Grilled-Tomato Pizzettes With Basil and Fontina Cheese

I love Labor Day weekend.  In fact, one year ago this Monday, I married my handsome husband on a sunny beach.  To celebrate the weekend and our anniversary, we have a lot planned.  First, 2 nights up in Napa hosting friends.  I don't want it to be too fussy because I want to relax so these pizzas are a perfect recipe for afternoon grilling by the pool.  I recommend picking up some store-bought dough from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.  Costs just a couple bucks and saves you time.  This would go great with chilled rose. 

 For the Grilled Tomatoes

• 3 pounds plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat grill to high. In a bowl, toss tomatoes with oil and thyme; season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Starting with cut sides down, grill tomatoes until soft and charred, 8 to 12 minutes per side.
3. Return to bowl; cut into rough pieces with kitchen shears

Now, for the pizza!

Grilled-Tomato Pizzettes With Basil and Fontina Cheese
Martha Stewart

• 1/2 recipe Grilled Tomatoes
• 1/2 pound store-bought pizza dough
• Flour, for work surface
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Fontina cheese
• Fresh basil leaves

1. After preparing grilled tomatoes, reduce grill to low. Divide pizza dough into four pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, shape dough into rough 12-inch-long ovals. Alternate between rolling the dough with a pin and stretching it with your hands. If it tears, pinch dough together to patch.
2. Place dough on grill. Cook until lightly charred on one side, 3 to 4 minutes; press lightly with a spatula to deflate any air bubbles.
3. Flip dough; layer with cheese and grilled tomatoes, dividing evenly. Cover grill; cook until cheese melts and bottoms of crusts are charred, 4 to 6 minutes. Garnish with basil.

Grilled-Tomato Pizzettes With Basil and Fontina Cheese

Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza

There will always be the battle between NYC and Chicago- Who's pizza reigns supreme? The truth is that their styles are so different that I find them incomparable. In fact, I love them both. Sometimes I'm in the mood for something thin and crispy and other times (usually in the winter months) I am looking for something more comforting with lots and lots of gooey cheese.

I've lived in NYC and Chicago and both cities have really honed their craft. Lou Malnati's in Chicago and John's of Bleecker Street in NYC are local institutions that are not to be messed with. They are quite serious about their pies. In fact, if you're craving for deep-dish gets out of control you can order it to be delivered in the mail and pop it in the oven at home anywhere in the country. That means that I can enjoy my favorite Lou's pie (spinach and cheese) in my San Francisco living room!

Pizza is great but fresh pizza is amazing. If you have the time, tackle this recipe at home and make your very own deep dish. Sausage is just a suggestion in this case. You can sub in and out as you see fit.

Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water (110° - 115°F.)
• a 1/4-ounce package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for oiling bowl

• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings discarded
• a 14- to 16-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 2 cups grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 pound)

Make dough:
In a large bowl dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour, cornmeal, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil and blend until mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

(Alternatively, dough may be made in a food processor. Proof yeast as described above. In the food processor process yeast mixture with 2 1/4 cups flour, cornmeal, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil until mixture forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if too dry or some of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if too wet, and knead dough by processing it 15 seconds more.)

Put dough, prepared by either method, in a deep oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

While dough is rising, in a heavy skillet cook sausage over moderately high heat, breaking up lumps, until no longer pink and stir in tomatoes, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer sausage mixture to paper towels to drain and cool.

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Punch down dough and knead 4 times. In an oiled 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet, press dough with oiled finger until it comes 2 inches up the side and is an even thickness on bottom. Let dough rise, covered loosely with plastic wrap, in a warm place 15 minutes.

Sprinkle dough with half of mozzarella and top with sausage mixture and remaining cheese. Bake pizza in lower third of an electric oven or on floor of a gas oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F. and bake 10 minutes more, or until crust is golden.

Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza

The Chameleon: Boboli Crust

Boboli pizza crust is nothing special. You can find it anywhere. Actually, the brand even makes its own pasta sauces and more generic offerings these days and are available in just about every grocery store. But these crusts can really take a new meaning if you don't actually use them for making pizza.

First off, props to my Aunt Kristi who has been using this bread as everything BUT pizza crust since I can remember. Now, I see crusts like these served alongside some roasted garlic and blue cheese ( a Tra Vigne classic), next to pasta with some olive oil or other innovative ways. In fact, I used it as an 'English Muffin' for my Eggs Benedict with pesto hollandaise (had to throw the pesto in there because it was so dang good) the other day. Best part was I grilled it instead of baked it so it took a whole new dimension and gave it some presentation flare, too. So stock up on this stuff cause you never know when it will come handy.

The Chameleon: Boboli Crust

La Madia

I had heard great things about La Madia from friends that have gone since its October opening. After a late night at the office, a couple co-workers and I decided to go grab a bite. After all, it's only 4 blocks from the office at 59. W. Grand.

The exterior looks a lot like Blackbird from the outside. It has a pretty expansive dinning room with a contemporary minimalist interior. A perfect place for a first date or bite with friends because it’s trendy but won’t break the bank.

As an upscale pizzeria, their pizzas certainly deliver. I HIGHLY recommend their pepperoni (3 kinds) pizza with truffle oil. I almost licked the plate. Their classic Parma was a little lacking. For those that order it in the future, I would ask for a couple of lemons to squeeze on the arugula. At least on ours it needed a touch of citrus. Pizzas run from 9-15 dollars and wines average about 9 a glass. 1 pizza for 2 people is plenty.

La Madia