Just thought of sharing some random stuff with you. Some new recipes I tried, a few surprises from the garden and such.
I tried my hand at homemade pizza from dough made from scratch. Not exactly a looker, but it was delicious. I am such a klutz sometimes, I think I have 10 buttered thumbs and a jelly brain. Ever happen to you? No? It’s just me then?
I got the pizza dough recipe, gathered the ingredients and everything was fine till I fired up the oven. Man, it’s hot. So hot and smoky, I set off the alarm twice!
Anyway, the dough was made and shaped. The onions were sautéed lightly with a little cumin powder and dried basil. The sausages were sliced and pan-seared. I decided on a half veggie, half meat pizza. The non-veg portion for me, and the veggie portion for hubby!
Can you spot the mistake? Yep! I rolled and topped the pizza on the counter-top, without sufficiently flouring it. What was I thinking? Anyway, I somehow got it on to the baking sheet and fixed it.
Which brings me to the next issue. I do not have a pizza stone, I used an upturned pre-heated baking tray. Any tips for that guys?
Finally, the pizza was done. While transferring it to a plate, I accidentally flipped it! How can that happen to any sane person? Not my day, at all! Anyway, I rescued it again, and it was not bad for my first attempt (though it looks burned, it was delicious). Loved the topping. The slightly caramelized onions spiced with cumin was a lovely touch. The pizza dough recipe is a keeper, I think. It’s easy, fast and yields a crunchy, yet light crust.
It was just one of those days. I will post a proper recipe when I am not burning up the place or behaving like a jelly-brained person. Sigh!
Later in the afternoon, to help me settle down after all the adventure, I made myself a simple snack of ricotta cheese topped with champagne flavored orange marmalade. Yum, yum, yum. Now that was a success! Maybe because all I had to do was open the refrigerator!
In the evening, I was re-potting my sweet potato plant (yes, I once planted a sweet potato that had sprouted) and look what I found.
Baby sweet potatoes!
So tiny, yet here they are, from my little garden!
I wanted to save them, like some kind of souvenir, but then simply microwaved and ate them!
Thus my day ended on a sweet (potato) note and all was well with the world again.
I am linking this up at Photog Show & Tell.
Oh, Anjana! Your pizza adventure sounds like mine -> Third Times the Charm: Homemade Pizza I first confused wax paper for parchment paper – that was a dissaster! Then skipping the parchment paper and made it on cookie sheet with the intent of transferring it to my new pizza stone… but it wouldn’t slide off. The third time was successful, but we realized that we could half the recipe because it was super thick.
Oh, and thanks for inviting me to your challenge! I’ve just been so busy that I really haven’t focused on my blog. My bedroom is definitely not photo worthy. I thought about my guest room, but I still haven’t cleaned it up from when my stepson stayed with us. I’ll keep an eye on your challenge and maybe I’ll try my hand at one unofficially. 🙂
BTW – I can tell your photography is getting better! Keep it up!
Oops. I didn’t close the link. lol
Haha… the things we do for good food, right?!
Anyway, I am happy we both came out of it unscathed and more determined than ever.
And thaks for the encouragement. Appreciate it!!
Try a large ceramic tile. You can preheat it, but be careful handling it.
Your baby sweet potatoes look….sweet 🙂
Hey, that’s a great tip!
I love my pizza stone. I got mine fifteen years ago from Pampered Chef. And I do preheat mine and set up the pizza on it, just as Red Tag Couture said!
Oh, and that ricotta idea sounds divine 🙂
I just may have to invest in a pizza stone. I’ve been putting it off because there’s really no space in our kitchen.
And oh, do try ricotta topped with marmalade or even honey. Absolutely divine!
Your pizza looks divine – and your experience making it sounds like it could be on a Sienfeld episode! I am actually making pizza tonight. It’s a favorite in my house!
I always use a pizza stone, but I don’t think I use it like some of the other readers (might have to experiment). I preheat the oven, drizzle olive oil on the stone, and stretch the dough right on the stone. I par-bake the crust, top it, and pop it back in the oven. Yum!
PS – Cute potatoes!
I have heard of par baking the crust first, topping it and baking again. I am glad I posted this, I’ve got a lot of feedback. Needless to say, I’ll be trying it again soon!
Lol about Seinfeld!
Your pizza looks great! I have a pizza stone and use it every time I make my own pizza at home. I think it cooks the pizza faster and more evenly than a pan. I recommend rolling out your dough while you preheat the stone, remove it from the oven and then construct your pizza right on top of the stone. Easy! I did buy a wooden pizza paddle that makes transferring the stone from the oven much easier.
Have you tried a prosciutto (or bacon) and pear pizza yet? It is delicious!
Thanks so much for the input!
It was my first time making pizza dough from scratch and I really appreciate the feedback.
Proscuitto and pear sounds intriguing. Must try sometime!
It was just one of those days Anjana, when things have to go haywire no matter what. But still you came out unscathed i would say 🙂 Your pizza looks lovely. And your baby potatoes rock.
Aww… Thanks Namrata! I certainly have one of ‘those’ days every now and then. I had made up my mind to post a homemade pizza recipe, but it just was not to be! Maybe nature’s way of telling me to slow down.. Haha!!
To answer your question about a pizza stone substitute – you can certainly use an upside down, preheated pan. You can make your pizza right on parchment paper and transfer the whole thing, paper and all, to your preheated pan or stone (if you get one in the future). Or you can just make your pizza on a greased baking sheet and bake it on the sheet. It might not be as crisp on the bottom, but you eliminate the transfer hassle.
I do have a pizza stone, but I don’t always use it. I have had mishaps when I have used it, though. If you think flipping the pizza on the way to the plate is bad, imagine it getting caught halfway on the pizza peel on its way to the screaming hot pizza stone. Burned cheese, burned sauce and a very strange looking pizza. And a hard to clean pizza stone once it cooled. We still ate the pizza, but it wasn’t pretty. 🙂 Note to self after that: more flour on the peel, or use parchment.
All the hassles haven’t stopped us making pizza – we have it at least every other week. Love homemade pizza!
Aww… thanks so much for the input. I’ve been dying to get some answers. When I baked it on the baking pan, it crisped around the edges, but the center was not that done. I then heated it on a super hot skillet on the stove top. It’s a trick I saw somewhere.
I really do have to get parchment sheet. I didn’t know you could bake right on it. Thanks again for answering my queries!
Good-looking or not, homemade pizza is awesome! I hope my next attempt turns out better!
Thanks again, Sarah! I am so glad I posted this, I appreciate the answers.
The pizza looks so good! Ahh the things which could be made with those baby sweet potatoes, Being trapped in Asia I miss western staples like potatoes so much.
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Thanks Chris. I would think potatoes are available all over, no?!
Yeah just not as common haha 😉