August 19, 2014

adventures with pizza

Due to my odd stomach patterns I don't often eat pizza. Especially, in restaurants.
Cheese+bread+grease is a no go for this girl. Unless of course, I want to be in curled up in a ball on the couch with stomach pains. Typically, I like to forgo that option (although, I have been known to make that decision and in less than an hour after devouring something I shouldn't have regretting what I had done). It's sad really. I love pizza. I mean, who doesn't. I've often told people I don't like pizza just to avoid a stomach ache, but only to receive the "are you crazy" look.

I have found what does work. Homemade pizza. I get to chose how much cheese, what goes in the dough, and the toppings. So pretty much, I get to chose how bad of a stomach ache I'll have that night. I was able to convince my husband that we needed to register for a pizza stone. I was (and still am) determined to show him why they are such a win. Having crispy crust brings the pizza to the next level.

Twice now, I have attempted to make homemade pizza. You've probably read labels with special instructions for cooking in altitude. I've always put those instructions on the back burner, thinking it didn't really make a difference. Well. I was wrong.

The first time around my pizza dough was sticky. Everything I touched had dough on it. The recipe doubled in size because I added so much flour. To my surprise, it rose. Like a lot. Thankfully, I had an extra hand in getting my dough in the oven. My attempt to get the sticky pizza on the pizza stone failed. My poor husband had to see me get frustrated and say things I don't really mean, but only come out when I'm annoyed with myself. I ended up not using the stone. Fail.



The second time around, nothing. The dough didn't rise an inch. Flatbread pizza perhaps? Not quite, but at least the toppings tasted good. This night I made BBQ Chicken Pizza. I got smart and assembled the pizza on the stone. Not entirely the correct way of using a stone, but hey at least I had circular pizza this time around.

Lesson learned: do research before baking/cooking in altitude. Altitude really does mess things up. Second: it's okay if your pizza isn't perfect. Enjoy your attempt at being a homemaker.

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