Meatball Pizza!

Just as a quick introduction I am by far an amateur cook. I have learned most of what I know from reading cook books and watching cooking videos, be it online or on television. My methods may not be perfect but I consider cooking like a journey. Sometimes I do get lost but I usually end up where I am supposed to go. With that said - let’s eat pizza!

Making pizza quickly became one of my favorite things to cook. First it is something that nearly everyone enjoys. Adults and children alike can find common ground and with just a few tweaks to your toppings everyone is very happy. Meatballs may seem like an odd topping choice, but I like to think of it as a meatball sub on flatbread. Feel free to substitute your own favorite toppings. At the very least you will get a great sauce and meatball recipe for any other dishes you cook. I would also like to note that my meatballs are made from turkey. Ground turkey has become one of my favorite meats as of recent. Sure its lighter but its also pretty tasty. Think of it like diet versus regular coke. You may have started drinking it to avoid calories but at some point you actually prefer the taste of the diet version.

Now you may have noticed from the title of the blog that I like to cook from scratch. So for this recipe I will be making the sauce and pizza dough. This brings me to my second favorite thing about making pizza, the process. Watching delicious vegetables and herbs become a tasty sauce and powdery flour become soft golden pizza crust is always a great experience. Yes, this adds some extra time but it’s worth it. It is very gratifying to see something you concocted from basic components. If from scratch is not necessarily your kind of thing or don't have the time I will mention what to substitute. In this case a store bought jar of your favorite tomato sauce and pre made pizza crust. The first thing you will need to do is form out dough and get it rising.

Here’s what you will need:

1 1/3 Cups Warm water

1 Packet Active Dry Yeast

1 Tablespoon Sugar

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

For the warm water just run the tap until you feel the water get warm and then fill 1 1/3 cups worth in a small mixing bowl. Add the packet of yeast and mix thoroughly. The yeast will clump easily so make sure to mix until it is nearly all dissolved. Let the yeast sit for about 5 minutes. This will allow it to activate. While you’re waiting, sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and olive oil. Give the yeast mixture one more stirs to make sure it’s dissolved and pour into flour. Mix it for about 1 minute or until the flour is absorbed into a clump. Douse a small amount of flour over a open clean surface. Put a little flour on your hands to keep the dough from sticking to you.

Spoon the dough onto your board or surface and begin to knead. My method of kneading may not be perfect but it works. I simply form the dough into a ball and punch down the end that is away from me with my palm. I then fold in the sides over the flat area and repeat. Add pinch of flour to your hands or the table if it becomes too sticky. Just don't add too much - you want the dough to be moist. After about 10 minutes of kneading the dough should be firm and stretchy.

Have a greased or oiled large bowl on stand by. The bowl should be big enough for the dough to double in size. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to lightly coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let it sit in a warm place for one and half to two hours until it has doubled in bulk. While you’re waiting on your dough to rise you can make your sauce and meat balls!

I sometimes make my sauce the day ahead. Allowing the sauce to hang out and the flavors to marry can produce a great pizza. One of the common themes I have found with cooking is the more patient you are the better results you will have. For this recipe though the sauce will be made while waiting for the yeast.

Here’s what you will need:

Olive Oil

1 Large Sweet Onion finely chopped

1 Large Carrot finely chopped

1 Celery Rib finely chopped

2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley

2 Tablespoons Chopped Thyme

2 Tablespoons Chopped Basil

4 Cloves Garlic Minced

2 Pounds Ripe Tomatoes Peeled, Seeded, and chopped (or 2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes)

4 Teaspoons Tomato Paste

Salt and Pepper

Start by heating a few table spoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the garlic in the oil and spread it around. This will infuse the garlic flavor with the oil. When the garlic starts to sizzle add in onion, carrot, celery, and parsley. Reduce the heat to low cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft. While the vegetables are softening you can form the meatballs.

Here’s what you will need:

1 Pound Ground Turkey

1 Garlic Clove Minced

1/2 Cup Chopped Parsley

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan

1/2 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs

1 Large Egg Beaten

1 Tablespoon dried Oregano

Cooking Spray

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and grease lightly with cooking spray. Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands. When forming the balls they will cook the easiest and fit on your pizza well if they are the size of a golfball or smaller. Roll the balls and space them evenly on the baking sheet until all the meat is used up. Place them in the oven and bake until brown about 10-20 minutes. During this time your vegetables should be soft so hop back to your stove.

Add in basil and thyme and give it a stir. Now add the tomatoes and paste, mixing well. Salt and pepper to taste. Use a spoon to crush any bulky tomato pieces. Simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Your meatballs should be finished cooking or close to it once the sauce is thick. Place the meatballs in your sauce pan and let them simmer on low heat covered until the dough is finished rising. When you are ready to work the dough take the sauce off the burner and let it cool while you’re forming the pizza crust.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and spray two large baking sheets with cooking spray. If you only have one baking sheet, when the dough is split let one of the balls continue to rise while the other bakes. Sprinkle a small amount of flour over the area where you will be forming the dough, place the dough over the flour and punch down. Divide the dough into two even pieces. Form the two pieces into balls, cover with plastic and let rise for another 10 minutes. If you have any other toppings you would like to put on the pizza now would be a good time to prepare them.

One at a time flatten dough with a rolling pin, your hands, or other object into 12 inch circles. Place each round onto their appropriate baking pan. Pour the sauce over the flattened dough, an amount to your liking also leaving some dough bare on the edges for a crust. You can pinch up the sides for a puffier more shapely crust. Place half the meat balls over your pizza spread apart evenly. Sprinkle how ever much Mozzarella cheese you like over the pizza evenly. With brush paint a small amount of olive oil along the outer crust of the pizza. Place in the oven and bake for about 10 -15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is also slightly browned. Remove and let sit for about 10 minutes. Now you’re ready to eat!

You may notice in the picture that one of my pizzas is a rectangle. This was a late idea in the process of cooking this recipe for this post. The rectangle seems to make it much easier to slice, making sure each one has a meatball or two on it. Also don't worry about the meatballs rolling around. The cheese did a great job of keeping them rooted in place. If you want to get creative with the cheese do so, making it your own will always produce an extraordinary meal. I hope you have enjoyed my first recipe and I look forward to bring you many more!