Pizza Supreme
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Do-It-Yourself Pizza

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Assortment of Pizzas
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Do-It-Yourself Pizza


Williams-Sonoma
Complete Entertaining Cookbook
Chuck Williams, General Editor; Menu Concepts
and Recipes by Joyce Goldstein,
1998, Readon Publications, Inc.

Serves 6

“This is a versatile recipe. Prepare as many of the suggested toppings as you like. The topping amounts given are conservative suggestions and should be enough
to top 12 small pizzas with an assortment of ingredients. If your guests favor
certain ingredients, have plenty of those on hand. Judge and adjust according
to your own personal tastes and those of the party goers – if you know them.
The tapenade can be made up to 2 weeks in advance. The pesto and sun-dried
tomato spread can be made up to 1 week in advance and the tomato puree can
be made up to 2 days in advance. Prepare the cooked toppings 1 day in advance
and cut the uncooked ones 4 hours before the party.
A sponge is a type of starter that gives a particularly resilient texture to the crust. The addition of rye or buckwheat flour to the dough deepens the flavor of the crust. The dough can be made 8 hours before the party, left to rise at room temperature, and then divided into 12 equal portions, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. Remove the dough balls from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before forming
them into crusts.
If you have one or two baking stones, place them in the oven when you turn it
on; the stones will ensure a crisp crust. You will need a baker’s peel or a rimless
baking sheet to slide the pizzas onto the stone.
When it is time for the guests to top their pizzas, set out all the spreads and
toppings in bowls or on platters and let the guests choose from among them.
This recipe yields 12 small pizzas; bake 6 pizzas at a time so everyone eats together.

Suggested Spreads for the Crust:
Tapenade
Pesto
Sun-Dried Tomato Spread
Tomato Purée

Suggested Toppings:
4 medium-size red (Spanish) onions, sliced and slightly sautéed
4 large red or green bell peppers (capsicums), seeded, deribbed,
sliced and lightly sautéed
1 pound (500 g) fresh mushrooms, sliced and lightly sautéed
1 pound (500 g) small new potatoes, roasted and sliced 1/4 inch
(6 mm) thick
2 eggplants (aubergines), sliced 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
and baked or grilled
2 pounds (1 kg) escarole or Swiss chard, chopped, lightly
sautéed and well drained
1 pound (500 g) Italian sausages, cooked and then sliced
1/2 pound (250 g) sliced pancetta, cut into strips and sautéed
1 1/2 pounds (750g) tomatoes, diced and drained
2 cups (8 ounces/250 g) freshly grated Parmesan
1 pound (500 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 pound (375 g) Fontina cheese, shredded or sliced

 For the Sponge:
3 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz/375 ml) warm
(110 degrees F/43 degrees C) water
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz/235 g) unbleached all-purpose (plain) flour

For the Dough:
2 1/4 cups (18 fl oz/560 ml) warm
(110 degrees F/43 degrees C) water
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
9 cups (2 3/4 lb/1.4 kg) unbleached all-purpose (plain) flour,
plus additional flour as needed
1 cup (3 oz/90 g) rye or buckwheat flour or 1 additional cup
(5 oz/155 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 cup (3/4 oz/20 g) finely chopped rosemary or sage

Cornmeal for baking sheets
Olive oil for brushing on crust, optional

Select and prepare the spreads and the toppings for the pizza.
To make the sponge, in a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the flour and beat
at medium speed until all the ingredients are fully combined. (Or combine
the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.) Cover the
bowl with a dampened kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rest in a
warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes.
To make the dough, add the warm water, olive oil, salt, flour(s) and
rosemary or sage to the sponge. Beat with the paddle attachment until
all the ingredients come together and are well mixed. Then attach the
dough hook and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the
bowl and is smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as
necessary to reduce stickiness.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for
1 to 2 minutes to be sure it has achieved the proper consistency. (Or
add the ingredients to the sponge and beat with a wooden spoon until well
mixed, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and
elastic, 15 to 20 minutes, adding more flour as need to reduce stickiness.)
Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn the
dough to coat all surfaces with the oil. Cover with a dampened towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Punch it down
and divide it into 12 equal portions; shape each portion into a ball. Place
the balls on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30
minutes or for up to 8 hours (see note above).
Preheat an oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
To form the crusts, punch down one dough portion at a time on a lightly floured work surface. Flatten it into a disk about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Then, using your fingers and the heels of your hands, gently
press and stretch the dough into a 4- to 5-inch (10-13-cm) round about
1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. The edges of the dough round should be a little
thicker than the center. Lift the dough round occasionally as you work,
to prevent sticking.
Dust 2 large baking sheets with cornmeal and transfer 6 of the pizza crusts
to them. Have the bowls of spreads and toppings ready. Encourage each
guest to top his or her own pizza according to their own individual taste.
Bake the pizzas until the crusts are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, brush the edges of the crusts with olive oil, if
using, and serve immediately.

[Other than some good red wine, beer, and soft drinks, all you need is a
dynamite green salad and a good appetite! An excellent quick-and-easy
dessert choice would be a fruit salad (or ‘Macedonia di Frutta’, if you pre-
fer) made simply by combining the cut-up fresh fruit of your choice (such as
apples, pears, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, etc.) about 4 hours prior to
serving and dousing it with a combination of orange juice, lemon juice, and
the fruit- flavored liqueur (such as Grand Marnier) of your choice.
Serve with purchased or homemade biscotti.]
 

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