The Second Post, and already off topic

Okay, so pizza isn't really a snack. It's a dinner, and not something one would likely make to dine on alone, or even for two.

But it has a practical side. The dough can be made ahead of time and kept around for a few days for a future meal, or leftovers can be used for a pizza redux. The pizza itself can be made ahead of time; leftovers are good baked, toaster-ovened, or even microwaved. And you can use extra dough to make calzones, which can be filled with random vegetables and sauces that you have lying around, baked, frozen, and saved for later.

But really, I just made a pizza last night, and it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself. And I just wanted to post the recipe.

The idea for this recipe is stolen from the now-defunct Jupiter Walnut Creek, the superior of the three Jupiters (Berkeley's has inferior food, and the actual planet has no pizza at all), and still my favorite WC restaurant, despite having closed its doors about 5 years ago.

Artichoke Lemon Pizza
This recipe can easily serve 3 people if you use the dough to make one big pizza. It can also be stretched to serve 5 or more if you divide the dough, and make several thinner pizzas and serve with a salad and dessert (and, personally, I think it tastes better with a thinner crust).

Ingredients:
pizza dough (see recipe below)
red sauce (see recipe below)
juice and minced zest of one lemon
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 can artichoke hearts (not the marinated kind in the glass jar)
2–3 handfuls grated fontina cheese
1 medium chunk of goat milk feta cheese, crumbled
cornmeal, if you’re using a pizza stone

1. Preheat oven to 500°F (if you’re using a pizza stone, make sure it’s at the bottom of the oven, and that the other rack is as high as possible, so it won’t be in your way when putting the pizza in and getting it out).
2. Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
3. Divide dough and stretch it out to desired thickness in an oiled pizza pan (or on a baking peal dusted with cornmeal if you’re using a pizza stone). It is my strong opinion that thinner is better.
4. Spread sauce on dough; sprinkle with fontina cheese. Add artichoke hearts and feta cheese. Drizzle with the lemon/garlic olive oil.
5. Bake for 8–15 minutes, depending on how thick your pizza is. The cheese should be melted, of course, and the crust should be lightly browned and crispy. Test if the crust is done by lifting up the edge of the pizza with a fork. It should be sort of rigid, not floppy.

Pizza Dough
This recipe makes enough dough for 4 small pizzas or 2 medium ones (or 1 medium pizza with a thick crust, 1 large pizza with a thin crust, etc.).

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
some ground pepper
7 oz. water at 105–110°F (should feel warm on your wrist but not hot)
1 Tblsp honey
1 packet active dry yeast (I prefer Rapid Rise)
olive oil

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the honey and stir. Let it sit for about 5 minutes; it should get foamy on top.
2. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle. Add the water to the well and stir it in.
3. Knead dough in the bowl until it sticks together. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Dough should be smooth and elastic when done. Shape dough into a ball.
4. Grease a bowl with olive oil, place dough in bowl and turn a few times to coat surface (this prevents it from drying and cracking—covering the dough with flour before letting it rise is not a good idea). Cover bowl with plastic and let it rise in a warm place for about two hours.

Red Sauce
I made this sauce up on the spot, because I haven't found a pre-fab red sauce that I actually like. If you have one you like, you can use that instead to save time. This one has a mild flavor though (don't over-spice), which doesn't overshadow the flavor of the pizza toppings.

Ingredients:
about 10 Roma tomatoes
1/2 white onion, minced
1–2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
chili flakes
dried basil
salt
pepper
sugar

1. Peel and core tomatoes. The easiest way to peel a tomato is to slit an X into the skin and plunge it into boiling water for about 30 seconds.
2. Place tomatoes in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times. I actually did this with a hand blender and a bowl. It didn’t work that well, but the idea is to get a chunky puree. You don’t want your tomatoes liquefied, but you also don’t want them just chopped. You need them partially pureed to get a saucy consistency.
3. In a large frying pan, heat up 1–2 tablespoons olive oil with the garlic. Add onions when the oil is hot. Season with a little salt and pepper; stir for a few minutes until onions are translucent.
4. Add tomatoes to pan and stir. Add basil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. Don’t go crazy with the salt; you can add more at the end.5. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the sauce has thickened (10 minutes or so), taste it and add some sugar (I used 1-1 1/2 teaspoons probably, but some tomatoes are sweeter than others, so be careful and add a little at time). Add more salt to taste.