The problem was, I had no yeast in the house and did not want to venture out in the 110 degree heat, so I made a dough with flour, baking soda, and water. This worked well, except that the dough was a little too wet and I ran out of flour. The only way I could get the gooey dough spread thin was to spray the dough with cooking oil and spread it by hand, in the pan. This required some effort, but worked. No rising time required.
the basil plant with small white flowers in the Southwest Desert |
I baked it in a 400 degree (F) oven, a very decadent summertime indulgence. Usually I bake a yeast crust at 425 to 450 degrees, but I was not sure how this experimental crust would cook. The 400 degree oven worked fine, baking for the usual 15 minutes. The crust did not rise as much as a yeast crust, but it was surprisingly delicious, and there is enough left for a meal tomorrow. I serve it with a salad. I used organic romaine lettuce cut across the bunch every inch, and red bell pepper cut in rough half inch cubes. I added a tiny bit of dressing so as to allow the flavors of the raw salad ingredients to be present. The texture of the salad and the taste of the fresh red bell pepper complimented the pizza perfectly. I am so pleased with the result that I may substitute ketchup for red sauce in my future pizzas. The flavor, consistency, and convenience pleasantly surprised me.
As we look forward to the 4th of July, Independence Day, the weather here is sure to stay well over 100 degrees (F) every day. We can feel the monsoon heavy in the air, but no substantial rains yet. I wish you all a safe and enjoyable 4th of July. Hope you get to see a fireworks show, although many areas have banned them this year because of the fire hazard. I will look up in the sky after dark, hopeful...
As ever,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2011
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