We wanted something a little more casual for this week’s Date Night Dinner and something that we could make while talking and having a little fun. That translates to a meal where we don’t really have to think too hard or have to concentrate on a recipe. Homemade flatbread pizzas fit that bill perfectly!
One of the great things about pizza is that there’s really no end to the possibilities. Here’s what we had (to get your mind going on what you want!) and also here are a couple tips I earned by trial and error to get a better homemade pizza experience. Get some pre-made pizza dough from the grocery store – not the pre-baked, pre-packaged stuff hanging in the aisle with the tortillas, but the soft, half frozen dough in the bakery. Around here, Publix has the best for around $2.50 a bag.
Pizza with Chicken, Artichoke Hearts & Pineapple
- Pre-made pizza dough (for these pizzas, I used one bag of pizza dough cut in half)
- Olive oil
- Ricotta Cheese
- Mozerella cheese – I used the kind that comes in a ball in the specialty cheese section, the kind you have to tear into pieces
- Chicken, cooked – I bought a pack of chicken tenders, then cut them up and pan fried them with some salt and pepper until cooked through
- Artichoke Hearts
- A can of Pineapple Tidbits
- Salt & Pepper
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Roll out the pizza dough. You want to make this as thin as you can with it still fitting on your pizza stone or metal baking sheet (see tips below). Coat with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese all over the dough. Season with salt & pepper. Spread chicken, artichoke hearts and pineapple tidbits. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes. Add more salt & pepper. Add hand-torn chunks of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 500℉ on the top rack for 5-7 minutes.
Pizza with Pesto, Mushrooms & Caramelized Onions
- The other half of the pizza dough
- Pesto
- Olive oil
- Package of “gourmet mushrooms,” sliced. I think this was around 8oz
- 1 yellow or Vidalia onion, sliced and caramelized
- Crumbled Goat Cheese
- Salt & pepper
Use the other half of the pizza dough. Remember… thin, thin, thin… Caramelize your onions in a frying pan before you even get started! Spread with a thin layer of pesto. Since there’s a ton of olive oil in pesto, you don’t really need to double up. Just make sure the entire dough, even around the edges, has a coating of the oil. Toss the mushrooms in olive oil. Arrange the mushrooms, onions and goat cheese on pizza. Season with salt & pepper. Bake at 500℉ on the top rack for 5-7 minutes.
Here are some tips for making a standout pizza
Use a pizza stone if you have one. If not, go get one.
Pre-heat your oven to 500℉ with the stone in it. Let it heat for 30-40 minutes so it’s really hot!
The crust is what sets your pizza apart, so you want a crispy crust. Here’s what I do… roll out your dough. For these pizzas, the thinner, the better. The pizza dough will rise when baked and even though you think you’ve got the dough thin, you’ll be amazed (and possibly a little dismayed if you don’t go thin enough) when you get it out. Don’t worry too much if you screw it up, it still tastes good! Pre-bake the dough for about 3-5 minutes before even making the pizza. This gets a nice crust started on the bottom. I’ve run into this phenomena where my crust inflates like a football when pre-baking it. Scoring the dough with some slices or holes before you bake it helps. But if it still puffs up, when you take it out, poke some holes or make some more slices, then use your rolling pin to flatten it. Remember, you are not fully cooking the crust, just getting it slightly firm and ever so slightly crusted on the bottom.
Coat your entire dough with a think layer of olive oil. This will help the edges crisp up.
Use different kinds of cheeses.
Be generous with the salt and pepper.
Toss dry ingredients with olive oil so they cook evenly and don’t burn.
Cook your pizza on the top rack in a really hot oven. I’ve read a lot in cookbooks and on the internet about where the best place to position your stone/tray when cooking. In my experience, top rack in a really hot oven (500℉) works.