And, finally, back to the beginning
As the year ends, and I look back, I see the start of my baking experience. And it’s Pizza! Making pizza is part cooking and part baking. Pizza is a good segue, a path for a cook to start becoming a baker.
My last bake of the year was two pies: a main course pizza of sausage, fresh Mozzarella, and two sauces, and a “dessert pizza” of Bosc pear, Walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese, drizzled with a Balsamic reduction.
The sausage pizza features a dough made with Stan Ginsburg’s personally imported Tipo 00 flour, fresh homemade pesto, the tomato sauce from TFL’s Pizza Primer, and homemade Turkey sausage from a recipe Brother David provided to me some time ago. I hadn’t planned on two sauces until I saw the beautiful fresh basil at the store, and we already had pine nuts and fresh Parmesan, so what was I to do?
I painted a “tricolore” pizza.
Then added sausage and Mozzarella.
And baked it on the stone for 10 minutes at 500F.
The other pizza was really special. Beautiful pears, walnuts and delicious mild Gorgonzola. After baking, it was drizzled with Balsamic syrup I made by boiling down some good Balsamic vinegar.
Both pizzas were enjoyed with good friends and good wine. I look forward to more such meals in the new year. And I look forward to sharing baking ideas and experiences with all of you, my TFL compadres. Thanks for all the good times, the support, and the guidance.
Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year, as the sun sets on 2010.
Best,
Glenn