Category: olive oil

Thin Crust Pizza- A St. Louis Classic

Posted in olive oil, pizza, St. Louis, thin crust

I’ve been feeling homesick lately and when I do I try to recreate some of the foods I grew up with in St. Louis.  One of my all time favorite food is St. Louis style pizza, the most famous being from Imo’s Pizzeria.  I thought about ordering some and having them shipped, but the cost just wasn’t worth it.  I found out from my nephew that there is actually a recipe online for the entire pizza!  crust, sauce even the cheese.

I went to the website he recommended
http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/St-Louis-Style-Pizza/23080/  Leave it to a yankee to come up with the perfect St. Louis pizza knock off.

There are a few things I like about this recipe is: 1) It uses things that you have readily available in the pantry, 2) the dough doesn’t have to rise 3) it makes TWO pizzas and 4) It’s thin, thin, thin….nothing like the pizza we get here in NY.

So if you’d like to try a St. Louis classic here’s what you’ll need:

Sauce:
8 ounces of tomato sauce
3 Tablespoons of tomato paste
2 Tablespoons of fresh basil
1 Tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
(This one place I differed with the Cooks Country recipe.  I used canned pasta sauce since it already had the all the seasoning in it and that’s what I had.)

Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
(I would follow this exactly. There is no yeast so the dough is very thin and will bake up crispy.  Also since there is no yeast there is no need to let it rise.  The dough can be used immediately.)

Cheese
This is another place I differ from the recipe a little.  In St. Louis we have a cheese called provel, not provolone, but provel.  It’s a mixture of cheese: swiss, cheddar and provolone. To make 2 pizzas grate about 1/2 cup each of swiss and cheddar and then add a 1/4 cup of provolone so that it melts well.

Heat the oven to 475 degrees.  Roll out the dough (which has been divided in half) into a 12 inch round.  Spread with sauce getting all the way to the edges.  Cover it with cheeses and top with whatever topping you’d like.
Here’s a few tips to make your pizza authentic:
Roll it out onto parchment paper using a little (none would be better) flour.  Use a pizza stone that has been preheated in the oven.  Slide the entire pizza and paper on to the stone.  Bake for 9-12 minutes.  The most important thing– don’t forget to cut it into squares. St Louis pizza is always cut into squares.

I hope you’ll try a piece of my hometown– St. Louis.  The pizza is quick and delicious!

Have a childhood favorite food?
Have a favorite pizza recipe you’d like to share?

A Cooking From the Garden Recipe-Bruschetta Pizza

Posted in bruschetta, olive oil, pizza, tomatoes

As part of Summer Fest on FN Dish (Food Network’s blog) I thought I would share this easy, delicious way to use up those garden fresh tomatoes.

I’m sure you’ve heard of bruschetta, a cold topping for crusty bread made from tomatoes, olive oil and basil.  And I know that you’ve heard of pizza, but have you ever heard of putting the two together?

Once the tomatoes are plentiful in the garden it comes to wrack your brain to come up with new and exciting ways to use all the fresh produce.  Bruschetta pizza just might be the answer.

Slice one large baguette of bread into slices and place it into a 450 degree oven, toast the bread until golden brown then flip it over and brown the other side. This can also be done in a skillet coated with olive oil.  Once the bread is done, set it aside but leave the oven on.

Heat a skillet up with some olive oil (I use my electric skillet but I use it for just about everything) about 2-4 tablespoon depending on how much you’re making. Dice one medium onion and add it to the skillet and season with salt and pepper.  Add two cloves of garlic minced and cook until soft and aromatic.  At this point you can add the tomatoes — cherry, romas or grape, doesn’t matter, just be sure to slice them so the fit on the bread easily.  Once the tomatoes are soft and the onions and garlic are cooked, turn off the heat and add the torn basil.

Spoon the mixture onto the toasted bread

and top with provolone or mozzarella cheese and place back in the oven for the cheese to melt.

Simple and so delicious.  Great for lunch or even as an appetizer while you’re waiting for the grilling to be done.  This can all be done on the BBQ grill too.

Got a “cooking from the garden” recipe?  Feel free to share.
If not, why not check the recipes from the other contributors to Summer Fest. They just might have the recipe you’ve been looking for.

 Big Girls Small Kitchen:Seared Chicken with Cherry Tomato Pan Sauce

What’s Gaby Cooking:  Zebra Tomato and Burrata Crostini
Glory Foods: Glory Foods
Dishin and Dishes:  Tomato Tart Tatin
I Am Mommy:  Tomato Crudite
Sweet Life Bake:  Salsa Cruda
Mooshu Jenne: Sun Burst Tomato Pasta
Cooking With Elise: Tomato Parmesan Biscuits
Fritos and Foie Gras:  Tomato Terrine
Creative Culinary: Fresh and Savory Tomato Pie
Spices and Aroma:  Quick and Easy Paneer Curry