Posts Tagged ‘Pizza Goon Videos’

Pizza al Filo (Pizza Napoletana with a twist…or two)

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They say that variety is the spice of life. As owner of Avalanche Pizza for the past fifteen years I’ve surrounded myself with variety, (almost 60 toppings), forty specialty pizza, pizza oddities and combinations that no sane person would try. This definitely keeps us hopping but each day I still need something different to make my day complete. Call it a voice from the dark side or just a loose marble bouncing around this egg-shaped cranium of mine. Either way, it is an itch that has to be scratched.

chicken and waffle pizza

A few weeks ago, we had just rolled out our fabulous Chicken and Waffle Pizza to great applause from our pizza-loving fans. This pizza has it all; a béchamel cream, bacon, mozzarella, aged provolone, Belgium waffles and real fried chicken all baked at 500 loving degrees and then slathered with local maple syrup. It was on that same day that I was cleaning my pasta machine and decided to make the next little ditty.

After all, as John Cleese always says, “And now, for something completely different!

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I took a cold small dough ball, flattened and cut small strips, then sent it through my pasta machine thinking I would make a monkey-bread type of pizza. This would alleviate any bragging about cell structure or how high the cornicione got or the lack of gumline, just a cool pizza that had the mouth feel of a plate of pasta! The key to making this pizza was the temperature of the dough. Warm, proofed dough would never go through properly. This dough is about 60 percent hydrated and rolled out fabulously. I then put into an oiled ten inch pan to proof.

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I cooked the dough for nine minutes until it was just cooked through to the center. Then I flipped it over to reveal a wonderfully golden crust.

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Then I topped it with the traditionals: San Marzano tomatoes atop fresh basil and that arranged atop aged mozzarella instead of fresh, (to keep the pizza together). I then slathered the pie with Sicilian olive oil and Trapani sea salt.

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The pizza stayed together and was amazing with the strands popping here and there. It was quite the hit with my staff also who gobbled it all up in minutes except for the piece I had. As I bit into this wondrous slice, I realized that this was definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve ever tasted!

The Incredible, Edible Mozza-Paw Egg

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Paw paws are not only the official fruit of Ohio but are also spectacularly flavorful in the few weeks of maturity here in the Southeastern corner of this “Buckeye” State.  Its this time of year that I find myself entombed in a broadleaf jungle of a massive paw paw patch looking up at a pair of testicular-shaped beauties and making a decision to either bend, shake or just grab, (Now, I know what you’re thinking- that’s disgusting you sicko!)

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You see, the paw paw trees that bear fruit are the medium sized ones that can usually be bent over, but some paw paws hang so high that you have to shake. Here is my son and I in a patch this year.

 

My intention weeks ago was to make a paw paw pizza, (Next blog entry) but I wanted to do something erratic, or if you will, out of the ordinary and since we were doing some fresh mozzarella fabrication, I thought an egg was an appropriate topping for said pizza. So here it is, but first another video about getting the flesh from the paw paw that some of you mere mortals may find annoying.

 

 

So, now that we have the custardy goodness in the bowl, its time for the “yolk” for my egg. Remember, that the ‘Vitamin C” I referred to is ascorbic acid in the form of lemon juice. This will keep the paw paw custard from turning brown.

 

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First take a hemispheric mold and fill as many half circles as you will need and place in the freezer. When frozen solid warm your finger under hot running water then rub the top of each half circle to melt some of the paw paw filling for cohesion with another. Place atop another half circle.

 

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Take both out of the mold and place in a square of plastic wrap and gently press together. The paw paw will melt quickly so you must work fast and get on ice fast.

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When the paw paw yolk is frozen, start the fresh mozzarella in the fashion of my previous blog post. Use only enough fresh curd as you will need. Heat the fresh curd and form and place in your hand. Quickly place the paw paw yolk in the center of the melting mozzarella and close the edges quickly. Even more quickly form the  mozzarella into an egg shape. Here I used a baking form pan to roll the mozzarella into shape. Place in ice bath quickly to set.

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When you are ready to place on a pizza, bring to room temperature, slice and place on a pizza. The yolk will melt out beautifully and people will think you’re utterly insane…until they eat this ‘gnad-pumping egg! late summer 2014 269ii Next on Pizza Goon, a real killer paw paw pizza!