The Epicurious Cookbook by Tanya Steel Read Free Book Online

buttery flavor just work, especially when paired with goat cheese. Replacing half the fingerlings with yams adds a touch of sweetness (not to mention beta-carotene). Make sure the pizza crust is rolled thick enough to stand up to the hearty toppings. Serve with a green salad for a delicious vegetarian dinner, or cut into small wedges to make it cocktail-party perfect.
    YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS
    5 ounces fingerling potatoes
    Cornmeal, for sprinkling
    ½ Pizza Dough
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    1 garlic clove, pressed
    4 green onions, thinly sliced
    1⅓ cups grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
    4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
    8 ounces asparagus, trimmed, each spear cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 2- to 3-inch pieces
    ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    1. Place the potatoes in a small saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Sprinkle with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Cool. Cut potatoes into thin slices.
    2. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Sprinkle a rimless baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll and stretch the pizza dough to a 16 by 11-inch oval. Transfer to baking sheet. Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil and the garlic in a small bowl. Brush garlic oil over the dough. Sprinkle three-fourths of the green onions over, then the mozzarella, leaving a ½-inch plain border. Top with the potato slices and goat cheese. Toss the asparagus and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl. Scatter the asparagus over the pizza. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then lightly with salt and generously with pepper.
    3. Bake the pizza until the crust is browned and the asparagus is tender, about 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with remaining green onions. Cut into pieces.
    “I used my own crust and added a bit of fresh rosemary before baking because I had some and it sounded good. I love potatoes on pizza, and the flavors in this one are complex without being heavy. I almost hate to say it because it’s such a good veggie recipe, but some really good bacon could make this exceptional.”
    Cibomiele, Colorado

    caprese pizza
    The best Italian ingredients comingle in this delicious pizza from Epicurious member Saatchiken.
    YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS
    FOR VEGETABLES
    12 Roma (plum) tomatoes, halved
    1 large red onion, cut into 8 wedges
    2 heads of garlic with skin on, top ¼ inch cut off to expose each clove
    ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
    1 tablespoon sugar
    1 teaspoon kosher salt
    ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    FOR PIZZA
    1 cup balsamic vinegar
    ¼ cup sugar
    ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    1 pound prepared pizza dough
    ¼ cup cornmeal
    1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices, or 6 ounces (1½ cups) coarsely shredded mozzarella
    2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
    1 cup baby arugula
    MAKE VEGETABLES
    1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F.
    2. Arrange the tomatoes (cut side up), onion, and garlic (cut side up) on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper. Roast the vegetables until the onion is tender and the garlic is golden brown, about 1 hour. Transfer the vegetables to a rack to cool.
    3. Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins into a small bowl. Using a spoon, mash the garlic into a paste. Cut the root end off each onion wedge and separate the slices.
    MAKE PIZZA
    1. In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, bring the balsamic vinegar and sugar to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
    2. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.
    3. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out the pizza dough to a 12- to 14-inch diameter, ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle the cornmeal evenly over a pizza pan or