Yes, I do love Trader Joe's. I served this pizza to guests with kids and everyone went nuts. They even liked it better than the pizza on the grill I make in the summer. You can make it with three ingredients, but it really shines if you add a few more. This recipe packs the goodness of whole grains, no rBST cheese, and cooked tomatoes, a great source of lycopene. Most importantly, it tastes great. I served it with an arugula salad topped with shaved Parmigano Reggiano and dressed it with Balsamic vinaigrette (all from TJ's too).
Ingredients: (double to make two pies if serving more than 4)
- 1 Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough
- 1 bottle Trader Joe's fat free Pizza Sauce
- 1 bag Trader Joe's shredded Quattro Formaggio (blend of Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina & Mild Provolone)
- dried oregano (optional)
- good olive oil (optional)
- Place dough on counter to warm up 20 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pizza stone or heavy duty baking sheet large enough to fit a 12 inch pizza in oven. You will be placing the prepared pizza on the hot stone or baking sheet to get the crust to set.
- Liberally flour work surface, preferably a wooden or metal pizza peel.
- Turn dough out onto work surface by turning bag inside out and begin to flatten and widen it with your fingertips or a rolling pin, making sure to not let it stick to the work surface. Flip dough over to get flour on both sides. When you can't get it to stretch anymore using your fingertips or a rolling pin, pick it up and use the tops of your hands to rotate and stretch it, just like you see the pizza chefs doing in pizzerias. Your goal is to make a 12 inch pie.
- Make sure peel is liberally floured under prepared dough, top with sauce leaving 1/4 inch crust, top with cheese, sprinkle with a pinch or two of dried oregano and drizzle with olive oil.
- Transfer dough to hot pizza stone or baking sheet. This is where technique is important and you may want to ask for an assistant. If you have not liberally floured the peel it will stick like mad. Gently transfer dough using short jerky movements. Don't worry if it's not a perfect transfer.
- Cook for 7 minutes or more, depending on your oven. You want the cheese to bubble and start to color around the edges.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for a minute or two, otherwise the cheese will run. Cut into slices using a pizza wheel and serve. Leave it on the stone or baking sheet to keep it hot.
3 comments:
Topic: Pizza. I ran out and bought a pizza stone after learning of your idea. I was pleased that the stone came with a peel, until after I prepared my pizza on the peel and then transferred it to the stone. I then realized that the peel is considerably smaller than the stone. So, if you want a large pizza, and you are assembling on the peel, get a large enough peel. Also, I had my pizza only 6” under the upper element, and this was not enough, because the pizza started to brown before the dough was cooked enough. Now, even a guy who has had an aversion to cooking can whip off an impressive pizza!
Hey guy,
Glad you had success with the pizza. I wonder why the vendor packaged such a small peel with a larger stone? Guess it's time to get a larger one. I just measured my oven to rack span and it's also 6" so not sure why you had that problem. Try moving the rack to the center or bottom of the oven. I have a convection oven so that could explain it. Also, that stone has to be good and hot for the pizza to cook properly. Here's to good cooking!
One bag of TJ's dough (whole wheat for me and my kids) can be divided into three portions. If you are alone, consider removing one third and making a personal pizza. If you have a tendency to eat whatever is in front of you (I do), making a smaller pizza allows you to eat the whole thing! Also, if you want sliding the pizza (uncooked at this stage) from the peel on to the stone to be a snap, the smaller pizza will be so much easier than the full size pie.
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