Mmm…
Making a margherita pizza tonight with many scrumptious local ingredients. It’s also sort of a Norwich Route 5 pizza, because Killdeer is just down the road from King Arthur Flour, and most of the ingredients were purchased at these favorite spots. The fresh mozz is sold at Killdeer and made at Maplebrook Farm, in Bennington, VT–another of my old hometowns. We lived on a straight-uphill narrow dead-end road preposterously, or optimistically, named Crescent Boulevard.
Traditionally, the only toppings on Margherita are sliced tomato and mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil. I may jazz it up a bit, though. It’s been a long rainy day.
I also want to avoid a scuffle with the carabinieri. I think it’s illegal to call my pizza “Margherita,” which is a designation protected by the E.U.–like “Champagne” or “Manchego.”
Jazzed-Up Margherita Pizza
for the crust:
1 c. warm water
1 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. olive oil
3 c. unbleached flour
fresh, local tomatoes
fresh, local basil (or homemade pesto)
fresh, local mozzarella
(And… stepping out of the locavore range by a long shot… kalamata olives or anchovies for kick)
Mix the dough, let rise for an hour. Flatten and stretch on a semolina-dusted pan. Pre-heat oven to 425. Let the crust rise up a bit more, and then strew with the toppings. Bake until the cheese is golden and sizzling.
Oops… I overloaded it.
The Roving Locavore 