When I was growing up my friends and I frequented Maria’s Pizzeria on State Street.  The pie always arrived at the table piping hot and the crust was outstanding.   Unless a pizza’s crust is good the pie is at best only mediocre.  A good crust starts with good dough.  My love of food led me on a quest for two things:  a good pizza dough recipe and a technique for turning a few simple ingredients into a pliable delicious foil for toppings.  I found both.

Here’s my go to pizza dough recipe.   There isn’t any secret ingredient unless you consider the honey added to the blooming yeast as such.  Through my research and experimentation I discovered the stretch and fold method for manipulating dough.  Let your creativity shine when it comes to choosing your pizza toppings.  One of my favorite combos is roasted asparagus, prosciutto and goat cheese with pesto sauce.  While pizza is hard to beat sometimes I want an alternative when it comes to the dough on which my choice of toppings will rest.

Tarts rock!  As with pizza, a tart that aspires to be more than mediocre must start with a great dough.  This pastry dough made with butter, cream cheese, heavy cream crisps up beautifully and comes together quickly.  The genesis of my tart making sojourn began with a recipe combining softened leeks, Italian sausage and goat cheese.  As with selecting toppings for pizza let your imagination be your guide as you make your choices for this rich buttery pastry.

Smoked Gouda and sautéed wild mushrooms perhaps, or I’ve combined leftover steelhead with leeks and brie.  I know! I was questioning my sanity too (fish and cheese?) until I took my first bite and found it reminiscent of salmon patties.  It was at that moment I wished that I’d dressed the salad with a creamy dill dressing instead of my old standby balsamic vinaigrette!

So whether you choose a pizza or a tart remember that it’s all in the dough…thanks for visiting palatable.life.

Be inspired,
Diane