What does “gourmet” really mean? One of the reasons I started this blog was because I don’t like how a lot of “foodies” act snobby and superior when it comes to “gourmet” ingredients and food.

Case in point – I was doing a Google search [...]]]>

What does “gourmet” really mean? One of the reasons I started this blog was because I don’t like how a lot of “foodies” act snobby and superior when it comes to “gourmet” ingredients and food.

Case in point – I was doing a Google search for a bottled salad dressing that I like. I usually make my own dressing, but I’d had this bottled honey-dijon dressing before and liked it. You know, sometimes it’s nice to have a bottled dressing to mix things up a bit, and this one claimed to be all-natural. Well, I came across this “foodie” forum where some poor man had innocently asked which of this brand’s dressing people liked. Poor, poor man. He didn’t realize that his question would unleash a page of belittling, superior, and almost rude comments. One person said that making a salad dressing was (for him/her) as easy as boiling water, and therefore s/he couldn’t understand why anyone would want a bottled dressing. Some people refused to answer the question without knowing what was in the salad. One person said s/he thought “this thread was a joke”. I could go on.

I’m generalizing of course. Most people were very nice and helpful. But the few so-called gourmets who liked to hear themselves talk (or type I guess), and tell people that they’re not a cook if they use bottled dressing, really stood out. I mean, geez Louise, can’t you ask a simple question these days and expect a simple answer?

So I want you to know, that even though this post is called “Homemade Gourmet Pizza”, no one is going to judge you for ordering from Domino’s or Little Caesar’s or whatever’s closest to your house. Or for eating a whole bag of Crazy Bread by yourself.

It’s just called “gourmet” because it uses a few ingredients that you wouldn’t necessarily find at your local pizza joint, toppings that are normally associated with more expensive gourmet pizzas. But you can use the crust and add anything you like, of course. And it’s E-A-S-Y.

Homemade Gourmet Pizza with Wild Mushrooms, Broccoli and Sweet Potato
Don’t be intimidated by making your own crust – this one is so easy and fast, even I can do it.
Makes 2 9×12 pizzas.

Pizza Dough
2 tsp dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp olive oil

Toppings
1/3 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
¾ cup chopped broccoli florets
½ cup thinly sliced wild mushrooms (I used shiitake)
1 medium sweet potato
¼ thinly sliced red onion
1 ½ cups grated cheese (I used Gouda, because that’s all I have)

Preheat oven to 400F or 200C.

First, make the dough. Proof the yeast by mixing it in a bowl with the sugar and water (water should be about the temperature of a hot Jacuzzi). Let it sit 5 minutes until it starts to foam. If it doesn’t foam, throw it out and try again (your water might be too cold or too hot…it should be about 40-45 Celsius). If it still doesn’t work, you might need to get new yeast.

Meanwhile mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture and the oil, and stir together with a spoon. Use your hands to shape it into a ball, and knead it for 2-3 minutes until smooth and homogenous (I like to knead it right in the bowl as it picks up any extra floury bits). Remove the ball of dough from the bowl, grease the bowl with a light coat of oil, and put the dough back in, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise while you prep other ingredients.

Peel sweet potato and chop into ½ inch dice. Toss with a bit of salt, thyme and olive oil, just enough to coat, and roast in oven for about 20 minutes, until cooked through. While potato roasts, prep other vegetables if you have not yet done so.

When potato is done, turn oven up to 500F. Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll each into a 9×12 rectangle (or make circular pizzas, whatever you like!) and place on a baking sheet.

Spread thinly with sun-dried tomato pesto (a little goes a long way, but add more if you want a strong tomato taste). Sprinkle evenly with cheese and toppings. Add some salt, pepper or herbs if you like.

Bake in blazing hot oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and crust is browned.

When Chris and I visited Italy this summer, we bought a bag of organic farro and toted that heavy bag of grain around through Italy, Germany, Egypt, Jordan and Israel. THAT’s how dedicated we are to good food, folks.

Farro is a nutty tasting, chewy [...]]]>

When Chris and I visited Italy this summer, we bought a bag of organic farro and toted that heavy bag of grain around through Italy, Germany, Egypt, Jordan and Israel. THAT’s how dedicated we are to good food, folks.

Farro is a nutty tasting, chewy grain kind of reminiscent of barley (which you can substitute in this recipe if you like). Farro grains are actually whole wheat kernels, which means they’re high in fiber and nutrients and low in calories. Italians tend to use them in soups, we noticed, but they’re also great in salads or as a healthy substitute for rice.

You can find farro at Whole Foods and other organic/health food stores, and some supermarkets. It is sometimes sold under other names, such as spelt or emmer wheat. Look for semi-pearled or farro perlato. This means that part of the husk has been removed, making it less crucial to presoak the farro before cooking.

We finally opened up our bag of farro tonight after I was inspired by a recipe for a farro chicken salad on Epicurious. I started with that recipe, but added chunks of roasted sweet potato and changed the portions around a bit (more chicken, etc…).

Speaking of sweet potato, have you ever noticed that after you peel your sweet potatoes they start sweating a sort of milky white liquid? Apparently some kinds of sweet potatoes do this, and it’s completely harmless – it’s just the starch leaking out a bit.  It did freak me out a bit, but the result was just as delicious as non-milky-liquid-sweating ones.

Hearty Autumn Farro Salad (with Chicken and Sweet Potato)
This hearty salad is a meal in itself and uses seasonal vegetables such as green beans and sweet potato. If you can’t find farro, substitute pearl barley instead – it has a similar chewy texture. This salad uses cooked ingredients and requires a bit of multi-tasking, but the end result is just really really good.  I didn’t bother letting everything cool completely, and the warm chunks of sweet potato were the best part, I thought.

Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main course.

½ cup semi-pearled farro
2 chicken breasts, halved
½ pound green beans, ends snapped off
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp mustard
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400F/200C oven until crisp on the outside, turning once, about 40 minutes.

Boil the farro in a pot of salted boiling water about 20-25 minutes, until tender but still chewy. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper and pan-fry the chicken breasts until cooked through, about 8 minutes on each side (I fried them with a combination of butter and oil, which helped give the meat a nice golden-brown crust). Cool and cut into pieces.

Cook the green beans in a pot of boiling water, about 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain and pat dry with a clean cloth. Cut into 2-inch sections.

Toss the farro, sweet potatoes, chicken pieces, green beans, chives and basil together in a bowl. Whisk together the mustard, olive oil, and vinegar until emulsified, and season with salt and pepper. Toss dressing with salad. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.