Tag Archives: pizza

Squash-crusted Pesto Pizza

18 Feb

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My friend Tyffanie and I were batting around ideas the other day for how to use up the winter produce that we received in our Corbin Hill farm share boxes this month. She suggested making this butternut squash pizza crust. I enjoy making pizza at home, and I am partial to making my own “no-knead” pizza crust with bread flour, but this gluten-free squash-crusted pizza looked like an intriguing and new-to-me cooking project for a too-cold-to-leave-the-house Sunday afternoon.

Who knew winter produce could look this good?! Continue reading

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Mushroom Pepperoni and Mozz. Pizza with Mike’s Hot Honey

20 Dec

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Me, hovering over the stovetop to snap a picture before I dive into the pizza

There’s a bottle of Mike’s Hot Honey sitting on my desk. Honey spiked with vinegar and chiles.

This spicy honey begs to swirled on cheesy pizza and if there’s bits of oven-toasted cured meat, even better. (For more food pairings, look here).

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I made a quick, no-knead dough with a mix of bread flour and whole wheat flour. Olive oil and a dash of cornmeal go onto the baking sheet before the dough to get a nice crust with color and texture.

The dough recipe makes enough for two pizza pies.

Sauce, fresh mozz, mushrooms, pepperoni, Parmesan, fresh oregano. Top with lots of honey. Enjoy with a big salad (whoops, not pictured, but this meal definitely calls for a big salad).

I had extra toppings leftover, so I just toasted some regular, whole wheat bread, spread it with the toppings, and popped it in the oven for 10 minutes. Another easy option if you don’t want to make the dough recipe.

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Mushroom Pepperoni and Mozz Pizza with Mike’s Hot Honey

For the dough recipe, I used Joy’s version, which was based on Tracy’s version, which was originally from Jim Lahey’s book (it makes enough for 2 pizzas. You can freeze one or save it for the next day). I found the dough to be very shaggy. It ended up working, though, so just let it do it’s thing. I had to knead it one or two times to get it how I wanted.

**NOTE: This dough recipe needs about 2.5 hours to do it’s thing before it can go in the oven. Give yourself enough time if you are making your own dough.

Toppings (for 1 pizza): 

3/4 cup sauce

3-4 oz ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced

4 oz mushrooms, sliced

1/8 pound thin sliced pepperoni, cut into wedges or strips (I found pepperoni at the Whole Foods Deli, from Chestnut Valley Charcuterie)

1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded or grated

Toppings after the oven: fresh oregano, red pepper flakes, spicy honey

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 450-500 degrees F.

Oil a 13×18-inch rimmed baking sheet with olive oil, and sprinkle cornmeal over the oil. Place the 1 of the 2 dough balls on the pan and stretch and press the dough out into a flat rectangle.  If the dough springs bag as you’re pressing it out, simply wait five minutes to allow the dough to rest and then try again.  The dough should be very thin. If the dough tears, don’t worry, just press it back together.

Top the dough with sauce, cheeses, mushrooms, and pepperoni.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are charred and bubbling.  Remove from the oven.  Allow to cool for a few moments then slice and top with fresh oregano, red pepper flakes, and spicy honey.  Serve immediately, with a big salad.

Cheeseboard Pizza

5 Mar


Oh Cheeseboard Pizza how I miss you. That thin and perfectly toasted dough, those gorgeous browned cheesy bits, fresh corn, lime, chile, and a garlic olive oil drizzle. Just $2.50 for the most perfect slice of pizza. And they give you a little sample sliver, too.

Sure, living in New York, I see pizza joints all over town. But none have wooed me like Berkeley’s Cheeseboard. Open 5 days a week (closed Sun/Mon) and cooperatively run and owned, this place is a win. Did I mention the live music?!

I’m kind of in love with the Cheeseboard Collective shop next door, too. The ginger cookies, any variety of the cheesy breads, and those corn cherry scones just kill me! And the cheeses, oh the cheeses. They will let you sample cheese on cheese on cheese until you find your perfect match.

I have many memories at Cheeseboard Pizza, sitting on the median lawn in the middle of the street (technically it is illegal to sit on the median, but everyone does it), soaking up the sun and enjoying a slice or two. There is usually a long line, but it moves very fast and offers some great people-watching. The pizzas are always vegetarian and the menu changes daily (check the website for the week’s pizza listing).

Boy oh boy do I miss the food in the Bay Area.

Please excuse my while I wipe the drool running down my chin.


The Cheeseboard Collective

On Shattuck Ave. at Vine St.

Berkeley, CA