Potato Fontina Pizza Food

BACON, POTATO, ROSEMARY AND FONTINA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put a jelly roll pan or half sheet pan in the oven.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the fingerling potatoes, onion, bacon, and rosemary leaves. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss together to coat with olive oil.
• Take the preheated jelly roll pan out of the oven and drizzle some olive oil over entire surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and reserve 1 piece for another use. Stretch the pizza dough out so it is just bigger than the pan, then lay it inside the pan so the dough comes up the sides to form a crust on the rim.
• Pour the potato mixture onto the pizza dough, then sprinkle with shredded fontina. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with arugula and drizzle the lemon juice over the top. Serve immediately.
• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
• If you're using a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Add the yeast mixture, at the lowest speed, until the flour incorporates. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough as you're making it by squeezing a small amount together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until it's smooth and elastic.
• If you're making the dough by hand, add the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir in the salt and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then begin stirring in the flour. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead in the rest of the flour by hand, adding just enough so that the dough is soft but not too sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e., over a gas pilot light) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

LEFTOVER MASHED POTATO PIZZA

Steps:

• Put a pizza stone on the bottom rack in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the bacon, cook until the fat renders but is short of being crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions; form each into a ball. Roll a portion into a 12-inch round on a floured surface (cover the other piece with a kitchen towel). Lightly dust a pizza peel with flour and put the dough on the peel, drizzle lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slip the dough onto the preheated stone and cook until just set, about 4 minutes.
• Using the peel, remove the dough from the oven and spread half of the mashed potatoes over the top, leaving about a 1-inch border around the side. Season with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle half of the cheese on top and top with half of the bacon, leek and garlic. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Return the pizza to the stone and cook until the crust is golden and the cheese melts, about 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove the pizza, top with half the grated Parmesan and scatter with some basil leaves and pepper flakes, if desired. Serve. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

FONTINA & SWEET POTATO PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Peel and cut sweet potato into 1/4-in. slices. Cut each slice into 1/2-in.-wide strips; place in a microwave-safe dish. Add water. Microwave, covered, on high 3-4 minutes or until potato is almost tender. Drain; sprinkle with salt and pepper., Unroll and press dough onto a greased 12-in. pizza pan. If desired, pinch edge to form a rim. Sprinkle with mozzarella and fontina cheeses; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil., Top with sweet potato; sprinkle with herbs. Drizzle with remaining oil; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake on lowest oven rack 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.

ZUCCHINI, POTATO, AND FONTINA PIZZETTAS

Steps:

• Whisk yeast, sugar, and 3 Tbsp. warm water in a large bowl. Let sit until surface is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups room-temperature water, then add 1 cup flour, whisking until smooth (mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter). Add 2 1/2 cups flour and 2 tsp. kosher salt and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead with your hands, adding more flour as needed to prevent it from sticking, until dough is smooth and supple, 5-10 minutes (it will be very soft). Transfer to a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1-1 1/2 hours.
• Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and form into balls. Place on an oiled rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until balls of dough are nearly doubled in size, 40-50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place potato slices in a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain, season with kosher salt, and let sit, tossing occasionally, until softened, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with onion, zucchini, and 2 Tbsp. oil; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Working with 1 ball of dough at a time and keeping remaining dough covered while you work, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into 10" rounds.
• Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium. Pour 1 Tbsp. oil into skillet and cook a dough round until bottom is golden brown and top looks dry, about 1 minute. Flip and cook just until bottom is lightly golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with remaining 3 Tbsp. oil and rounds of dough (you should be able to fit two pizzettas per baking sheet if you overlap them slightly).
• Top pizzettas with Fontina cheese and reserved potato mixture; season with kosher salt. Bake, rotating baking sheets once top to bottom and back to front, until crusts are golden brown and crisp and cheese is bubbling, 10-15 minutes. Remove pizzettas from oven, season with sea salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil.

POTATO PIZZA

Steps:

• For the dough: In a medium bowl, mix the yeast with warm water and let sit for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, sugar and salt, and whisk. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose and whole wheat flours. Make a hole in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture. Slowly hand mix the flour until all the liquid is absorbed. If too wet, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Sprinkle a clean work station with flour and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Coat a large ceramic bowl with the remaining olive oil. Place the dough in the ceramic bowl, and flip over to coat in the oil. Cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap and cover the bowl with a dish towel. Let rise until the dough has doubled in size, 2 hours. Punch down the dough and let rise for another hour.
• For the toppings: Using a mandoline, slice the potatoes and onion. Roughly chop the rosemary leaves.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Grease the pizza pan with the leaf lard.
• Mold the dough into the shape of the pan. Brush with some olive oil. Place the pizza on the bottom oven rack for 5 minutes, to pre-crisp the crust. Add two layers of the potatoes in a scallop style. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with some olive oil.
• Sprinkle with the rosemary and drizzle with more olive oil. Place on the middle oven rack and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. Immediately remove the pizza from the pan and cut into rectangles.

PIZZA WITH FONTINA, POTATOES, AND TAPENADE

Steps:

• Stir warm water and yeast in small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes to dissolve. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil.
• Mix flour and 1 teaspoon salt in processor. With machine running, add yeast mixture, then 1/2 cup cold water; process until dough forms ball on top of blade. Process 45 seconds. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour 1 tablespoon oil into medium bowl. Add dough to bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil and garlic in small saucepan over low heat until mixture begins to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Set garlic oil aside.
• Place potatoes in medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and boil with lid slightly ajar until almost tender, about 12 minutes. Drain; let stand until cool. Place pizza stone or baking sheet (if using rimmed sheet, turn upside down) in oven. Preheat oven to 450°F. Transfer dough to work surface. Roll, pat, and stretch dough to 12- to 14-inch round. Sprinkle pizza peel or another baking sheet (if using rimmed sheet, turn upside down) with cornmeal. Transfer dough round to prepared peel. Cover with plastic and let rest 10 minutes.
• Using thin knife, cut potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle dough with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Fontina, leaving 1-inch plain border around edge. Arrange potato slices over cheese, then brush potatoes with garlic oil. Sprinkle roasted red peppers over pizza. Spoon heaping 1/4-teaspoon dollops tapenade over. Brush dough border with garlic oil.
• Slide pizza from peel to pizza stone or baking sheet in oven. Bake until bottom of crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Using peel, transfer pizza to cutting board. Drizzle any remaining garlic oil over pizza. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, crushed red pepper, and salt. Cut into wedges and serve.
• A thick paste or spread made from brine-cured olives, capers, anchovies, and seasonings; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put a jelly roll pan or a half sheet pan in the oven.
• Begin by making the tomato sauce. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the minced garlic, thyme and oregano. Cook until just fragrant then add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Shut off the heat and set aside.
• Take the preheated jelly roll pan out of the oven and drizzle some olive oil over the entire surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and reserve 1 piece for another use. Stretch the pizza dough out so it is just bigger than the pan, then lay it inside the pan, so the dough comes up the sides to form a crust on the rim. Smear with tomato sauce then tear up the mozzarella and scatter it evenly over the top of the pie. Tear the basil leaves, spread them over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Give it a final season with salt and pepper, to taste, then bake in the hot oven until golden and bubbly, about 15 to 18 minutes
• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
• If you're using a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Add the yeast mixture, at the lowest speed, until the flour incorporates. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough as you're making it by squeezing a small amount together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until it's smooth and elastic.
• If you're making the dough by hand, add the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir in the salt and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then begin stirring in the flour. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead in the rest of the flour by hand, adding just enough so that the dough is soft but not too sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e., over a gas pilot light) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven, cut into slices and serve. .