Recipe: Crispy Roman Pizzas

Crispy Roman Pizzas

Ristorante Parseille, a neighborhood trattoria near the Borghese Gardens in
Rome, serves crispy discs of platter-size pizza with a dozen different toppings. This light-style pizza makes an addictive entree and one that can be varied in impromptu fashion since the dough keeps refrigerated for several days.

Dough:
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil

Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 each yellow and zucchini squash, thinly sliced
6 mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 ounces Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
Few sprigs basil

For the dough:
Place the water in a mixing bowl and stir in the yeast and sugar. Let stand until dissolved and puffy, about 10 minutes.

Mix in 1 cup of the flour, the salt, egg, and oil. Gradually add the remaining flour and mix until the dough clings together in a ball. Turn out on a lightly floured board and knead a few times until the dough is no longer sticky. Place in a bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Gently remove dough from the bowl and cut into 4 equal sections. Use immediately or wrap each piece loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Roll out each piece of dough into a 10-inch disc and place on a pizza peel generously sprinkled with cornmeal or on a greased pizza pan. Or without a peel, place on an oiled sheet of foil to slip directly onto a hot stone in the oven.

Meanwhile, in a skillet heat the oil and saute the onion until soft.

Push to the sides of the pan and saute the squash 2 minutes; add mushrooms and heat through. Place on the dough with the sliced tomatoes; cover with Mozzarella or Jack cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes or until the crust is crispy and browned.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and basil.


Variation:
In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil and saute 2 shallots, chopped, until limp. Add 1/8 pound mushrooms and saute until glazed. Spoon over the dough and top with 2 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto and 2 ounces thinly sliced Mozzarella. Bake as directed. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan and fresh basil or oregano leaves.

Makes one 10-inch pizza with enough dough for 3 more pizzas
From: Peggy, WA