GREETINGS PIZZA TOURISTS!
The weather has been feeling very spring-like in California and at least for now we seem to be rid of our prolonged gloom. The farmers market is full of peas, favas, and baby artichokes. As we’ve had a rainy winter, flowers seem to be blooming everywhere...including the tarragon in my garden! Now how about some ideas for Mother’s Day.
SPRING MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH
There’s something so cute about baby pizzas, or pizzettes. So why not make a build-your-own baby pizza station. A couple of pan pizzas are always great to feed a crowd.
I would keep those simple with a Margherita and Pepperoni (hot honey on the side). Day’s ahead of the party, you can parbake the pan pizza crust, Saran wrap it and freeze it. At every pizza party there’s the classic pizza eater and the daring pizza eater. You want to cater to both.
For recipes, I recommend the Sicilian dough from the new Gozney Cookbook (flex: I’m also featured on page 134). Then we are going to build your own baby pizzas! The nice thing about the little pizzettes is that they are easier to maneuver into the oven for feeding a crowd. I own the Arc XL but you can also fit a handful of them on a sheet tray in your home oven.
BYO- BAKED ZITI
Speaking of super-mom’s…remember Carmela’s Baked Ziti from The Sopranos? If you’re late to the game, it’s never too late to start. This past weekend, my close friends threw a house-party themed around lasagna.
Think eight lasagnas, three baked ziti, dessert lasagna, and endless amounts of tiramisu. Andrew August, a Costco enthusiast and home cook, has a great party hack for supplementing his cooking with the Costco freezer section. It’s the perfect way to feed a crowd, especially when hunger pangs creep back a few hours into the party. Everyone dressed in “Italian retro funk” chosen by the costume queen Rebecca King.
Michael made a Baked Ziti with an Italian-American Sunday Sauce. I made the Lasagne Verde from the American Sfoglino cookbook. Both labors of love, but well worth it. Back in December of 2018 we took a tortellini class with Alessandra Spisni (Chef Evan Funke’s Maestra), at the Vecchia Scuola Bolognese in Bologna, Italy.
Many of the Bolognese recipes seem to have a base of prosciutto, mortadella, and lardo. Delicious, elegant, and VERY decadent…but honestly maybe a good way to use leftover charcuterie scraps. Throw them in your sauce!
Take a local cooking class on your next vacation. Whether you are a professional chef or a novice cook, it’s always worth it and such a fun way to immerse yourself in the local culture and learn about history through your taste buds.
Important note for your Lasagne Verde alla Bolognese: Once the sauce has chilled, skim off the top layer of grease with a spoon, which will make for a cleaner sauce and less greasy lasagna.
IDEAS FOR A SPRING BRUNCH SPREAD
I made the baby pizzettes into 150G dough balls. For beginners I always recommend starting with the Roberta’s dough recipe!
SAUCES:
A Shakshuka inspired sauce (marinara sauce mixed with harissa paste, toasted paprika, cumin, coriander)
A Crème Fraîche sauce (crème fraîche cut with whipped cream, diced chives, shaved garlic, fennel fronds, lemon juice, and salt & pepper to taste)
SALADS:
PAN PIZZAS:
Margherita
Pepperoni & Hot Honey
CHEESE:
Dry Mozzarella
Pepper-Jack Cheese (would go nicely with the mortadella and eggs like a breakfast sammy)
Ricotta
Goat cheese or feta
GREENERY:
Vignole Vibes (lightly sauteed spring peas, fava beans, chopped red onion, garlic, marinated baby artichokes, roasted asparagus spears, and a squeeze of lemon)
Herbs (grab a fresh mix of what looks good! Mint feels very seasonally appropriate)
Arugula or Spinach
PROTEINS:
Mortadella or Prosciutto (finish fresh or fry it up like bologna)
Pancetta Crumbles (in lieu of bacon)
Smoked fish (Fish Wife brand for bonus Millennial Mom points)
6-minute Eggs (make ahead and slice them open lengthwise upon serving)
SEASONING EXTRAS:
Everything Bagel Seasoning
Cherry or Red Currant Jam
Hot Honey