Yesterday, Ron and I were running errands. He asked me if I'd remembered to buy pre-made pizza dough at Trader Joe's to use in our pizza making episode of "Gourmet Again!" being taped later that evening.
I replied without a pause, "I make my own dough now."
Cocky, perhaps, but the proof is in the pudding, or in this case, in the PIZZA! We made two 'zas, and I'm arrogantly certain that you'll love them both if you follow this recipe EXACTLY .....
BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA - AND - GOAT CHEESE PIZZA
INGREDIENTS:
BBQ CHICKEN, SAUCE AND TOPPINGS
2 large fresh Chicken Breasts
1 cup BBQ Sauce
¼ cup Red Wine
½ cup BBQ Sauce (or my fave: use BBQ chicken juices, cooked down to a glaze)
½ cup Red Onion, sliced super-thin
2 large Tomatoes, sliced super-thin
6 oz. fresh Mozzarella, shredded
RED SAUCE AND TOPPINGS FOR GOAT CHEESE PIZZA
1 Tsp Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
¼ cup Red Wine
½ Tsp Basil
6 medium Crimini Mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 cups fresh Spinach, coarsely chopped
4 oz. fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled
4 oz. fresh Mozzarella, shredded
CRUST
1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
1 cup Warm Water (105˚ to 115˚)
2-1/2 cups unbleached White Flour
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
DIRECTIONS:
SLOW COOK THE BBQ CHICKEN
Mix BBQ Sauce and Red Wine in a small bowl. Add to a large cooking pot or slow cooker with Chicken. Cook on super-low heat for 1-3 hours. Do not open the cover for at least 1 hour, then test each hour for doneness. The Chicken should shred easily.
MAKE THE RED SAUCE FOR GOAT CHEESE PIZZA
Heat Olive Oil in small sauce pan, sauté Garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add Red Wine, Basil. Simmer at least 15 minutes, an hour or longer if you have the time. Remove from heat.
MAKE THE CRUSTS
Combine Flour, Salt and Sugar in a small bowl. In another large bowl, dissolve Yeast in Water, then add Oil and dry ingredients. Stir dough until tough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. Place in oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours. (Note: my dough doesn’t rise all that much, but it rolls easy and tastes incredible anyway!)
Place Pizza Stone in oven and preheat to 450˚ F. Divide dough into two equal portions. Use a rolling pin to roll each into a 12-inch circle. Place each crust onto its own square of parchment paper on separate cutting boards. Pinch edges of crusts.
FINAL PREP
Spread ¼ cup of the remaining BBQ Sauce (or prepared BBQ glaze) onto first crust. Top with BBQ Chicken, Tomatoes, Red Onions, and Mozzarella. Use a pizza peel to slide parchment paper with crust onto pizza stone and bake each pizza in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
While the first pizza is in the oven, spread the Red Sauce evenly on the second crust. Lay out the Mushrooms, sprinkle on Spinach, Goat Cheese and Mozzarella.
Remove the first pizza and place on cutting board. Use the pizza peel to slide parchment paper with second crust onto pizza stone in oven. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove with pizza peel and place on another cutting board.
Slice each pizza into squares or triangles and enjoy!
Chef’s Notes: Shred a whole piece of Mozzarella just before topping the pizza. This produces a very fresh taste, as pre-shredded cheeses tend to lose some of their moisture and essence.
BBQ CHICKEN, SAUCE AND TOPPINGS
2 large fresh Chicken Breasts
1 cup BBQ Sauce
¼ cup Red Wine
½ cup BBQ Sauce (or my fave: use BBQ chicken juices, cooked down to a glaze)
½ cup Red Onion, sliced super-thin
2 large Tomatoes, sliced super-thin
6 oz. fresh Mozzarella, shredded
RED SAUCE AND TOPPINGS FOR GOAT CHEESE PIZZA
1 Tsp Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
¼ cup Red Wine
½ Tsp Basil
6 medium Crimini Mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 cups fresh Spinach, coarsely chopped
4 oz. fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled
4 oz. fresh Mozzarella, shredded
CRUST
1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
1 cup Warm Water (105˚ to 115˚)
2-1/2 cups unbleached White Flour
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
DIRECTIONS:
SLOW COOK THE BBQ CHICKEN
Mix BBQ Sauce and Red Wine in a small bowl. Add to a large cooking pot or slow cooker with Chicken. Cook on super-low heat for 1-3 hours. Do not open the cover for at least 1 hour, then test each hour for doneness. The Chicken should shred easily.
MAKE THE RED SAUCE FOR GOAT CHEESE PIZZA
Heat Olive Oil in small sauce pan, sauté Garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add Red Wine, Basil. Simmer at least 15 minutes, an hour or longer if you have the time. Remove from heat.
MAKE THE CRUSTS
Combine Flour, Salt and Sugar in a small bowl. In another large bowl, dissolve Yeast in Water, then add Oil and dry ingredients. Stir dough until tough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. Place in oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours. (Note: my dough doesn’t rise all that much, but it rolls easy and tastes incredible anyway!)
Place Pizza Stone in oven and preheat to 450˚ F. Divide dough into two equal portions. Use a rolling pin to roll each into a 12-inch circle. Place each crust onto its own square of parchment paper on separate cutting boards. Pinch edges of crusts.
FINAL PREP
Spread ¼ cup of the remaining BBQ Sauce (or prepared BBQ glaze) onto first crust. Top with BBQ Chicken, Tomatoes, Red Onions, and Mozzarella. Use a pizza peel to slide parchment paper with crust onto pizza stone and bake each pizza in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
While the first pizza is in the oven, spread the Red Sauce evenly on the second crust. Lay out the Mushrooms, sprinkle on Spinach, Goat Cheese and Mozzarella.
Remove the first pizza and place on cutting board. Use the pizza peel to slide parchment paper with second crust onto pizza stone in oven. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove with pizza peel and place on another cutting board.
Slice each pizza into squares or triangles and enjoy!
Chef’s Notes: Shred a whole piece of Mozzarella just before topping the pizza. This produces a very fresh taste, as pre-shredded cheeses tend to lose some of their moisture and essence.
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