Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Coming soon: a pizza or two

Hubby and I were chatting today about cooking. I know how to make a few things really well, a lot of things so-so, and have had my share of kitchen disasters. I follow a number of vegan or vegetarian cooking blogs and have memberships at several recipe websites. However, I still have problems putting together a menu each week. We get bored with the same basic menu.

Have you ever heard the theory that too many choices cause a person to be indecisive? That is me in the kitchen. I have aspirations of being a great vegan cook so that I don't cave when I see a really awesome looking pesto or goat cheese pizza at the grocery store. I want to make lasagnas that taste as good as they smell. I want to stop spending two dollars for a truffle at the chocolate shop! (Well, sort of...).

I asked Jeff what he would like for me to make really well. He didn't even hesitate.

"Pizza!"

We eat homemade pizza every Saturday night and have for the past two years. It's a lovely tradition. However, I don't know how to make a good crust so we buy a premade dough from Whole Foods. My sauce usually turns out pretty well but I never measure the spices so it tastes different from week to week. And we tend to get stuck in the same rut (albeit a tasty rut) of mushroom, onion, and basil as our pizza toppings. I know there are more options!

So, starting with our next grocery trip, I am on a quest to learn how to make the perfect pizza. I told hubby that I don't want to make pizza just once a week because I will never remember from week to week what went well and what needed fixed. Instead, I want to make several pizzas a week until we find a great one and then incorporate that into our menu.

Does anyone have a great vegan pizza crust or red sauce recipe? I hope we don't get tired of pizza before I can perfect my pizza making skills!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why can't you have pesto? Are you wanting to make your tomato sauce fresh, from scratch or are you planning on using canned sauce as your base?

Cassandra said...

Most store bought pestos use cheese for their base. :( I have a recipe for a vegan pesto that I want to try but it requires a blender, which I don't have yet. Maybe in October?

make.share.give said...

I've been without an oven all summer- broiler acted up- but had a new one installed Tuesday! Next Thursday will reinstate homemade pizza night at our house. Tonight was Pizza Hut. mmm.

Anonymous said...

I do have a pizza dough recipe, but since you are on a vegan diet, I'm not sure if you'd want it, LOL! :) There is no dairy in it. I use a little butter, but you can leave out that part. Hopefully, you can eat honey, as honey helps to activate the yeast in pizza and bread dough.

BTW, your knitting project turned out great! :)

ba san said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

I'll try to remember to get back to you on the dough recipe - wholemeal/white or mixture? - I tend to use white as I figure we get plenty of fibre and nutrients in our diet anyway.
The tomto sauce I use doesn't generally have a recipe I will use what I have - basic: Passata (- this is usually in a carton so it makes alot of sauce - freezer is where the remainder goes - or it can be added to for a simple pasta sauce if not for pizza), add garlic powder and onion powder (I don't know how much as I don't measure but I guess probably 1/2 tsp garlic and 1 tsp onion), some chopped fresh basil is good too and a pinch of salt and a dash of some sweetener (honey, fruit sugar, Rapadura/sucanat or plain sugar all work the same - just a touch is good but optional to remove the sharpness). Mix and heat.
Fancier (but better) version works without blender but even better with: Saute 1/2 onion, 1 clove of finly chopped garlic in extra virgin olive oil on medium heat till soft (I generally start the onion sauteing a couple of minutes earlier), add a tin of tomatoes -chopped), 2-3 TBSp tomato puree, simmer, stirring occassionally. You want it quite thick cook for about 5 minutes, season with a pinch of salt, 2-3pinches of oregano and 2 TBSp of Olive oil (hubby says to add that at the end). When done prefferably blend it again you may have more than you need as you only need a thin layer on the base so freeze preferably.
Toppings: Sorry we're in a bit of a rut too! PLB likes mushrooms(lots), sweetcorn, red pepper, vegan cheese (I often make my own -blender again sorry). Other things to try can include slices of char-grilled (broiled?) aubergine, zuccine, and red pepper are nice also artichokes, olives, slices of red onion.

Hubby (you know the Italian chef) helped me with this sauce recipe just for you!

Pesto can also be made using a pestle and mortor (like they used to - the real way apparently) - but if you don't yet have a blender I'd be surprised if you had a pestle and morter - I only a few years ago finally got a mini one but still haven't got a big one!

Anonymous said...

Ok, just found this crust recipe and thought I would share! lol it's looks yummy! http://thepale0princess.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/pizza-crust/