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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

A Little Time With Roz – Pizza Margherita

As I’ve said before, I don’t read recipe books and use very few (although Bev will on occasion), as I prefer to let you who love them do the reading, make the meal, and post the recipe on your blog along with your comments and improvements.

We like both tomatoes and Italian food and this summer, Roz from La Bella VitaCucina has been posting some dishes we wanted to try, so I decided to just devote a week or so to them - first up is Pizza Margherita.

We made the recipe as she posted it, with a few deviations, and rather than recopy it here, you can click on the link above for the recipe and some hunger inducing photos.  This was a joint effort between Bev and I, where she handled the crust and I did the topping.


Now for the deviations.
1. We used Publix made-in-store pizza dough

2. We made a pizza sauce using The Best Pizza Sauce Ever recipe and really liked it as it was, so we omitted Roz’s sauce amendments.  This will now be our go-to pizza sauce.  

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
½ C onion, chopped
¼ C celery, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
8 oz. tomato sauce
6 oz. tomato paste
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 t basil, dried
1 t oregano, dried
½ t salt
½ t sugar
¼ t black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 t fennel seed

Instructions:
       Melt butter and heat olive oil in a large pot over med heat.  
Add the onion, celery and garlic and saute until soft
             Remove to blender and puree until smooth then return back to the pot
Add in tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir
Add the rest of the ingredients and allow it to simmer on lower heat for 30 to 60 minutes
Remove the bay leaf before using on your pizza

      3.  I ran the sauce and toppings out to the crust edge rather than leaving a 1” edge - just because it never made since to me to do it that way.

4.  I adjusted the baking to suit our oven (I thought), using convection/bake and this was a mistake as the pie ended up spending too much time in the oven getting the crust bottom done – next time, I’ll do what Roz tells me.

Here are some shots but check Roz's site for some good ones.






I thought the pizza was outstanding and would make it again in a heart-beat – the dark sauce on the edges (due to the long oven time) tasted fine, as did the very dark basil (but both kept it from being pretty).  If you are looking for a Pizza Margherita recipe, this one is hard to beat – thanks Roz for a fine supper.

Tune back in for the another offering during Roz week or so.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

8/18/14 meal date

16 comments:

  1. Roz is Italian and definitely knows her way around the kitchen. You can't go wrong with the Margherita pizza. It is our favorite and Publix dough is plenty fine too.
    Sam

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  2. Gosh I am drooling and haven't even finished my coffee. I could eat pizza every single day. This is a beautiful pie Larry!

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  3. Nothing like a great homemade pizza, after making a few hundred a week in my restaurant during the 90's I can still appreciate a real good tasting pizza occasionally. Looks like a very tasty one.

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  4. Publix dough is great. When I make my own I use Tyler Florence's recipe. His dough is easy to handle. I love your sauce recipe and Roz's recipe is great too.

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  5. I still have trouble boiling water so I love seeing what you are up to. You and Jim really do like the same food.

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  6. Larry, I must say that your Pizza Margherita is a beauty! This would be one of Laurie's favorites, that's for sure... As for myself, I would also enjoy it...but if I made it, I'd prefer adding a bit of spicy sausage, bacon or pepperoni. Of course then it wouldn't be a Pizza Margherita! We'll have to pick up some Pizza dough from Publix to try with our next 'pizza' adventure. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  7. Good Lord thats a nicesa pizza! WOWZER! bellissimo!

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  8. Sounds delicious.... YUM... Going to bed now --so that I won't be tempted to go to the kitchen and search of something good to eat!!!!! ha ha

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  9. What a fab pizza! Looks mouthwatering good and I can't wait to try it!

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  10. I saw this on Roz's blog and it looks delicious! You did it just right! We've got a ton of great pizza (Chicago-style) places around us and I've seldom made one, but should this one!

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  11. I read your post - went straight to the pizza sauce recipe, which I Pinned and then forgot to come back and comment! I love margherita pizza and this is a perfect time to make one with fresh tomatoes and basil growing outside. Delicious looking pizza - even with the browned basil!

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  12. My favorite type of pizza... yours looks wonderful Larry!

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  13. I think I am long past my time for pizza. Looks delicious...absolutely delicious. Off to check on Roz. Thanks.

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  14. Wow, that looks fantastic Larry. Love all of those slices of beautiful red tomatoes. And thanks for the link to the sauce. I'm going to make this as soon as my kitchen reopens.

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  15. You not follow directions from Roz? I can't imagine :) Y'all are cooking as many pizzas as John these days ;)

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  16. Larry and Bev,

    First of all I'm sorry that I haven't been in the blogosphere for the last 3 weeks. Fall semester has started full swing and I've been focusing on my new batch of juniors and seniors. And secondly and most importantly, I am blushing big time for your kindness, your compliments, your friendship, and your choice to try some of my recipes and to improve them with your own variations! You're the best, and I hope to continually help your tummies smile!!!
    Hugs to you both,
    Roz

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I appreciate and enjoy your comments