Howza Bouta A-Nica Pizza?

Last Sunday, while Erika and Noah were here, we decided it would be a good day to make some homemade pizzas.  So, first we went to Henry's to buy all of the things we needed, that were not in my garden.  Then, Erika and Noah and I went to Sam's for a few things, and Mr. G stayed home and made some homemade pizza dough, Jim Lahey style.   We made three different pizzas.  One, a very traditional Italian style zucchini pizza.

I went out to pick the zucchinis and I got my sous chefs busy grating them.  This particular pizza did not have sauce on it.  Doesn't sound good does it?  But I assure you...it was!!!

That is the dough, before it had risen to double.  This dough could have actually taken a wee bit more liquid,  but the flavor of it, was the best pizza crust I have ever had!  So, after pressing your dough into your sheet pans, ( I used two large professional size sheet trays)  you are ready to top your pizzas.  This particular one, called for grating the  zucchini in box grater, then extracting the liquid from the veg by adding a couple teaspoons of salt, and letting sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze as much liquid from veg as possible. Then take tea towel and squeeze out more moisture, until it is as dry as possible.  Then grate 2 cups of high quality Swiss cheese or Gruyere.  We used Gruyere.  Mix the grated cheese with the zucchini until well combined.  Distribute this mixture onto dough, including all edges.  Sprinkle some fresh chopped thyme onto pizza.  Then top with good quality, or homemade bread crumbs.  A couple generous tablespoons.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 500 degree oven.   We popped that one into the top oven, and got busy on pizzas number two and three.

 For the next two, we actually took one premade pizza dough, from Fresh & Easy, and it was a whole wheat dough.  I used another sheet pan, and simply applied two different toppings.  For one, we made margharita (sorry, I am not sure of the proper spelling of this, and I don't feel like going to look it up) pizza.  Using fresh basil from my garden, ripe on the vine tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.  The sauce was a prepared pizza sauce I purchased at Fresh & Easy.  I only used a very small amount.
On the other half we used the remaining grated zucchini mixture with gruyere cheese, and then added diced yellow onions, and cremini mushrooms.  Creminis are more brown in color, and have much more flavor than button mushrooms.

We did not use sauce on the pizza on the right. But I drizzled a bit of olive oil onto the crust.  Also, drizzle a little olive oil onto pan before spreading your dough out.  This helps to crisp the dough, as well as make it easier to cut away from the pan.

 The smell coming from the kitchen was incredible!!!  We couldn't wait to try these!!

Above is the margherita pizza and mushroom combo.  Below is the zucchini pizza.

I have one word for how good these were.   WOW!!!

Pizza is SO easy to make.  Try it.  Just use whatever fresh ingredients you have on hand.  And the kids love to help top their pizzas.  It was a fun family project for all.
Remember those new tea towels I was telling you about?  Here they are.  I will keep them put away for a bit. Too early to use them just yet.

This one, the brown and reds and harvest yellows....oh I love it!  It is hanging on my oven door.  I am going to go back next week to see if they  have more.

LOVE those colors!  I forgot to get a picture of my new table runner.  Next time.
Tomorrow I will be guest blogger over at my daughter's blog, Life In The Hass House  Now go make some pizza, and come back and tell me how yours turned out!
Bon Appetit!