Recipe for pan pizza for one (or two)

A couple of weeks ago, my cheesemaker friend Christine arrived with a log of her glorious chevre, and also an early experiment with a beeswax-rind goat gouda that was out of this world. Every bit as ethereal, the fresh, yeasty pizza dough her husband made for us (thank you, Ross) begged to be played with, right then and there. We divided the dough into six equal pan pizza portions -- each one just the right size for one or two people -- and cooked them one at a time in a small nonstick frying pan on the stove top. It was the perfect way to indulge our individual topping fantasies, combining homemade cheeses with produce from the farmstand and herbs from my garden, and a great idea for family pizza night or a pizza party. Create a toppings bar, with a selection of cheeses, vegetables, fruits and herbs, and let everyone decorate the pizzas of their dreams.

Pan pizza for one (or two)

From the pantry, you'll need: all-purpose unbleached flour, kosher salt, yeast, olive oil.

Ross shared his recipe for pizza dough; as to the toppings, you're on your own! Makes 5 8-inch pan pizzas; serves 6 (or 12).

Ingredients

1 envelope yeast
4-1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
Pinch of kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

Toppings of your choice (see below), which might include: sliced fruits or vegetables, caramelized onions, soft cheeses, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fresh and dried herbs.

Directions for pizza dough (from Ross)

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in a little more than 1 cup of lukewarm water for about 10 minutes. Combine yeast with flour, salt and olive oil in a mixing bowl, and stir to bring the dough together in a soft mass.

Knead till the surface is soft and pliable (about 10-15 minutes). The dough should not be sticky; if it is, add a small bit of flour.  If too dry, add a tiny bit of water. Form the dough into a ball.

Let the dough sit in a bowl for 1-2 hours in a warm place (85-90°F),  with a damp towel covering the bowl. The dough will double in size.

With one punch into the dough, it will deflate.

Cover the bowl again with a damp towel, and put it back in the warm place. Let it rise for 1 more hour. The dough should double once again. Punch it down, and divide into Now, it's ready to use.

To make stove-top pan pizza:

Flour your countertop, and roll out one ball of pizza dough in a round roughly 8 inches in diameter.

Set an 8-inch nonstick frying pan on the stove, and swirl 1 teaspoon of olive oil all around the bottom. Heat the pan for a minute on low heat, then place the pizza dough in the pan.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom of the dough is lightly browned. Flip the dough, spread with toppings (see below), cover the pan, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and any cheese in the toppings has melted.

Toppings:

Use any combination of fruits, vegetables, herbs and cheeses that you like. You can't go wrong. Christine and I made five variations, using her goat cheeses. I've listed them in the order we put them on the pizza dough.

Gouda and apple: Shredded gouda cheese, sautéed slices of Granny Smith apple, caramelized onion, fresh thyme leaves.

Chevre and tomato: Soft goat cheese mixed with minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, thinly sliced roasted red peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, chiffonade of fresh basil leaves.

Goat cheese and mango: Soft goat cheese, sliced mango, lemon zest, minced rosemary, drizzle of honey.

Caramelized onion and parmesan: Caramelized onion, thinly sliced bell pepper, fresh basil leaves, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Smoky mango: Soft goat cheese, sliced mango tossed with smoked paprika, thinly sliced lime, fresh basil chiffonade.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Peachy Mama pizza
Frying pan pizza
Grilled pizza
Hearts of palm, shrimp and cheese pizza
Sausage, egg and asparagus pizza

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Chicago-style stuffed pizza, from Andrea Meyers
Homemade pizza with fennel sausage and rapini, from Food Blogga
Meatball pizza, from Leite's Culinaria
Strawberry balsamic bacon pizza, from Annie's Eats
Sweet potato kale pizza, from Two Peas & Their Pod

Pan pizza for one (or two)

From the pantry, you'll need: all-purpose unbleached flour, kosher salt, yeast, olive oil.

Ross shared his recipe for pizza dough; as to the toppings, you're on your own! Makes 5 8-inch pan pizzas; serves 6 (or 12).

Ingredients

1 envelope yeast
4-1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
Pinch of kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

Toppings of your choice (see below), which might include: sliced fruits or vegetables, caramelized onions, soft cheeses, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fresh and dried herbs.

Directions for pizza dough (from Ross)

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in a little more than 1 cup of lukewarm water for about 10 minutes. Combine yeast with flour, salt and olive oil in a mixing bowl, and stir to bring the dough together in a soft mass.

Knead till the surface is soft and pliable (about 10-15 minutes). The dough should not be sticky; if it is, add a small bit of flour.  If too dry, add a tiny bit of water. Form the dough into a ball.

Let the dough sit in a bowl for 1-2 hours in a warm place (85-90°F),  with a damp towel covering the bowl. The dough will double in size.

With one punch into the dough, it will deflate.

Cover the bowl again with a damp towel, and put it back in the warm place. Let it rise for 1 more hour. The dough should double once again. Punch it down, and divide into Now, it's ready to use.

To make stove-top pan pizza:

Flour your countertop, and roll out one ball of pizza dough in a round roughly 8 inches in diameter.

Set an 8-inch nonstick frying pan on the stove, and swirl 1 teaspoon of olive oil all around the bottom. Heat the pan for a minute on low heat, then place the pizza dough in the pan.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom of the dough is lightly browned. Flip the dough, spread with toppings (see below), cover the pan, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and any cheese in the toppings has melted.

Toppings:

Use any combination of fruits, vegetables, herbs and cheeses that you like. You can't go wrong. Christine and I made five variations, using her goat cheeses. I've listed them in the order we put them on the pizza dough.

Gouda and apple: Shredded gouda cheese, sautéed slices of Granny Smith apple, caramelized onion, fresh thyme leaves.

Chevre and tomato: Soft goat cheese mixed with minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, thinly sliced roasted red peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, chiffonade of fresh basil leaves.

Goat cheese and mango: Soft goat cheese, sliced mango, lemon zest, minced rosemary, drizzle of honey.

Caramelized onion and parmesan: Caramelized onion, thinly sliced bell pepper, fresh basil leaves, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Smoky mango: Soft goat cheese, sliced mango tossed with smoked paprika, thinly sliced lime, fresh basil chiffonade.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Peachy Mama pizza
Frying pan pizza
Grilled pizza
Hearts of palm, shrimp and cheese pizza
Sausage, egg and asparagus pizza

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Chicago-style stuffed pizza, from Andrea Meyers
Homemade pizza with fennel sausage and rapini, from Food Blogga
Meatball pizza, from Leite's Culinaria
Strawberry balsamic bacon pizza, from Annie's Eats
Sweet potato kale pizza, from Two Peas & Their Pod

Comments

your directions for the dough go from dissolving the yeast in water to kneading the dough, with no steps in between, like with the flour.

Kris, thanks for the catch! How did that all-important sentence about adding the remaining ingredients get left out? I've repaired the recipe.

I am drooling at the idea of goat cheese on pizza!

Kalyn, I'll be some of your nieces and nephews would love a pizza party!

I think gouda and apple is my favorite.

Mimi, I wish I could send you some of Christine's gouda. It's really out of this world, and I can't wait until she's ready to sell it. With the apples and thyme from my garden, it was the perfect pizza combination.

It's all good...

You're so lucky to have a friend who makes cheese - love all the topping suggestions you came up with. Haven't made pizza dough in a long time, but I'm sure my kids would love it if I tried this.

Donna, it is all good.

Jeanette, I'm also lucky that I get to taste the experiments from time to time. My friend is hoping to start a cheese CSA, which I think is very exciting.

OH WOW! those pizza and topping ideas are incredible. I am drooling too! Having a cheese maker friend is wonderful. Move over chocolate, I am a cheese-aholic!

Carol, something for everyone here. I'll bet you could work a little bit of chocolate onto one of those pizzas, too.

Popped over here after reading your tribute to Julia Child on BlogHer. Awesome article. You have such a great blog. I am glad I found you thru the link. The pizza's look yummy. The idea that you have a cheesmaker friend is awesome. I was blessed to meet Julia Child years ago at a book signing. She impressed me as she stood the entire time and was gracious and talked to each person about "why" they were there, or buying the book etc..I got two of them, and she wanted to know why..I told her my stepson was attending the CIA and was thrilled that it would be used by a new chef. I have met many "celebrities" and authors at signings etc but she and Jacques Pepin remain my favorites.

Winnie, I can just imagine Julia's enthusiasm upon learning that one of her books would be going to a young man studying to be a chef! She was truly gracious and so supportive of the food community.

I love Gouda! I eat it by the wheel!

oh, from the title i was anticipating a recipe for pizza dough scaled down to a single person serving. not the usual five or six.

Mimi, same here. And you would love my friend's rendition of gouda.

E, you can make that happen easily. Make the whole batch, divide into individual portions, and freeze the dough. Then, you can make pizza for one any time!