Chanterelle and Roasted Garlic Pizza
Remember when EVERYTHING was "roasted garlic flavor" a few years ago? It was a fad, like pesto or sundried tomatoes. Roasted garlic potato chips, salad dressing, chewing gum. But the real thing--fat, whole heads of garlic roasted in olive oil for an hour--is still good. It always has been. Lately, I'll just buy a bunch of extra garlic at the produce stand and roast them on the weekend while I'm cleaning house or paying bills. Then I've got those luscious little nuggets to use throughout the week.
I'm still in formation--galette/pizza/galette/pizza REPEAT. Maybe this recent spate will convince you that I really don't plan at all what's going on this blog. I still stumble through the week with lots of holes in my menu plan, and pizza (especially this ridiculously easy no-knead dough) offers itself as the perfect solution. I completely botched this dough, and it still came out beautifully. I took the directions seriously (stir for about 30 seconds) and came back from the park to find that the dough had hardly risen, and the yeast was unincorporated. I moaned and fretted while Yancey stood in the background, longsuffering as always, listing off everything I am good at. This is true--he really did this. By now, he knows how to deal with my all-or-nothing propensities. He knows how to talk me off the ledge. I sat down at the table and colored in Loretta's Hello Kitty coloring book while he worked magic on that dough with some olive oil and a little massaging. It rose in the oven, and was just as good as last week's.
I have a little altar on my mantle which I change every month. Sometimes it's halfway through the month before I change it, but I'm trying to gracious with myself about stuff like that. I preach a little sermon to myself that goes something like : It's worth doing even if I'm not doing it perfectly. Every month, I put up a few words or phrases, some seasonal item (this month it's a gourd), and then collect bits from happenings or epiphanies throughout the month. For November, I've written, "Give thanks. Engage." I'm pretty good at giving thanks (most the time), but I'm worse at engaging, especially when I can tell things aren't going to turn out like I want them to. (Case in point: pizza dough.) Yancey and I were talking about my work life and the choices facing me right now. He said, "You're ready, you're equipped. All you have to do is engage." Whether you're facing disastrous pizza dough, an impossible task at work, or a messy relationship, I hope you find what you need to engage this month. I'm trying right alongside you.
Chanterelle and Roasted Garlic Pizza
I come by my love of chanterelle mushrooms honestly. Every fall, my parents go hunting for them in the woods, and my mom prizes them more than gold. These didn't come from their foraging, but they signify fall like nothing else. I adore wild mushrooms and could eat them every night if they weren't so dang expensive. If you don't want to spring for them (3/4 lb. cost me $5.99 at MacPhersons, which was a steal) this pizza would be delicious with regular ol' mushrooms. You can roast them in the same way. I'm not a fan of raw mushrooms on pizza--flavorless and watery.
1/2 recipe no-knead pizza dough
olive oil
3/4 lb. chanterelle mushrooms, halved if they are very large
1/2. c. very good quality sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil--they should be slightly moist and chewy without the oil if they're good ones)
2 heads garlic
2 c. grated whole milk mozzarella
1/2 c. grated parmesan
1/4 c. finely chopped parsley
To roast garlic:
Cut off the pointy end of each garlic head--about 1/2" so all the cloves inside are exposed. Don't cut the stem end--this is the flat part the garlic head will sit on as it roasts. Put in an ovenproof dish and drizzle a good amount of olive oil over them. Cover tightly with foil and roast for about 60 minutes, until cloves are soft, golden, and starting to pop out of their skins. Cool. When they're cool enough, squeeze the whole bulb from the stem end over a bowl, and the cloves should pop right out. Don't worry if their shape gets mangled a little bit.
To roast chanterelles:
Brush the dirt off with a small brush or coarse, clean towel. In a small bowl, toss with 1 Tb. olive oil and a bit of coarse salt. Roast at 375 for 10-12 minutes, until mushrooms are browned and have lost most of their moisture. Set aside.
To assemble pizza:
Preheat oven to 500.
Press dough into baking sheet according to instructions. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and distribute with a basting brush. Add mozzarella, chanterelles, roasted garlic cloves, and sundried tomatoes. Scatter parmesan over the top and bake until crust is crispy and toppings are bubbling, about 15 minutes. Top with chopped parsley.
November 3, 2009
Reader Comments (14)
Well, I have to say thank you very much. We bought some chanterelles at the Ballard market on Sunday and then I was felled by the flu. I figure if I don't use them tomorrow they are going to be yucky. I was thinking I would put them in pasta (which is what I almost always do with them) but this is a much better idea. Especially with some of the heirloom garlic I bought as well. Excited to try the pizza dough!
As always, I am inspired by your pictures, your recipies your story, your life. I can't wait to make this pizza. I made a batch of your "legendary pumpkin cookies" last week and people at work are still talking about them. I have been sharing your blog with them all!
That looks a-ma-zing!!! Mouth is watering at that picture!
Sarah, you and Yancey are such a wonderful team-----there isn't anything I wouldn't tackle, with you two on board! Keep up the good work! Wish I'd had this picture in my head a couple of weeks ago when I was gifted some chanterelles; I put them into lasagna! Thank you for all you share; it's more than food!!!!! And more nutritious.............
My stomach may have audibly growled at the sight of that. Gorgeous.
I have no idea what the choices are at work that you are facing. But you should DEFINITELY engage if it involves writing and food. You'll to it wonderfully. If those things are not a part of your decision making. . . the should be!! hee hee ; )
sounds like an utterly delicious way to use wild mushrooms. yum!! i can wait to mull our our lives together in just a few short days. love you.
You make the best pizzas! I agree roasted garlic is delicious...even if it's the "it" thing right now :)
ENGAGE. I like it.
I love chanterelle and your pizza sounds sssooo delicious! Thanks for sharing :)
Just wanted to update. I made this last night - so delicious! I have never roasted chanterelles before, what a way to prepare them! My pizza was really ugly so I didn't take a picture (I need to work on my pizza making skills...) but just wanted you to know it was well-loved. I had one large piece and Randy ALL the rest of it. Needless to say, it was a hit.
My Party Pizza Friday night is always my quick and simple no rise dough recipe:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
1 package yeast
1 tsp. salt
Let the yeast sit in the water for 5 minutes. Mix with flour and salt and I have pizza in the oven in about 7 minutes.
I wish I liked mushrooms - it looks so good! And having pizza every other night in my book is heaven! :D
WOW! i would eat this entire pizza. all of it. GORGEOUS!
I will try this tomorrow. Went on a Foray yesterday and got about a gallon bucket full.
I have always dry sauteed my chanterelles before to get rid of the water,which can be a lot, but if my oven is hot no sense in having to cleanup a sautee pan.
I love your butternut squash gallette recipe. As a meal or cut into 16th to serve as bite size appetizers. My guests or hosts always appreciate me making it and I get nothing but raves. Your recipe is a real winner, and I bet I will be saying the same for this pizza.