Recipe // Za’atar Brussels Sprouts Pizza

Current search history:

brussel sprouts over or under cheese on pizza
brussel sprout or brussels sprout
why is brussels sprout spelled brussels

And a little later:

sicilian vs grandma style pizza
what is sicilian pizza

After making pizza two weeks ago, I decided to try again. I doubled the quantity of dough so it was extra thick, tried out some different toppings, and baked it for less time. (does that make it more sicilian, which is thicker?? the internet is not helping)

This time, I was so worried about overbaking it that I think I actually didn’t bake it for long enough. Cue Mary Berry voice: “it’s underbaked.” However, it still turned out so well that I can’t wait to make it again and get it perfect.

I topped this pizza with shaved brussels sprouts, mozzarella, and caramelized onions, and best of all, Zesty Z Za’atar. Keep scrolling for the full recipe!

Dough
1 envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for bowl
2 tsp kosher salt
4 c all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for surface

Topping
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c Zesty Z za’atar, plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling later
1 c mozzarella
1/4 c caramelized onions
1/4 c brussels sprouts, chopped and tossed lightly in oil

1. Combine yeast and 1½ cups warm water (105–110°) in a large bowl; let stand until yeast starts to foam, about 10 minutes.
2. Mix in oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Add the other 2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until incorporated and a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft, smooth, and elastic, 10–12 minutes. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 24 hours.
4. Generously coat a 6×12′ baking pan with oil. Stretch out the dough on the baking pan and let it sit in a warm place until it is puffed and full of air bubbles
5. Preheat the oven to 525 or as hot as it will go.
6. Spread an even layer of Zesty Z za’atar on the dough, leaving 1/2 inch on all sides Then sprinkle on the mozzarella, primarily over the Zesty Z. Leaving a few pieces of mozzarella over the crust is fine – it just will turn into a great golden brown. Finally, evenly distribute the caramelized onions and brussels sprouts on top.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. Spread a little more Zesty Z za’atar on top.

Advertisements

Recipe // Grandma Style Pizza

My favorite pizza place in Philadelphia is Pizza Gutt, a strange “Instagram pizza restaurant.” Daniel releases the week’s menu on his Instagram Sunday so you can reserve a pizza for Wednesday-Saturday night at a cafe/bar. As a business model, it is genius – you know exactly how many ingredients to buy and you don’t have to pay rent.

Strange restaurant model aside, the pizza is incredible. Daniel makes the pizza Grandma-style, which means the crust is thick, fluffy and focaccia-like, and he sprinkles cheese around the outside so it gets a little burnt and crispy.

As a weekend project, I decided to try a Grandma style pizza.

This Bon Appetit recipe requires that you make the dough a day in advance so that it has time to bring out the flavors, making it the perfect weekend project.

I overbaked the pizza a bit and set off the fire alarm for a minute or so… but this is definitely a recipe that I am hoping to perfect and add to a monthly rotation. Making a great homemade pizza definitely sounds like a great skill to have.

Also, I may make the photo below my phone wallpaper:

Grandma Style Pizza with Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, and Rosemary

Pizza dough adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves 3 (I cut the Bon Appetit recipe in half)

Pizza Dough
1 envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)
1 tbsp plus 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bowl
2 tsp kosher salt
2 c all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for surface

Pizza
1 c mozzarella
1/2 c caramelized onions
1/2 c grape tomatoes, cut in quarters
lavender, for sprinkling
salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Combine yeast and 1½ cups warm water (105–110°) in a large bowl; let stand until yeast starts to foam, about 10 minutes.
2. Mix in 1 tbsp oil, salt and 1 cup flour. Add another 1 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until incorporated and a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft, smooth, and elastic, 10–12 minutes. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 24 hours.
4. Coat an 8×12” rimmed baking sheet with remaining 1/4 cup oil. Gently and gradually stretch dough until it reaches the edges of baking sheet.
5. Cover dough on baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until it is puffed and full of air bubbles, 30–40 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 525 F, or as high as it will go.
7. Sprinkle on cheese, then toppings of your choice (you can see my toppings in the ingredients list above).
8. Bake until the crust is golden brown, around 20 minutes. (don’t over-bake like I did!)

Recipe // Banana Cinnamon Rolls

It is finally hot outside, but I don’t think I need to convince you that gooey, warm cinnamon rolls are great year-round.

These cinnamon rolls are made of a yeasted, banana-sweetened dough, swirled around a heavily spiced, cinnamon-butter mixture.

In short, you’ll want these for breakfast tomorrow.

I am trying to get over my hesitation to making yeasted doughs. Their particular preferences for temperature, the long time it takes to rise… I used to think it wasn’t worth the effort. But with the longer days of summer, I am ready to make it yeasted doughs my new project.

Banana Cinnamon Rolls

Inspired by Like Mother Like Daughter

Rolls
2 1/4 tsp yeast (1 package)
3/4 c warmed milk
1/3 c sugar
1/2 c butter (1 stick, softened)
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 bananas
4 1/2 – 5 c flour

Filling
1/3 c butter (melted)
1 c brown sugar

Rolls

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.
2. Add in the sugar, butter, salt, eggs, banana, and flour (Start with 4 /12 cups of flour and add a little more at a time as needed) and mix well.
3. Once the dough starts to come away from the edges, continue to knead the dough for about 5 minutes (If you are using your hands, dust them with flour to avoid sticking) until a large ball is formed.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the dough is double in size.
5. Lightly flour the counter top. Roll the dough out until it is approximately 16×21 inches and 1/4 inch thick.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
7. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.Spread butter over the surface of the dough.
8. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the surface of the dough.
9. Carefully roll the dough from the long top edge to the bottom edge.
10. Using a thread, or a sharp knife cut the dough into 1 – 1 1/2 in slices.
11. Lightly grease a baking pan or two.
12. Place rolls in the baking pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the tops turn a light golden color.
13. While they are baking combine frosting ingredients. Add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too runny, or a little more milk if it is too thick.
14. Remove rolls from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes before frosting.

Frosting

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and continue to blend until the frosting is smooth.
3. Apply frosting generously to the tops of the rolls.