HOMEMADE PIZZA ON FRIDAY, AN EGGERS' FAMILY TRADITION

THIN CRUST WITH CHICKEN OF THE WOODS, BROCCOLI, ONION & BELL PEPPER

For the past five years we have had a tradition in our house of homemade pizza on Friday.

One of the more memorable pizza nights for me was on a Christmas Eve that had us snowed in at home.  That evening we had bread sticks dyed and twisted to look like candy canes along with the pizza.  It was a very cozy evening filled with love, smiles and warm comfort food. 

There have only been a handful of times when we have wavered from this custom.  Those occasions were always while we were far from home and were often met with stern discontent, especially on the kids' end.

We have made a fair amount of pizza and our recipe has developed into something we love to share with friends and extended family (even on non-Fridays!).  Typically we do not use the standard pizza toppings like pepperoni, black olive slices, etc., though if we have those things they go on there too.  A lot of leftovers are cut up and used as toppings.


Here are a few topping ideas:

NO NEED TO SHRED THE CHEESE

-bacon from Sunday brunch roughly chopped
-bits from leftover stew, strained a bit so it doesn't make the pizza dough soggy
-wild foraged mushrooms sauteed in onion and garlic
-fresh vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, halved cherry tomatoes, green beans, whatever is in the garden!
-meat ends bought from local deli (the ends of the lunch meat loaves that you can have sliced for you - check in the deli section where you shop, they may be sold for a reduced price!)
-cheese ends (same deal as meat ends)  they don't need to be shredded, just chop or tear them into bits

THE ABOVE PIZZA AFTER BAKING

-homemade tomato sauce...so easy and so good.
-pesto as sauce                
-precooked or canned beans
-chopped spinach or swiss chard
-cut up bratwurst and sauerkraut

PRETTY MUCH ANY LEFTOVER CAN BE USED TO MAKE GARBAGE PIZZA!

INGREDIENTS for PIZZA DOUGH:
(makes two pizzas)

1 packet or 1 Tablespoon yeast (technically one packet is 2 1/4 teaspoons but I eyeball and approximate)
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups whey or water, lukewarm
2-4 cups flour (to get correct dough consistency)

METHOD:

-If using whey that is stored in the refrigerator, heat it up to lukewarm for faster rising dough.  I put it in the microwave for one minute.
-Put all ingredients but NOT FLOUR into a food processor, stand mixer or bowl.  I use a food processor; use what you have and it will work!
-Slowly add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the right consistency is reached.  When using the food processor I add flour until the dough turns around in a ball.  I flour my hands, remove the dough and test if it is too sticky or right on.*
-Turn off the food processor, flour your hands (to prevent sticking), remove the dough and form a ball.  Flour the outside and drop it back into the food processor for the first rise.
-Once your dough has risen (double in size is the standard) turn on your food processor to "punch it down" or reform a ball.
-Remove the dough, divide into two balls, dust the outer surface of each with flour and spread onto two oiled pizza pans.  Use your hands or a mini rolling pin to spread the dough.
-Allow the dough to rise again (can be used now if you are in a hurry).
-Top the pizzas.
-Bake 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes (longer if you used toppings that are more wet).  I like to bake the first pizza 10 minutes, remove it and bake the second pizza for 10 minutes.  Then I reset the timer for 5 minutes and bake both pizzas together.  That way they are both warm and done at the same time.

 *This is the part, in my opinion, that really makes a difference in the finished crust.  Learning to identify when when the dough has the right amount of flour will be easier with practice.  The dough should be pliable, sort of rubbery.  If the dough is very sticky it needs more flour, if it is hard or flaky it has too much.  It is easier to add more flour than to fix dough that has too much flour, so add SLOWLY until you can ID your dough with confidence.

TONIGHT'S PIZZA with MEAT & CHEESE ENDS, GREEN BEAN, CARROT, BELL PEPPER & CHERRY TOMATO