Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 2

Yesterday I wrote about Blue Bayou's Monte Cristo sandwich and Au Gratin Potatoes. Today, I am going to tell you about another awesome recipe featuring potatoes.

The Pioneer Woman has become my favorite person of 2011 (easily trumping Rachael Ray). She blogs, writes cook books and wrote probably one of my (and all of my sisters, it seems) favorite books of the year (From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels). Ree Drummond is the Pioneer Woman, and I think she is awesome. Here is her recipe for Potato-Leek Pizza. It is one of the tastiest pizzas I have had in a long time. Makes me want to make it tonight for dinner. (From The Pioneer Woman Cooks copyright 2009.)

Pizza Dough (I will share my recipe for dough at the end, but any refrigerated dough will work)
Extra Vigin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 leeks, rinsed well to remove grit, and thinly sliced
5 small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly gound black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Prepare the pizza crust and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
3. Begin by placing the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon until cooked, but not crisp.
4. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.
5. Pour off most of the grease. Do not clean the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove and turn the heat to medium-low.
6. Add the leeks to the pan and saute over medium-low heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice the potatoes very thin. You'll need to do this just before you need them, as the potatoes will brown very quickly.
8. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer all over the crust, slightly overlapping the edges.
9. Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt, then lay the mozzarella slices in a single layer on top of the potatoes.
10. Place the leeks on top of the cheese.
11. Sprinkle the fried bacon over the leeks.
12. Then add the crumbled goat cheese, grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
13. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately.

For step by step picture instructions, pick up Ree's book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

I have tried many recipes for pizza dough, and I have finally found my favorite. It is a tweaked version of the one listed in Food Network Magazine. This makes 2, 1 pound dough balls.

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups warm water

1 tablespoon honey

1 packet yeast

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Whisk flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well and add water, honey and yeast. When foamy, add olive oil and knead for 5 minutes. (I do this in a stand mixer with the bread hook attachment.)
2. Add dough to an oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Divide into 2, 1 pound balls of dough.

Here are my tips for making any kind of pizza:

1. Stretch dough to desired size. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt.
2. Parbake in a 500 degree F oven for 2-3 minutes, to start the crust baking (a pizza stone is an invaluable tool for a crisp, yet chewy, crust).
3. Top with desired toppings, and bake for an additional 8-11 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.