While in Vermont this past weekend, my family and I made a visit to Crowley Cheese. This company, located in Mt. Holly VT, has been in operation since the 1800's. There we were given an explanation of the cheese-making process they use, along with a cheese tasting of all the varieties of gouda that they make. I came home with a bar of their Garlic Smoked cheese. On the way home, we also picked up smoked bacon from Singleton's store in Proctorsville, VT. These items inspired the smoked BLT pizza I made last night!
First, start with the dough.
First, start with the dough.
I make a quick and simple dough from scratch. While it's rising, I prepared the other ingredients to top the pizza: Made the sauce, sliced tomatoes, grated cheese, and fried the bacon. | |
This pizza took a bit longer than what I usually make, but it was worth the extra time!
Pizza Dough:
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 packet yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
-Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, stir to combine and let sit until the mixture starts to bubble. Then, stir in the oil.
-Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients. When the yeast mixture is ready, pour it into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Knead for about 1 minute. Place in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat with a thin layer of oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes - 1 hour.
Smoked BLT pizza:
2 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
6-7 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup shredded smoked cheese (I used Smoked Garlic gouda)
2 cups arugula, washed
1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- When the dough has risen, stretch and pat the dough into a greased cookie sheet with sides (18"x11")
-Bake the dough for 10 minutes
-Combine 2 T olive oil, basil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Spread onto the pre-baked crust.
-Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the crust
-Lay the tomato slices over the cheese in a single layer
-Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top of the cheese
-Sprinkle 3/4 cup of smoked cheese on top of the bacon
-Return the pizza to the oven and bake for 8-9 minutes, until the cheese is melted and turns brown on the edges
-Meanwhile, combine the arugula with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar. Toss to coat.
-Cover the finished pizza with arugula.
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 packet yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
-Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, stir to combine and let sit until the mixture starts to bubble. Then, stir in the oil.
-Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients. When the yeast mixture is ready, pour it into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Knead for about 1 minute. Place in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat with a thin layer of oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes - 1 hour.
Smoked BLT pizza:
2 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
6-7 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup shredded smoked cheese (I used Smoked Garlic gouda)
2 cups arugula, washed
1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- When the dough has risen, stretch and pat the dough into a greased cookie sheet with sides (18"x11")
-Bake the dough for 10 minutes
-Combine 2 T olive oil, basil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Spread onto the pre-baked crust.
-Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the crust
-Lay the tomato slices over the cheese in a single layer
-Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top of the cheese
-Sprinkle 3/4 cup of smoked cheese on top of the bacon
-Return the pizza to the oven and bake for 8-9 minutes, until the cheese is melted and turns brown on the edges
-Meanwhile, combine the arugula with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar. Toss to coat.
-Cover the finished pizza with arugula.