Pizza With Green Garlic Potatoes And Herbs Food

PIZZA WITH GREEN GARLIC, POTATOES AND HERBS

Steps:

• Combine the yeast and water in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Add the sugar, and stir together. Let sit two or three minutes, until the water is cloudy. Stir in the olive oil.
• Combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse once or twice. Then, with the machine running, pour in the yeast mixture. Process until the dough forms a ball on the blades. Remove from the processor (the dough will be a little tacky; flour or moisten your hands so it won't stick), and knead on a lightly floured surface for a couple of minutes, adding flour as necessary for a smooth dough.
• Shape the dough into a ball, pinched at bottom and rounded at top. Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl, rounded side down first, then rounded side up. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When it is ready, the dough will stretch when it is gently pulled.
• Divide the dough into two equal balls. Put the balls on a lightly oiled tray or platter, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap or a damp towel, and leave them to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Afterward, the dough balls can be placed in a wide bowl, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to three days. Alternatively, you can wrap them loosely in lightly oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate them in a resealable plastic bag. When you are ready to roll out the pizzas, you will need to bring the balls to room temperature and punch them down again.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven. Roll or press out the dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle. Lightly oil pizza pans, and dust with semolina or cornmeal. Place the dough on the pizza pan. With your fingers, form a slightly thicker raised rim around edge of the circle. Brush everything but the rim with a little olive oil, then top the pizza with the toppings of your choice.
• Place the pizza pan on the stone. Bake as directed.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, and drop in the garlic. Blanch for 30 seconds, and transfer to a bowl of cold water using a slotted spoon. Drain and dry on paper towels.
• Add the potatoes to the pot, and bring to a gentle boil. Cover partially, and simmer the potatoes until just tender when pierced with a knife - 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain and rinse with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slice about 1/4 inch thick.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone inside. Roll or press out the pizza dough, and line a 12- to 14-inch pan. Brush all but the rim of the crust with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle on the Parmesan. Top with the sliced potatoes and sliced garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle withthe rosemary or oregano. Drizzle on the remaining olive oil. Bake until the crust is browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

GARLIC AND HERB THREE CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Stretch dough out and form a thin round. Use a little flour or cornmeal on your hands if dough sticks. Mix the garlic, parsley, ricotta, herb cheese and lemon zest. Spread the soft cheese mixture across the pizza dough to the edges then top with an even layer of provolone. Scatter thyme over the cheese mixture. Bake until crisp and bubbly-brown on top, 18 to 20 minutes.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH GREEN GARLIC, HERBS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Peel the potatoes, cut them in half, then cut halves into 2 or 3 thick wedges. Boil potatoes for about 5 minutes, until barely done, then drain and cool.
• As potatoes cool, peel outer layer of garlic stalks and cut off roots. Slice both tender white and green parts crosswise into thin rings, then sprinkle with salt and roughly chop to resemble "minced." (You should have about 1 cup of chopped alliums, whether you use green garlic, or a combination of scallions and chives.) Transfer chopped garlic to a dish and cover with olive oil.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange potatoes on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Set the seasoned chicken on top of the potatoes. Tip the chicken up and transfer the garlic-oil mixture into the bird's cavity, then place breast side down, with potatoes surrounding.
• Take a generous handful of herb sprigs (stem-on) and stuff into the cavity.
• Roast, uncovered, for about 1 hour until chicken is nicely browned and thigh juices run clear when probed with a paring knife. Remove chicken, tipping the inside juices onto the potatoes, and keep warm on a plate.
• Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees. Using a spatula, move the potatoes around the roasting pan, allowing juices to coat potatoes well. Return to oven to brown potatoes. Baste potatoes every 5 minutes for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are golden. Sprinkle with parsley. Carve bird and serve.

POTATO LATTICE PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Cut small slit in center of pouch of potatoes. Microwave on High 2 to 3 minutes or just until warm; set aside. In small bowl, beat cream cheese, Italian seasoning and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended; set aside.
• Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. Place pesto in small strainer over bowl to drain off excess oil. Lightly brush oil from pesto onto parchment paper. Unroll pizza crust dough on paper-lined cookie sheet; starting at center, press out dough into 14-inch square.
• Spread pesto over dough to within 1 inch of edges; sprinkle cheese over pesto. Roll up edges of dough to make 11-inch square. Spoon potatoes evenly over cheese. Pour egg mixture around potatoes. Sprinkle with bacon bits.
• Separate breadstick dough into 10 strips; set garlic butter aside. Twist and stretch each strip of dough over potatoes in lattice pattern, tucking ends of strips under pizza dough. Remove cover from reserved garlic butter; microwave on High 10 seconds to soften. Brush garlic butter over edges and strips of dough.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until edges are browned and center is set, covering with foil during last 10 minutes of baking if necessary to prevent excessive browning. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Cut into rectangles to serve.