The one thing I have learned over the many years of failures is to make sure all my ingredients are fresh and NOT expired. A no-brainer, right? When you are a non-baker, like me, your flour tends to sit and sit in the cupboard for months upon months. So, my first task was to check what I had on hand and buy the rest, which was pretty much everything!
After pondering for a few days, I decided to make individual Pizza Pot Pies using Donna’s recipe for Whole Wheat and Parmesan Pizza Crust for the top crust. Also, I had just bought a set of Fiesta 9-inch individual oval casserole dishes that would work perfectly.
Most of the ingredients in the filling are what you would use on a traditional pizza. I added carrots and celery because I love to sneak healthy vegetables into my dishes when I can. You can modify the filling to include your favorite pizza ingredients.
Ready or not, off I went to conquer my phobia.
Be sure and scroll all the way to the bottom for my notes on how things went.
by Linda
Adapted from: Whole Wheat and Parmesan Pizza Crust, page 129 in Make Ahead Bread:100 Recipes for Melt-in-Your-Mouth Fresh Bread Every Day by Donna Currie
Ingredients for Pizza Crust:
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon instant yeast
3 cups bread flour, divided
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon olive oil + more for brushing tops
Cornmeal
Ingredients for Filling:
1 large (28-ounce) can of San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes
2 cubes of Dorot Crushed Garlic
4 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
4 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Olive oil
1 package Italian sausage, casing removed
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 small carrots finely chopped
3 mini-bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 package Italian sausage, casing removed
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 small carrots finely chopped
3 mini-bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup pepperoni, roughly chopped
1 cup white button mushrooms, chopped
1 11.5-ounce can tomato juice
Additional ingredients needed:
1 1/2 cups Italian Cheese Blend (Mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano)
Directions for pizza crust:
1. Combine the water, sugar, yeast and 2 cups of bread flour in large mixing bowl.
2. Using dough hook attachment on stand mixer, thoroughly mix ingredients.
3. Allow ingredients to rest in mixing bowl for 10 minutes.
4. Add the remaining 1 cup of bread flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour to the mixture.
5. Again, using the dough hook attachment on stand mixer, mix ingredients together/knead until dough looks smooth.
6. Add the kosher salt and Parmesan cheese to the dough. Continue to knead until thoroughly mixed.
7. Add olive oil to a gallon size zip-lock bag.
8. Place dough in bag and close. Flip bag several times to coat dough with olive oil.
9. Place in refrigerator overnight.
10. The next day, after you have made your filling and it is simmering on the stove, remove dough from refrigerator.
11. Preheat oven to 450°F.
12. Turn dough out on floured surface and divide into four equal pieces.
13. This recipe makes three individual casseroles, so return one piece to the zip-lock/refrigerator and use for mini-pizzas the next day. The dough should be used within 2 days.
14. You are going to want to form each piece into a disc about 3 inches in diameter.
15. Roll dough into an oval. Don’t roll too thin!! You want your dough to be a little thicker than a pizza crust. You can use one of your casserole dishes as a guide to get the right size and oval shape. Cut any extra dough off with a pizza cutter.
16. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
17. Lightly sprinkle cornmeal on the parchment paper.
18. Place pizza crust tops on parchment paper.
19. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until crust are nicely brown on top.
Directions for filling:
1. Place tomatoes, garlic and basil in blender, pulse 4-5 times. Set aside.
2. Drizzle olive oil in large Dutch oven.
3. Add Italian sausage to Dutch oven and brown.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
5. Add onion, celery, carrots and peppers to Dutch oven.
6. Sauté until onions are translucent.
7. Add tomato/garlic/basil mixture, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
8. Reduce heat to low.
9. Add sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and 1/2 of the can of tomato juice.
10. Check frequently and add more tomato juice, as needed.
11. Simmer for 30-35 minutes until celery and carrots are tender.
To Assemble Pizza Pot Pies:
1. Divide filling amongst the three 9-inch individual casserole dishes.
2. Cover each dish with 1/2 cup of Italian cheese blend.
3. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted/bubbling.
4. Remove from oven.
5. Using a large spatula, carefully slide one pizza crust on top of each dish.
6. Serve immediately.
Notes: My husband and I split one individual casserole dish. So, I would say you can get 3-6 servings, depending on appetites!
This is a very rustic dish and you are going to get messy! Break off a piece of the pizza crust topping and pile on the filling and cheese. There are a lot of great flavors and Donna’s Whole Wheat and Parmesan Pizza Crust is the best.
As a novice pizza maker, Donna’s recipe was easy to follow and gave me great results. I need to practice on my rolling technique, but I will get there in time. I think I have conquered my phobia...well, at least when it comes to pizza dough!!
Enjoy!
1 cup white button mushrooms, chopped
1 11.5-ounce can tomato juice
Additional ingredients needed:
1 1/2 cups Italian Cheese Blend (Mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano)
Directions for pizza crust:
1. Combine the water, sugar, yeast and 2 cups of bread flour in large mixing bowl.
2. Using dough hook attachment on stand mixer, thoroughly mix ingredients.
3. Allow ingredients to rest in mixing bowl for 10 minutes.
4. Add the remaining 1 cup of bread flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour to the mixture.
5. Again, using the dough hook attachment on stand mixer, mix ingredients together/knead until dough looks smooth.
6. Add the kosher salt and Parmesan cheese to the dough. Continue to knead until thoroughly mixed.
7. Add olive oil to a gallon size zip-lock bag.
8. Place dough in bag and close. Flip bag several times to coat dough with olive oil.
9. Place in refrigerator overnight.
10. The next day, after you have made your filling and it is simmering on the stove, remove dough from refrigerator.
11. Preheat oven to 450°F.
12. Turn dough out on floured surface and divide into four equal pieces.
13. This recipe makes three individual casseroles, so return one piece to the zip-lock/refrigerator and use for mini-pizzas the next day. The dough should be used within 2 days.
14. You are going to want to form each piece into a disc about 3 inches in diameter.
15. Roll dough into an oval. Don’t roll too thin!! You want your dough to be a little thicker than a pizza crust. You can use one of your casserole dishes as a guide to get the right size and oval shape. Cut any extra dough off with a pizza cutter.
16. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
17. Lightly sprinkle cornmeal on the parchment paper.
18. Place pizza crust tops on parchment paper.
19. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until crust are nicely brown on top.
Directions for filling:
1. Place tomatoes, garlic and basil in blender, pulse 4-5 times. Set aside.
2. Drizzle olive oil in large Dutch oven.
3. Add Italian sausage to Dutch oven and brown.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
5. Add onion, celery, carrots and peppers to Dutch oven.
6. Sauté until onions are translucent.
7. Add tomato/garlic/basil mixture, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
8. Reduce heat to low.
9. Add sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and 1/2 of the can of tomato juice.
10. Check frequently and add more tomato juice, as needed.
11. Simmer for 30-35 minutes until celery and carrots are tender.
To Assemble Pizza Pot Pies:
1. Divide filling amongst the three 9-inch individual casserole dishes.
2. Cover each dish with 1/2 cup of Italian cheese blend.
3. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted/bubbling.
4. Remove from oven.
5. Using a large spatula, carefully slide one pizza crust on top of each dish.
6. Serve immediately.
Notes: My husband and I split one individual casserole dish. So, I would say you can get 3-6 servings, depending on appetites!
This is a very rustic dish and you are going to get messy! Break off a piece of the pizza crust topping and pile on the filling and cheese. There are a lot of great flavors and Donna’s Whole Wheat and Parmesan Pizza Crust is the best.
As a novice pizza maker, Donna’s recipe was easy to follow and gave me great results. I need to practice on my rolling technique, but I will get there in time. I think I have conquered my phobia...well, at least when it comes to pizza dough!!
Enjoy!
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