Hi, I'm Chef Tony Matassa, today we're making homemade 4 cheese pizza, and I'll show you
a little trick on how we'll blend some great vegetables in and I promise you, the kids
will never know.....
We'll begin with the sauce, you can use store bought sauce, but making your own is simple
and it allows you to sneak in veggies that your kids might normally refuse.
Here I have some chopped Kale, with the stems removed I love it because it is packed with
nutrients and really doesn't affect the flavor of the sauce.
I also like to throw in some steamed broccoli for an added nutritional punch.
Today I am making a double batch of sauce, because it freezes well and is nice to have
handy.
Begin by sauteing some diced onions in olive oil... along with some chopped red and yellow
bell peppers.
Season as you go with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Cook everything until it's well caramelized, then add some garlic paste.....and follow
that by stirring in some tomato puree.
Season with a little more salt and black pepper.
Now I like to add a little dried thyme, a hint of white pepper...
and some brown sugar.
Stir and simmer for a few minutes
Now Throw in some fresh chopped parsley some fresh basil...
and oregano.
Finish the sauce off by adding in the broccoli and finely chopped kale.
Stir and now I'll break out my immersion blender to puree everything into a smooth sauce.
Once it reaches this consistency, it is time to set it aside and make the pizza dough!
Now Great pizza dough starts with only a few simple ingredients..
olive oil, always use a good extra virgin oil..
water, it's best to use some type of mineral water.
The minerals impart favorable baking characteristics and taste.
Flour.. stick with bread flour it has a higher percent of protein which is what gives pizza
crust the chew elasticity that everyone has come to love.
Salt, I like to use either sea salt or kosher.
A little honey, which is optional.
Honey adds subtle sweetness to the dough and acts as extra food to kick start the yeast.
And last but not least, some active dry yeast.
In a mixing bowl, blend some mineral water...
with a little yeast and if using, also blend in some honey.
Finally, blend in olive oil, cover with a damp towel and allow this mixture to rest
and proof for about 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
While that is going on, whisk together some salt ...and bread flour.
Once the yeast has proofed, make a well in the center of your flour and pour in the liquid.
Use your hand to gradually mix the flour into the liquid.
You may need to add a splash of water or a small amount of flour to reach the doughy
consistency.
Once there, turn everything out on a well floured work surface,and begin kneading.
Work the dough for about 5 to 8 minutes until your dough is smooth and elastic.
Now coat it with some olive oil and place it in a bowl to rise, covered with a damp
towel until doubled in size.
After about 30 minutes, or when the dough has doubled, remove it from the bowl and slice
in half to form two dough balls.
To form the pizza, just press the dough out from the center gradually to form a circular
crust.
I like to use corn meal at this stage to keep the dough from sticking while I am putting
on the toppings.
Spread out a nice even layer of our pizza sauce from earlier, and it's time to add the
cheese blend.
I pre-mixed the four cheese blend, which consists of shredded Mozzarella, Provolone, colby jack,
and smoked gruyere cheese.
Give the pizza a generous coating of cheese, and it is ready for the peel.
Sprinkle a little cornmeal on your pizza peel as well, to make the transfer easier.
Place the pizza in a preheated oven at about 550, today I am using the Blackstone Pizza
oven.
Just look at that cheese bubbling, that is a beautiful sight that reminds me of my childhood!
Once the crust is crispy and the cheese is golden brown, it is time to get it out the
oven!
I know I am ready to dig in..
Let the molten cheese cool for a couple minutes, then slice into as many servings as you like!
Now this,..... right here,is what makes it worth the wait!
There is nothing better than homemade pizza, and I promise you that nobody will have any
idea that you have kale and broccoli blended into the sauce, it’ll be our little secret..
thank you for watching today..
remember, at BBQGuys.com.. we SMOKE.. the competition!