Sicilian Stuffed Pizza With Ricotta And Arugula Food

SICILIAN STUFFED PIZZA WITH RICOTTA AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Turn oven to 450 degrees and put a pizza stone on the middle shelf to heat for 20 to 30 minutes. (Alternatively, use a heavy-duty baking sheet.)
• Sprinkle a clean work surface lightly with semolina. Place the pizza dough on top and push down with your hands, flattening it. Dust lightly with semolina, if it seems sticky. Press down and outward with fingers to a diameter of about 8 inches. (You may use a rolling pin if you prefer.)
• Sprinkle more semolina beneath the dough so it will easily slide as you begin to stretch it in all directions to a diameter of about 10 inches.
• To transfer the dough to the oven, slide a pizza peel (or something similar, like the steel, rimless bottom of a tart pan or a stiff piece of cardboard) under the dough. There should be sufficient semolina on the bottom of the dough to keep it from stickling to the peel.
• Transport the dough to the oven and quickly slip it from the peel onto the pizza stone. In a few minutes it will begin to puff. Let it bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned and well puffed. Remove from oven and place on a cutting board.
• Use a knife to cut all the way around at the edge, separating the top half from the bottom. Add the fillings: Spoon the ricotta in blobs to cover the surface, then smooth briefly. Drizzle ricotta with 3 tablespoons olive oil and arrange randomly the anchovy, pepper strips and basil. Season lightly with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste.
• Cover everything with pecorino and arugula and put the top back on the pie. Use a large knife to cut the pie in half, then in wedges of what ever size you with. Serve immediately.

GRILLED PIZZA WITH PROSCIUTTO, RICOTTA AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Finely grate the zest of the lemon; cut the lemon in half and reserve. Stir together the ricotta, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
• Divide the pizza dough into 2 balls. Sprinkle the flour on a clean flat surface and roll each ball into an oval about 14 inches long, 6 or 7 inches across and between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the crusts to the prepared baking sheet. Brush both sides of each crust with olive oil, about 1 tablespoon per side, and lightly sprinkle with salt.
• Lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the crusts until they start to puff and distinct grill marks appear, about 1 minute. Flip and cook until just cooked through, an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Discard the used parchment paper and put the finished crusts on the baking sheet.
• Immediately top each crust evenly with prosciutto. Place small dollops of the ricotta mixture over the prosciutto. Toss the arugula in a bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the juice of one of the lemon halves (reserve the other half for another use). Season with salt and pepper. Divide the arugula between the pizzas and serve.

SICILIAN PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Coat a large bowl with teaspoon of olive oil and set aside.
• Stir first three ingredients together and let sit for 10 minutes, until nice and foamy.
• Place three cups of flour in large bowl and mix in salt.
• Place one cup of flour on work surface.
• Mix pour olive oil into yeast mixture and then pour yeast mixture into bowl with flour.
• Stir until as combined as possible.
• Turn out onto floured surface.
• With well floured hands, knead dough to work in the cup of flour on the board.
• Continue kneading until nice, smooth dough-ball is formed.
• Place in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Dough should double (at least).
• Use half the dough to form a pizza crust, crimp the edges, brush edges with olive oil and top as desired.
• Bake on pizza stone or ceramic tile at 425 F for approx 15 minutes.

ARUGULA AND PROSCIUTTO PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, RICOTTA, AND BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in another large cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stretch the pizza dough out into a 12-inch round. In the preheated cast-iron skillet, drizzle some oil, then add the dough round.
• Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Spread the ricotta on top and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
• When the pizza comes out, mix the melted butter, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Brush it along the crust of the pizza. Tear the prosciutto into small pieces or strips and place on top. Top with the arugula and caramelized onions. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze, then top with shaved Parmesan cheese.
• Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 8 slices to serve.
• In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the salt over the flour and mix on low speed for 15 seconds to distribute the salt.
• Add the olive oil, room-temperature water, and yeast mixture and mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, then increase the speed to medium and mix until a ball of dough forms, about 5 minutes.
• Spray a medium bowl lightly with cooking spray. Shape the dough into a ball and set it in the bowl seam side down. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• When the dough is almost risen, place a cast-iron pizza stone on the center rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F.
• When the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and push down on the dough to release the gases and bubbles. Shape it into a ball. (If using the dough later, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. The dough will slowly proof during that time. Once you're ready to use it, set it out for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.)
• Spread a piece of parchment paper about 1 1/2-feet long on a work surface. Stretch the dough into a 14-inch round on the parchment.
• Top with your favorite toppings. Carefully pull the oven rack with the pizza stone halfway out of the oven and transfer the parchment and pizza dough to the stone.
• Bake until the crust is golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and cut into 8 slices to serve.

SCACCE RAGUSANE (SICILIAN STUFFED FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Pour 1/3 cup warm water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast over the top. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to make sure yeast is active.
• Add olive oil, semolina flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix with your hand to form a relatively stiff ball of dough, adding more water if needed to bring the dough together.
• Transfer dough to a work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with the mixing bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and knead the dough for another 3 or 4 minutes; divide dough into 2 portions, and shape each into smooth balls. Use damp hands to help smooth the dough out, if needed.
• Generously dust half of a kitchen towel with semolina flour and place the 2 balls of dough on top. Sprinkle more flour on top of the balls and cover with the other half of the towel. Leave to rise until the dough has almost doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
• Roll each ball of dough out into a very thin circle or oval shape on a lightly floured surface.
• Combine pizza sauce and basil in a bowl. Spread with a thin layer of sauce and scatter pieces of provolone cheese every few inches, leaving a 1 inch border. Fold over the opposite edges toward the middle to form a rectangle. Press lightly to flatten slightly. Repeat sauce and cheese step.
• Fold each end toward the center to make a square shape. Spread with a thin layer of sauce and scatter pieces of cheese on just one half. Fold in half, overlapping the edge by about 1 inch. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat filling and folding the second piece of dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until very well browned, 16 to 18 minutes. Some spots may get charred, but this is fine and desirable, since scacce are traditionally cooked in very hot wood-fired ovens. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

CALZONE PIZZA STUFFED WITH RICOTTA AND SALAMI

Steps:

• To make the pizza dough, mix the salt and the yeast in a bowl with the warm water.
• In another large bowl make a well in the centre of the flour and then add in the yeast mixture and the olive oil.
• Mix well with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms into a dough.
• Turn out the dough onto a clean, well-floured surface and knead it with your hands for around 3 minutes.
• Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a clean tea-towel, leave in a warm place and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F
• Flatten the dough into a 12in pizza tray, using your hands to press it down.
• Place the ricotta, spinach, salami, Parmesan, olives and basil leaves over one half of the pizza dough and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Carefully fold the other half of the pizza over the filling, sealing the edges together well.
• Spread the tomato sauce over the calzone and bake at once for 15 minutes until cooked through.
• Serve hot from the oven.

PROSCIUTTO AND ARUGULA PIZZA

Steps:

• At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, put a pizza stone or 4 to 6 unglazed "quarry" tiles arranged close together on oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to highest setting (500°-550°F).
• Trim any tough stems from arugula and thinly slice cheese. On a lightly floured surface pat out dough evenly with your fingers, keeping hands flat and lifting and turning dough over several times, into a 9-inch round. (Do not handle dough more than necessary. If dough is sticky, dust it lightly with flour.)
• Dust a baker's peel or rimless baking sheet with flour and carefully transfer dough to it. Jerk peel or baking sheet once or twice and, if dough is sticking, lift dough and sprinkle flour underneath it, reshaping dough if necessary. Working quickly, top dough with sauce, spreading with back of a spoon to within 1/2 inch of edge. Arrange mozzarella slices evenly over sauce.
• Line up far edge of peel or baking sheet with far edge of stone or tiles and tilt peel or baking sheet, jerking it gently to start pizza moving. Once edge of pizza touches stone or tiles, carefully pull back peel or baking sheet, completely transferring pizza to stone or tiles (do not move pizza). Bake pizza 6 to 7 minutes, or until dough is crisp and browned, and transfer with a metal spatula to a cutting board. Scatter arugula over pizza and arrange prosciutto slices on top.
• Cut pizza into wedges and serve immediately.