gloves for the chile pepper to avoid irritation). Halve the peppers and remove the seeds. Combine the garlic, anchovies, red pepper flakes and oregano in a food processor. Add the roasted peppers and pulse until almost smooth. Pour in the olive oil and pulse a few times. Season with salt.
• Assemble the pizza: Keep the prebaked crust on the baking sheet. Spread with 3/4 cup to 1 cup tomato sauce (you will have extra sauce). Top with the mozzarella, then spoon 1/2 cup pepper spread on top. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan. Transfer the baking sheet to the hot pizza stone and bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining parmesan and the herbs. Season with salt.
• Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Stir in 2 cups warm water (about 105 degrees F) and 2 tablespoons olive oil with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the dough rises slightly, about 1 hour.
• Using lightly floured hands, transfer the dough to a generously floured surface and knead several times until it just starts becoming smooth and elastic, about 1 minute (do not over-knead). Transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, place a pizza stone or inverted rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F.
• Brush two rimmed 13-by-18-inch baking sheets (not nonstick) with 3 tablespoons olive oil each. Place one piece of dough on each baking sheet. Prepare the pizzas one at a time: Cover the dough with plastic wrap, then press firmly with your hands to fill the baking
• Remove the plastic wrap and transfer the baking sheet to the hot pizza stone. Bake until the crust starts browning, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully loosen the crust from the pan using a spatula. Top and bake (see recipe indexfor ideas), or let cool, lightly wrap in plastic and set aside up to 8 hours.

THIN-CRUST PIZZA WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Make the dough. Toward the end of the rising time, 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.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; put the bell pepper halves on one side and the mushrooms on the other side. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil; rub all over the peppers and toss the mushrooms to coat. Arrange the peppers cut-side down and roast, turning the peppers and stirring the mushrooms occasionally, until the peppers are tender and browned and the mushrooms are tender and dry, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes (reduce the heat if the onions start to get too dark). Stir in 1/4 cup water, the tomato paste and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste is toasted and a few shades darker, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar; season with salt, pepper and more sugar, if needed. (The sauce should be slightly sweet and tangy.) Let cool.
• Remove the roasted peppers to a cutting board and chop; transfer to a large bowl and stir in the mushrooms, artichoke hearts and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
• On a lightly floured surface, cut one 1-pound ball of dough in half. Cup your hand around each piece and gently roll each into a small ball. Transfer 1 ball of dough to a lightly floured piece of parchment paper and roll into a thin 12-inch round with a rolling pin (keep the other ball of dough covered).
• Top the dough with half of the sauce, spreading it to the edge, then top with half of the roasted vegetable mixture and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Transfer the pizza (on the parchment) to the hot stone and bake until the crust is set, 3 to 5 minutes. Slide out the parchment from under the pizza. Continue baking until the crust is golden brown and crisp, 7 to 10 more minutes. Remove the pizza to a cutting board and dot with half of the ricotta. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and top with basil. Repeat to make another pizza.
• 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. (If making sheet-pan pizza, let the dough rise, covered, on an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet coated with 3 tablespoons olive oil instead of in a bowl; do not divide into two balls.)
• If not using the dough right away, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, RICOTTA AND CHARD

Steps:

• Thirty minutes before baking the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook another 10 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are golden brown and very sweet and soft. Remove from the heat.
• While the onions are cooking, stem and wash the chard leaves, and bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chard. Blanch for one to two minutes, just until the leaves are tender, and transfer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Alternatively, steam the chard for two to three minutes until wilted, and rinse with cold water. Chop the chard medium-fine.
• Roll out the dough, oil a 14-inch pizza pan and dust with cornmeal or semolina. Place the dough on the pan.
• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan and chard. Spread over the pizza dough in an even layer, leaving a 1-inch border around the rim. Spread the onions over the ricotta mixture.
• Place in the hot oven, and bake 10 to 15 minutes until the crust and bits of the onion are nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or warm.

PIZZA WITH ROASTED PEPPERS AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone in it.
• Peel the roasted red peppers, remove the seeds and membranes (holding the peppers over a bowl to catch the juices), and slice in thin strips. Toss in the bowl with the juices, salt and pepper to taste, the garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
• Roll out the dough, and line a 12- or 14-inch pizza pan. Brush all but the rim of the dough with the remaining olive oil. Arrange the green pepper rings over the dough. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and top with slices of mozzarella, placing the cheese inside and between the pepper rings. Distribute the roasted peppers over the surface of the pizza, and drizzle on the juice remaining in the bowl. Return to the oven for five to 10 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned and the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven, scatter the shaved Parmesan and the basil over the top, and serve.

ROASTED PEPPERS WITH LEMON RICOTTA

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Rinse the peppers, pat them dry and place them on the pan. Roast the peppers, turning every 10 minutes, until their skins are black and blistered, 40 minutes, more or less. Transfer the peppers to a heatproof bowl, cover and, when they're cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Remove the caps, cut each pepper in quarters or halves and remove and discard the seeds. Lightly brush the peppers with oil; use now, or cover closely and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
• Scrape the ricotta into a bowl, and mix with a spatula to smoothen. Grate the lemon zest over the ricotta, squeeze in about 1 tablespoon of the juice and add the preserved lemon rind, if you're using it. Pour in a few teaspoons of olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Use now, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
• To serve, spoon or spread the lemon ricotta on a platter or individual plates, and drizzle with olive oil. Top with peppers, and brush or drizzle with olive oil and either sherry or balsamic vinegar. Finish with a sprinkling of chives or basil.

ROASTED PEPPER, RICOTTA, AND CAPER PIZZAS

Steps:

• Make pizza dough:
• In a large bowl stir together water and yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and salt and blend until mixture forms a dough, adding additional tablespoon water if too dry. On a lightly floured surface knead dough about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. (Alternatively, dough may be made in a standing electric mixer. In bowl of mixer make dough as described above. With dough hook knead dough about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.)
• Put dough in a very lightly oiled deep bowl,turning to coat, and let rise, covered loosely, in a warm place 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. Punch down dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Dough keeps, each piece put in a small, sealable plastic bag and sealed, pressing out excess air, chilled overnight or frozen 2 weeks. If dough is frozen thaw overnight in refrigerator before using. Makes enough dough for four 12- by 6-inch oval pizzas.
• Make the pizza:
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Spread bell peppers in a large shallow baking pan and season with salt. Roast peppers in middle of oven, stirring once halfway through roasting, 20 to 30 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle peppers with vinegar, scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Bell peppers may be roasted 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Increase temperature to 500°F.
• On a work surface sprinkled with 1 teaspoon cornmeal roll out 1 piece of dough into a 12- by 6-inch oval and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cornmeal and dough, ending up with 2 ovals on each of 2 baking sheets.
• Spread bell peppers evenly on dough ovals, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge of each pizza. Spoon half-teaspoonfuls of ricotta onto bell peppers and sprinkle pizzas with capers and pepper.
• Bake pizzas in lower and middle thirds of oven 15 minutes, or until crusts are crisp and pale golden.