Sometimes it tickles me to realize what a sliver of things show up in this little blog life of mine. For instance, an abbreviated list of the wide expanse of Things that Happen and are Not Pictured in my Non-Blog Life:
- Dishes
- Cleaning up artful mess
- Cleaning up artless mess
- Fits of food rage (RIP mini cakes)
- More dishes
- Realizing a long time later that I forgot to clean up artful mess because I was too excited about eating
- Sometimes work
- DISHES
- Spilling flour
- Spilling everything else
- Lots and lots of delivery pizza*
*By delivery, I really only mean Papa John’s. I know, I know, in New York. A New York slice is a thing much appreciated. But for elastic-waistband-pigging-out, there’s no love like our Papa J’s love, y’all. To the point where we’ve adapted their weekly specials into our everyday vocabulary (“Early Week Mania” Monday through Wednesday guys, just sayin’).
Between living in New York and living on Papa John’s, it’s a serious recipe indeed that can inspire me to try a homemade version — made only from the stuff of legends as fabled as Jim Lahey’s no-knead pizza dough. (Heralded here, and here … and here … and here!) I’m not convinced that every baked good can be made no-knead to be just as delicious as its traditional counterpart, but between Artisan Bread in Five’s brioche and this pizza, no-knead is making a compelling argument.
The entire pizza is a little bit of an exercise in slow, patient food, which is perhaps what makes it so good in the end. The no-knead dough sits for a full day, chilling out and acquiring words like “artisanal” and “complex” as it goes; the garlic is gradually roasted into something that is aromatic and pungent yet subtly sweet and, when mashed, tastes like grown-up mashed potatoes with sass and panache; the onions are sautéed low and slow until they’re jammy and sugary, with a splash of balsamic vinaigrette for extra depth. But all of it is autopilot easy, and the result is a pizza that’s good enough to, yes, make us forget all about peperoncini peppers and little cups of Garlic Dipping Substance. (For now.)
Spinach, caramelized onion & roasted garlic white pizza.
Ingredients
- for the dough:
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp active dry yeast* (see Notes)
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
- for the garlic paste:
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 1–2 tsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling during roasting
- 2–3 tsp milk or cream
- pinch crushed red chili pepper
- for the toppings:
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- 2 cups spinach
- oil for sautéing
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1–2 cups shredded mozzarella (sub with half provolone if desired)
- for baking:
- about 1 tbsp cornmeal, or however much is needed to prepare baking surface
- 1–2 tsp olive oil, for brushing the dough before topping
Instructions
- For the dough: In a small bowl, combine water and honey, if using, and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast overtop the water and let proof for a few minutes. In a large bowl, sift together flour and salt, then add the yeast mixture and stir until it forms a sticky dough. (Proofing the yeast isn’t required in Lahey’s recipe or most adaptations of it — you can really just combine all the dough ingredients in a large bowl and mix.)
- Cover bowl with plastic and keep at room temperature for approximately 18 hours, or until the dough has more than doubled. ( Note: If you’re like me and you tend to forget to do this the night before, just double the yeast and the dough will rise in 6-8 hours instead, but with a flavor that is still comparable, in my opinion.)
- For the garlic paste: About an hour before the dough is ready, start by roasting the garlic. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice off the top of the garlic bulb so that each clove is exposed. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over top, rubbing each clove to make sure the oil is well-distributed, then wrap in foil and bake for 30 minutes. The garlic should be soft when pressed when it’s done.
- Take the roasted garlic and pop out the cloves by squeezing, or with a fork. Combine with one teaspoon olive oil, two teaspoons of milk, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper (optional), and mash with a potato masher or whiz in a food processor until it becomes a paste.
- For the toppings: While the garlic is baking (or after, if you’re bad at multitasking like I am), caramelize the onions. I do this by heating a few teaspoons of oil over medium-low heat in a large cast-iron skillet or saucepan, and spreading the onions in a single layer evenly across the pan. Stir until onions are evenly coated with oil, then let the onions sizzle gently in the pan for at least 30 minutes and up to 45-50, stirring no more than once every 5-10 minutes. Once onions are very soft, jammy, and smell deeply sweet, they’re done. In the last five minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste; I also like to drizzle a little bit of balsamic vinegar in the last five minutes to loosen the fond and to add a bit of extra flavor, but you can feel free to use water, chicken stock, or a bit of wine for the same effect. When done, set aside.
- Heat a bit of oil in a saucepan and sauté the spinach until just wilted, seasoning with salt and pepper as desired, drain any liquid, and set aside.
- To bake: When the dough is ready, prepare your baking surface by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal. I used a cast-iron skillet and found it to work wonderfully, though you can also use a baking sheet or, of course, a pizza stone. Preheat your oven to its hottest setting, about 500-550 degrees F. You can preheat the skillet or pizza stone if you like, but I didn’t and found my pizza to be just fine.
- Scrape the dough out of your bowl onto a well-floured surface. It should be quite sticky and soft. Flour the top of the dough, then divide the dough in half and form them into ball shapes by tucking the edges underneath itself. If you’re baking these one at a time, cover one ball of dough with a damp towel while you prepare the other.
- Gently press, shape, and stretch the dough into a flat circle or rectangle however you like (I’m no pizza shaping expert!) Again, I used a 10-inch cast-iron skillet for this, so I shaped the dough into two 10-inch rounds.
- Brush a small amount of olive oil over the dough, then spread the garlic paste in an even layer across it. Sprinkle desired amount of cheese over that (I like a mixture of mozzarella and provolone if I’m feeling spendy), then your caramelized onions and spinach. I’ve also added turkey bacon (or you could use regular bacon).
- Bake at 500 for 10-12 minutes, or until the pizza reaches your desired brownness. Slice and stuff face.
Notes
If you’re looking for a shorter rise time, double the yeast to 1/4 tsp and all you need will be 6-8 hours before the dough is ready to bake.
Finally, I know this white pizza is a bit untraditional in that it doesn’t contain ricotta — feel free to whisk it into the garlic paste or add a layer on your pizza if that’s your jam.
Cristina
As of last weekend, I have deemed it officially the start of pizza grilling season. This lovely confluence of roasted garlic and caramelized onions will have to be taken for a spin soon. I’m also on a spinach kick thanks to Central Valley Farm (find them at Borough Hall or Union Square)–it is so sweet right now. I keep meaning to try this Jim Lahey recipe, but alas–it is so much easier to buy Brooklyn Larder’s dough to stash in my freezer!
tworedbowls
Oh my gosh, thanks for the heads-up on Central Valley Farm spinach! I’ll have to check it out ASAP. (And love the idea of buying dough premade… also something I’ll have to do soon.) Thanks for stopping by, Cristina!!
cakeoversteak
Robert and I LOVE to make homemade pizza (when we’re not ordering Dominos …), and this sounds like one of our ideal pizza creations. You can’t go wrong with caramelized onions, spinach and roasted garlic. Well done, friend. 😀
tworedbowls
Yes!!! With the abundance of pizza in New York (and from Domino’s and PJ’s) I never thought I’d want to make homemade pizza, but there’s definitely something to it. Hope we can share a slice next time you’re in NY, friend <3 I'm so sorry it didn't work out this time 🙁
cakeoversteak
Yes! But don’t worry – we’ll be back. It’s gonna happen. 😀
nadel&gabelw
This sounds amazingly yummy … and I have all ingredients at home 🙂
tworedbowls
Yay!! I hope you like it if you try it :):)
molly yeh
omgomgomgomg i love that you live in new york and get papa john’s. when i lived there, eggboy and i would sheepishly get domino’s and feel so bad about it but it was SOOO GOOOOD!
tworedbowls
HAHA omg YES. Sheepish is so the right word — I’m so glad we’re not the only ones! And now I’m craving Domino’s. (Also… ONE WEEK!!)
erika
Lolol “fits of food rage (RIP mini cakes)” <– um, how many times has THAT happened in my kitchen. Don't ask. I am actually quite the adoring fan of Papa John's too…oh their chewy, poofy crust. Sigh. But this pizza. THIS PIZZA. I've been craving onions lately, weirdly, so this combo looks + sounds absolutely FANTASTIC! Also, cleaning up messes? Girl, you must be the queen because every photo of yours is a BEAUTIFUL mess (emphasis on the beautiful, substituting "creation" for "mess," that is…)
tworedbowls
Hahaha aww you are too sweet. And omg yesssss that crust. PPJ’s solidarity, lady! (Insert fist bump emoticon here). And UM, hope you are having the time of your life right now in Europe!!
Sini | my blue&white kitchen
I’m drooling here on the other side of the ocean…wish I lived closer. Speaking of no-knead: I’ve lived my life with the power of Bread in 5 for the last one and a half weeks. So yes, this pizza fits into my no-knead mania quite perfectly. Also, loved your real life list! It’s so…real.
tworedbowls
YES Bread in 5!!! I can’t wait to see a peek of what you’ve been creating with their recipes if you plan to share 😀
thatumamilife
This looks fantastic! After making my own dough for dumplings recently (albeit a much much simpler recipe than this beauty here) I am big believer in enduring the wait for good, “artisan” homemade stuff and would gladly wait 24 hours for a pizza this tasty-seeming.
http://thatumamilife.wordpress.com – a clean eating bento blog. Japanese or Asian-inspired!
tworedbowls
Oh man, isn’t it crazy how gorgeously simple dumpling dough is? Can’t wait to see your take on it if you post it! And thanks so much for the kind words, as always <3
Lan | morestomach
anything worth making is worth making right — a pizza dough that requires forethought and planning! i haven’t ordered pizza delivery in so long but i would certainly order this gem from you. do you take take-out orders? 🙂
tworedbowls
Hahaha! I’d take dine-in if it meant we got to hang, Lan!! 😉
Chef Chow
you are tooo funny. Great Job!
tworedbowls
Haha! Thanks so much 🙂
dinnersforwinners
This is perfection! I love skillet-pizzas but mine have never been so pretty, or with such a wonderful combination of flavors. Garlic paste = YESSSS
tworedbowls
Oh man, garlic paste is my undoing 😉 Thanks so much!
pinkpatisserie
I adore a skillet pizza too! My uncle used to make them and call them Chicago style deep dish. Not sure if that’s really accurate or not but I didn’t care! It was awesome. And that garlic paste? I think that should be my middle name..
tworedbowls
Haha! Mine too — we should start a clan. (We’d all have such fresh breath all the time…) Thanks so much, Maria!
Pang
After reading your post, I think I am going to start a “clean up for Food Bloggers ONLY” business!!!! Forget my own food blog, man!!! I get to see other people’s beautiful mess, and I get to clean it, too!!!!! (I have a little bit of a “Monica” in me, can you tell?)
You keep “telling” me that Brioche & this pizza dough are easy. OK, fine, you win. I am going to try those recipes of yours because all your photos are so mouthwatering I can’t take it anymore 🙂
tworedbowls
HAHA! Omg you would have so much business from me alone — I feel like I never stop cleaning / making huge messes. And yeeeesss please try it, Pang!!! I feel like your take would be so gorgeous 🙂
steph
if i lived in NYC i think i’d be calling two red bowls for delivery, just saying 😉 i LOVE delivery. there is nothing better than hanging out in stretchy pants and eating cheesy, ooey gooey slices of pizza. i haven’t ordered from papa john’s though. i think i need to remedy that!!
thanks for the shout-out too! xoxo
tworedbowls
Oh man, never from Papa J’s?! I would say you’re missing out, but… well, it is a nationwide delivery chain. With questionable garlic dipping substance. So … maaybe not. 😉
Shari Kelley
This pizza looks just heavenly! You had me at caramelized onions, but then you add garlic and spinach, too – such a great combination of flavors! I really understand what you mean about blogger messes. I just had to deglaze my kitchen after many sessions of making glaze for scones. There was powdered sugar everywhere! I had just started to regain control of the dish situation, when I started a new mess with different ingredients!:)The life of a blogger (totally worth it though).
tworedbowls
Oh my gosh, powdered sugar is the WORST. And messes that blend into messes — story of my weekend 😉 But, like you said, totally worth it!! Thanks so much for the kind words, Shari!
leahgreenbergdavis
This looks so good! I have never made pizza at home, but definitely want to give it a try. I’ve never heard about using a skillet, but I’m so excited about that idea. I’ve been hesitant to go buy a pizza stone because I’m not sure how much we would use it. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe!!
tworedbowls
Yes! Those were my thoughts exactly re: getting a pizza stone. I haven’t baked pizza on anything other than my skillet, but I’ve been pretty thrilled with the results so far. Hope you like it if you try it 🙂 Thanks so much, Leah!
Krizia
“tastes like grown-up mashed potatoes with sass and panache”…can I BE this garlic, plz.?
tworedbowls
LOL — right?! Hope you and the girls are doing wonderfully, Krizia <3
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
This is my dream pizza, love your toppers!
tworedbowls
Thank you so much, Laura!
Jessica (Coco & Mingo)
Ah, such a pretty and yummy looking pizza, Cynthia!! My bf and I want to tackle the hurdle of making homemade pizza one day soon, so I will add this list to our recipe index! yay!! Thank you!! Caramelized onions, spinach, and garlic – all my favorite things to put on a pizza! Also, I like that you have the option of honey to the dough! Just too good!
tworedbowls
I thought of you when I made this, lady!! Finally something vegetarian — lmao. It happens once in a blue moon 😉 I hope you like this if you try it — it’s really so easy. The dough can be a little scary and soft, but just remember it doesn’t really matter what the pizza is shaped like as long as it tastes good :):)
Jessica (Coco & Mingo)
P.S. forgot to tell you that I love your “messes” in your photos! They are perfect messes! And makes the recipes so much more approachable, mostly because I know my counter will look worse than that after making it 🙂
tworedbowls
<3<3 You're too sweet, Jess! Happy Friday :)
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
So, so, many dishes not pictured in the blog life!! haha, but the food we make is totally worth it. Love this pizza!
tworedbowls
LOL right? Thanks so much, Katrina 🙂
Lindsey
i’ve never had papa john’s before, but if its anything like this pie then i’m sure it’s quite good! skillet pizza is amazing, much like anything that’s cooked or baked in a skillet. and white pizza..omgosh, my favorite growing up. and garlic paste, caramelized onions + spinach, are things that need to be together always! nothing but love for this post, cynthia!
tworedbowls
You’re the second person who’s never had Papa John’s and I’m amazed but in admiration. I am pretty sure your life has constantly been at a higher elevation of well-being for that fact… baha! (And the fact that you always eat so wonderfully, too!) Thanks so much for your kind words, lady!
Kathleen
Your photos are SO beautiful, I would never know you had, ‘fits of food rage’. Though I can totally relate! 😉 This recipe looks fabulous – can’t wait to try! And congrats on the Saveur nomination!!!
cynthia
Haha! I’m glad I managed to hide it — LOL. Thank you so much for such kind words, Kathleen!
Sarah | The Sugar Hit
SOOOOO much of my life goes unphotographed. Nobody needs to see that many pictures of me in pyjamas eating pizza. But I might photograph it if it was this pizza, because DAYYUMMMM, it’s fine.
tworedbowls
HAHA right?! So much pizza… so many dishes. So much couch potato. Thanks, Sarah!! 🙂
Tieghan
Oh man, your list of things that don’t make it on the blog looks a lot like mine. Ha. So many dishes! 🙁
Love the pizza. it’s gorgeous and the flavors sound so good!
tworedbowls
SO many dishes!! Hahaha. I wonder how many gallons of water are expended per day for the grand cause of the web log. (I don’t think I want to know.) Thank you so much for your kind words, Tieghan!
Julia @Vikalinka
So many bloggers show their photo setup. I wouldn’t dare!! What you see is an artfully arranged bit of space carefully balanced on a old trunk or a 100 year old table I would never eat on!! Perhaps too much information, and disappointment will follow but such is life of a food blogger. That pizza looks incredible! I would eat it every Friday,(pizza night at out house) Papa John’s, on the other hand, NEVER!!
Renee @ AFS
It looks beyond scrumptious, so perfect. I want to dive in there right now (:
Cate @ Chez CateyLou
So many dishes, all the time!!!!!!! But worth it when meals like this are the result – this pizza looks so fabulous! What great flavors. And we are partial to Dominoes, but share your dirty secret of ordering chain delivery pizza in NYC…don’t tell…
cheri
Love white pizza and this recipe sounds delicious, great combination of flavors. Your pictures are absolutely stunning!
renee (will frolic for food)
serious LOL at “fits of food rage” over mini cakes. i’ve so been there. also, yes to all of those things you listed. that’s real life. not to mention “my partner waiting for me to stop taking pictures so he can eat pizza.” <3
girlinbrogues
I love the idea of garlic paste on pizza!
Saskia / girlinbrogues.com
Carol
it is ALL about the Garlic Dipping Substance.
Anne
That looks wonderful! My first memory of making pizza was making dough in the bread machine and then flattening it and squeezing “pizza sauce” over it. The “pizza sauce” was actually ketchup and we sprinkled some random cheese and toppings on. Nothing authentic… Give me a break! We had just moved here from China!
Jessica's Dinner Partyht
I agree! When something is so easily attainable and also so super delicious, it’s hard to get up and be “artisanal.” But it’s those times when you do start making a little effort that you realize a little work is so worth it!
Na
Cynthia, what a great idea to use a cast iron pan. I’m gonna give this a try next I make pizza for the girls!
Naz
oops – I hit submit too soon. It’s Naz not “Na”!
bec {daisy and the fox}
yumm!! this looks absolutely heavenly.
plus it’s no knead – win win!!
we always seem to make to dough the kneading way – but there’s nothing better than letting the dough do all the work
the flavours in these are just singing to me 🙂
and your food photography is so good!
i’m so glad to of stumbled across your blog – it’s fantastic!
looking forward to your next post
Bec {Daisy and the Fox}
http://www.daisyandthefox.wordpress.com