Nothing says ‘love’ like homemade pizza
It’s hot, steamy and delicious — and sure to leave your Valentine wanting more
“I think careful cooking is love,” Julia Child once said. “The loveliest thing you can cook for someone who’s close to you is about as nice a Valentine as you can give.”
In that spirit, and in her memory, I’m sharing an elegant seafood pizza that’s sure to delight your Valentine.
There’s nothing as satisfying as a good pizza or as disappointing as a poor one. Most pizza lovers have firm preferences determined by geography, availability and memories. Once you discover how easy it is to make your own, you can hit the mark every time.
Today’s pizza sits upon a crust I learned to make from Julia Child back in the 1980s at a cooking school at the Robert Mondavi Winery in California’s Napa Valley. I was disappointed when the legendary author of Mastering the Art of French Cooking told us she was going to teach us to make pizza. Given the stiff tuition, it seemed a lacklustre choice. Yet pizza turned out to be the hit of the five-day course.
Julia made crispy pies with all sorts of toppings. For Valentine’s Day, try Chef Michel Roux’s West Coast shellfish version.
JULIA CHILD’S PIZZA
To simulate a pizza oven, line your oven rack with unglazed tiles or a baking stone and preheat for at least 30 minutes.
3 cups (750 mL) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. (15 mL) dry yeast
½ cup (125 mL) warm water (105-115°F)
1 cup (250 mL) warm milk (105-115°F)
2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil
1½ tsp (7 mL) salt
Measure flour into food processor and pulse to aerate.
Sprinkle yeast over warm water and let stand until foamy and dissolved, about 10 minutes.
With processor running, pour yeast mixture and milk through the feed tube. Process until dough forms a ball. Add oil and salt and process 40 seconds, until smooth.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board, cover with a large mixing bowl and let rise until doubled, 2½-3 hours.
Punch dough down and knead several times.
Divide into thirds, form into balls and flour lightly. Cover with a tea towel and let rise about 10 minutes.
Dough balls may be refrigerated for three days or frozen.
Bring to room temperature before proceeding with your recipe.
Yields dough for three (12inch) pizzas.
SEAFOOD PIZZA
Complete your feast with a leafy salad that includes peppery arugula.
Feel free to use other seafood or fish. (Adapted from Cheese: The Essential Guide to Cooking with Cheese by Michel Roux, Quadrille Publishing, 2017.)
1 ball pizza dough, purchased or homemade (see recipe)
6 mussels, in shells
6 little-neck clams, in shells
Extra-virgin olive oil
8 raw prawns, tail cleaned, head left on
½ cup (50 g) fresh crabmeat
¼ lb. (100 g) baby squid
½ lb. (200 g) plum tomatoes, peeled
½ cup (50g) buffalo mozzarella, broken into pieces
A few flat-leaf parsley leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it back in onto itself repeatedly until the air is knocked out and the dough is returned to its original size. Set aside.
Steam the mussels and clams separately for 2-3 minutes until the shells open; discard any still closed. Remove most of them from their shells, leaving a few for presentation. Heat a thin film of olive oil in a skillet and sauté the prawns and squid for a few seconds, stirring. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the shelled mussels and clams to the bowl along with 3 tablespoons olive oil, a touch of salt and a generous grind of pepper. Mix gently and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Press tomatoes through a food mill or coarse sieve into a bowl. Stir in salt and pepper to taste and a drizzle of olive oil.
Roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Flour lightly, drape over the rolling pin and transfer to a baking sheet. Using fingertips dipped in flour, push the dough outward to stretch it into a thin, even disc.
Spread the tomato purée over the dough and bake 20 minutes. Evenly arrange the seafood and mozzarella on top and return pizza to the oven for 2-3 minutes, just until hot.
Slide the pizza onto a wire rack, scatter with parsley and let it cool for a couple of minutes. Cut into wedges and serve garnished with reserved shellfish, passing the olive oil.
Serves 4
KITCHEN HACK: REVIVING LEFTOVER PIZZA
For a crispy bottom and melty top, place pizza slices in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. When the bottom is crisp, add a few drops of water to the pan and cover with lid for about 1 minute.