Eating The Sky

OK, it's Friday night and I need pizza. I'm broke so I can't order out. BUT... I do have that sourdough barm that I've been keeping for a few months now, some bread flour, oh and some fresh garlic, jalapeno, a yellow onion, tomato sauce, spinach, a fresh tomato and some yeast (I know, I know, I should've not added the yeast but then it would have taken HOURS to rise, which is OK sometimes, just not now. I'm hungry.) This will make for some great pizza in under 2 hours time and about 45 minutes of actual prep. Cost: right around $7.

First things first:
Roast the eggplant. Preheat the oven to 350.  Hold the eggplant firmly to the counter and pierce with a knife or fork on the top several times, enough to let a little bit of steam escape the eggplant as it roasts. Roast at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until soft.

Get that dough going. As I said in my last blog, when I just want to get this done I wing it without a recipe. Experience allows me to do this with very little error, however illustrating to you the reader how to improvise is one of the goals of this blog. While the eggplant is roasting, take about a cup of the barm and add about 3/4 cup of cold tap water  and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a mixing bowl, mixing it in well until there are no lumps (of if you don't have barm just omit it - it's mostly for extra flavor anyway). Add about a teaspoon of salt, the yeast and about a cup of flour. Mix until thick and there are no lumps. Keep adding flour until the dough releases from the sides but still sticks a little bit to the bottom, probably about 2-3 more cups. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead by hand until it passes the window pane test, which is taking a little lump off the dough, flattening it and stretching it out like a little pizza dough in the air in front of a light. You want the dough to be very translucent and get pretty thin before breaking. Then you know you have lots of gluten formation, which gives pizza crust it's texture. It's really hard to overknead by hand so if you are doubtful, knead for a few more minutes. A mixer will cut your time in half and save your hands from getting a cramp :) But alas I don't have one. Coat the dough with a little olive oil, place in the mixing bowl and cover. Let rest for 15-30 minutes or until the dough has not quite doubled in size.

While the dough is rising put your tomato sauce, chopped garlic, herbs, spices in a small pot and simmer on low. Take the eggplant out of the oven when it is done, cut it in half and scoop out the insides into the tomato sauce. At this point you can blitz it in the blender for a few pulses, or not if you want it chunky. Add about a 1/2 cup of water and simmer on low. Start chopping the rest of the veggies for the toppings, shred the cheese and toss the toppings with the cheese in a mixing bowl, then refrigerate.

Prepare your pizza pan by oiling it lightly. Take the dough and flatten it with your fingers and palms to roughly the shape of the pan, insert it into the pan and stretch to the outsides by holding the center of the dough so it doesn't stretch too much and pull the outside of the dough to the edge. If you are having a hard time stretching the dough try letting it rest as is for 10-15 more minutes. It should loosen up. If not then you probably needed to knead your dough more. Lightly oil the top of the dough and cover. Leave it on the counter for about an hour or until risen about 1 1/2 - 2 times it's size. Top with the sauce, toppings and bake at 450 for 5 minutes, then lower to 375 for roughly 25 minutes or until the cheese has color all the way to the center. If you are not sure if it is done in the middle insert a thermometer and it should read about 180 or so.

Enjoy your homemade pizza melanzane a la Geo!