The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (41 page)

7.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and sprinkle with flour. Place the dough on top. Cover with another sheet of parchment, and sprinkle with flour. Roll out and stack the remaining dough balls.

8.
Wrap the baking sheet with plastic wrap; refrigerate the pizza dough until ready to use, up to 1 day, or freeze up to 1 month (thaw in the refrigerator before using).

cornmeal pizza dough

MAKES ENOUGH FOR SIX 9-INCH PIZZAS

Follow the recipe for Pizza Dough (recipe above), reducing the all-purpose flour to 5 cups. Stir in 1 cup yellow cornmeal with the flour. Dust with or mix in additional all-purpose flour as directed.

pizza sauce

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS; MAKES ENOUGH FOR SIX 9-INCH PIZZAS

2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled plum tomatoes

¼ cup olive oil

3 sprigs oregano

4 teaspoons coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1.
Crush the tomatoes with your hands in a large bowl. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 40 to 50 minutes.

2.
Pass the sauce through a food mill into a bowl; discard the solids. (Alternatively, process sauce in a food processor until smooth.) If not using immediately, refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.

grilled pizzas with leeks, asparagus, and mushrooms

MAKES SIX 9-INCH PIZZAS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

2 medium leeks, halved lengthwise, cut into thin half-moons, and rinsed well

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

8 ounces thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces

¼ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Pizza Dough (Sandwiches and Savory Pies)

4 ounces Taleggio or other soft cheese (such as Camembert or Brie), sliced

Truffle oil, for drizzling (optional)

1.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the leeks; cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms; cook until tender and juices have evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and wine; cook until the asparagus is bright green and the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the thyme; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2.
Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of the pizza dough with olive oil; grill, oiled side down, until the underside is golden brown and the top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush the top with olive oil; flip the crust. Top with a thin layer of cheese and some of the asparagus mixture. Grill until the cheese is just melted, the topping is hot, and the crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.

3.
Slide the pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with more thyme and with a small amount of truffle oil, if desired. Repeat to make more pizzas.

grilled pizzas with plums, prosciutto, goat cheese, and arugula

MAKES SIX 9-INCH PIZZAS

Cornmeal Pizza Dough (Sandwiches and Savory Pies)

Extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled

4 ounces prosciutto, cut into thin strips

2 large plums or apricots, pitted and cut into thin wedges

2 bunches arugula, trimmed

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of the pizza dough with oil; grill, oiled side down, until the underside is golden brown and the top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush the top with oil; flip the crust. Top with some of the cheese, prosciutto, and plums. Grill until the toppings are hot and the crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.

2.
Slide the pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Drizzle the arugula with oil in a large bowl, and toss. Drizzle the pizza with oil; top with some of the arugula (or serve it on the side). Season with salt and pepper. Repeat to make more pizzas.

grilled pizzas with tomato, avocado, and pepper jack cheese

MAKES SIX 9-INCH PIZZAS

½ medium red onion, finely chopped

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered

2 avocados, preferably Hass, pitted and coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

¹
/
₃
cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes), plus lime wedges for serving (optional)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Cornmeal Pizza Dough (Sandwiches and Savory Pies)

4 ounces coarsely grated pepper Jack cheese (about 1
¹
/
₃
cups)

Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

1.
Toss the onion, tomatoes, and avocados with oil and lime juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

2.
Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of the pizza dough with oil; grill, oiled side down, until the underside is golden brown and the top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush the top with oil; flip the crust. Top with a layer of cheese. Grill until melted and the crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.

3.
Slide the pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Top with avocado mixture. Dot with sour cream and serve with limes, if desired. Repeat to make more pizzas.

grilled quattro formaggi pizzas

MAKES SIX 9-INCH PIZZAS

This Italian classic typically showcases four cheeses (“quattro formaggi”) with different characteristics. For our rendition, we topped the crust with fontina (semifirm), mozzarella (soft and fresh), Gorgonzola (blue-veined), and Pecorino Romano (hard and aged).

Pizza Dough (Sandwiches and Savory Pies)

Extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces coarsely grated fontina cheese (about 1
¹
/
₃
cups)

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

4 ounces Pecorino Romano, thinly shaved

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of the pizza dough with oil; grill, oiled side down, until the underside is golden brown and the top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush the top with oil; flip the crust. Top with a thin layer of all four cheeses. Grill until just melted and the crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.

2.
Slide the pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat to make more pizzas.

summer squash lattice tart

SERVES 6

All-purpose flour, for work surface

½ recipe Martha’s Perfect Pâte Brisée (Basics)

2 medium green zucchini (about 10 ounces)

2 medium yellow squash (about 10 ounces)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large leeks (about 12 ounces), white part only, cut into
¹
/
₃
-inch dice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup grated Gruyère cheese (1 ounce)

1 large whole egg

1 large egg yolk

¼ cup heavy cream

Olive oil, for brushing

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Have ready a 4½
×
14-inch bottomless rectangular tart form or one with a removable bottom on a parchment-lined baking sheet. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 7
×
16-inch rectangle. Fit the dough into the mold, and trim the sides flush with the top of the mold. Transfer the shell to the freezer to chill for 20 minutes.

2.
Remove the shell from the freezer, prick the bottom with a fork, and line with parchment paper cut to fit. Fill with dried beans or metal pie weights. Bake until the crust is just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and remove the beans or weights. Return the crust to the oven, and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven, and set aside on a wire rack.

3.
Using a mandoline or vegetable peeler, very thinly slice 1 green zucchini and 1 yellow squash lengthwise. Place the slices in a colander in a single layer, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Place the colander in a bowl; let drain for 30 minutes.

4.
Cut the remaining zucchini and squash into
¹
/
₃
-inch dice. Melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the leeks and squash, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown but still firm, about 8 minutes. Evenly distribute the cooked vegetables in the crust. Sprinkle the Gruyère on top.

5.
Place the salted squash slices in between double layers of paper towels. Gently press down to remove as much liquid as possible. Alternating squash colors, weave a lattice pattern over the top of the cheese and vegetables, covering the entire surface. Trim or tuck in the ends to fit.

6.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, and cream, and season with salt and pepper. Lift the edges of the lattice in several places, and pour in the egg mixture. Using a pastry brush, coat the lattice with olive oil. Bake, loosely covered with aluminum foil, until the custard is set, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the lattice tart from the oven, and place on a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

red and golden beet cheese tart

MAKES ONE 9 × 13-INCH TART

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1½ disks Martha’s Perfect Pâte Brisée (Basics)

1½ pounds (without greens) red, golden, and Chioggia beets

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Coarse salt

1 pound soft goat cheese, room temperature

4 ounces fresh ricotta cheese (scant ½ cup)

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, plus about 1 teaspoon whole leaves

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup grated fontina cheese

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, place 1½ disks pâte brisée next to each other; roll out to
¹
/
₈
inch thick. Press firmly into a 9
×
13-inch rimmed baking sheet, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Tuck the edges of dough under to create a double thickness; press firmly against the pan. Prick the dough with a fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

2.
Line the shell with parchment or foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Remove the weights and parchment. Let the shell cool completely. (Leave oven on.)

3.
Trim all but ½ inch of stems from the beets; rinse. Toss with the oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet; cover tightly with foil. Roast until the beets are tender, 45 to 60 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets with a paring knife. Cut into thin rounds.

4.
Raise oven temperature to 425°F. Stir together the goat cheese, ricotta, and chopped thyme until well combined; season with pepper. Spread the mixture over the tart shell, filling all the way to edges.

5.
Arrange the beets over the cheese mixture, overlapping the slices slightly and alternating colors. Lightly season with salt. Sprinkle the fontina and whole thyme leaves on top. Lightly drizzle with oil, and then season with pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

pasta, prosciutto, and potato pie

SERVES 6

1¾ pounds russet potatoes (3 to 4 medium)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 scallions, white and light-green parts, finely chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 small dried red chile, crumbled

4 large eggs

4 large egg yolks

¼ cup sour cream

1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

½ large bunch Swiss chard (14 ounces), stemmed and coarsely chopped

¾ pound penne, cooked according to package instructions

¼ pound prosciutto, thinly sliced into ¼-inch strips

3 tablespoons fresh oregano, coarsely chopped

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Peel the potatoes; discard the skin. Mash with a potato masher. Stir the potatoes, butter, and scallions in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Press the potato mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until light golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

2.
Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in the chile. Whisk in the eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, Parmesan, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.