One Dough, Two Ways: Pizza and Donuts!

After two years here, I do not claim to be a healthy blog. I eat how I grew up - things that are quick, things covered in fat, things in moderation because my parents had to feed five. I eat what I like. I eat what I want Nolan to come home to - things that are warm, fragrant. Things that make it worth coming home for. It's the easiest part of building a home. Thank God it's my favorite, too.

I do not claim to be a good cook. I'm an average baker when I put the energy into it. But I have my favorites down--roast chicken, kale, eggs, and pizza. We rotate. We sometimes just have cereal when neither of us want to cook. We hardly ever eat out anymore. It's so different than California, when our one bedroom was scattered with paper napkins and plastic forks. But, then again, we are different, too. A year can be a lifetime and thank God we've had a few to learn and try to get this thing right.

Our dogs know the routine now for when it's pizza night, they begin following me around the kitchen when the oven is still preheating. When the yeast is blooming. When the dough is punched and my hands are too floured to pet their needy heads. They always get the end pieces, the burnt edges, the marinara off our plates. We don't mind. Thank God for them.

A few weeks ago, I posted on Instagram a photo of some leftover dough turned into a donut. Using my favorite dough recipe and adapting it to a sweetened donut has become a ritual now for us. I make extra, I put it in a cake stand for the morning. I cover them in powdered sugar like I did for my other donut recipe. We wake up to these and a warm cup of coffee. And thank God for that.

One Dough, Two Ways!

Basic Dough Recipe:

  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (of course, Red Star is my preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar (additional 1/3 cup if making donuts)
  • 1 cup water, warmed to 105*F
  • 2 1/2 cup AP flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

 

Basic Dough Instructions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together yeast, sugar, and water
  2. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or until water is foamy and yeast is activated
  3. While yeast is blooming, sift together flour and salt (and sugar if making a sweet dough)
  4. With mixer on low and a dough hook attached, begin to slowly add in a bit of flour at a time
  5. A dough will begin to form, but it will be dry. Add your butter and oil to wet dough slightly
  6. Roll out onto a floured work surface. Refer to the below instructions for further direction on making your pizza or donuts!

For the pizza: Use the above recipe. Preheat oven to 450*F. Using a Silpat or parchment paper, roll your dough out on top of it. Cut out excess dough on the edges to avoid too much crust. Add your desired toppings. Once you have the pizza assembled, bake for 20 minutes and enjoy!

For me, I made a Flammekeuche (tarte flambée), which is a traditional Alsatian dish that is honestly delicious. I used a half cup sour cream, and half a yellow onion (sliced) and 6 slices of bacon (make sure you cook the bacon fully before baking the pizza). 

For the donuts: Roll out dough onto a floured work surface to about 1 inch. Cut out your donuts shapes. Allow to rest for five minutes. While dough is resting briefly, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 325*F in a Dutch oven. Prepare a plate with a paper towel. Fry two donuts at a time, turning once and allowing each side to fry for about 15-20 seconds or until browned. Transfer to your prepared plate to drain any excess grease. Repeat with remaining dough (and donut holes!). Shake in confectioner's sugar. They're good for about 2 days!

Thank you to Red Star Yeast for sponsoring this post. I believe in using quality products when it comes to baking and I am always confident my dough will rise beautifully with Red Star! Check out the active dry yeast I used for this recipe and others on their website, follow them on instagram and like their Facebook!

And while you're at it...like my Facebook and Instagram too!

Breakfast Flammekueche

I can't seem to do much today except sit in bed and stretch. This is my first holiday season where I had things to do. As you probably saw on my instagram, there were holiday parties at my boyfriend's parents' house, Christmas at my sister's, and a spa day on the 26th. I'm sure everyone's is like this, so I'll keep this intro short and sweet.

I'm in a post-holiday ennui, wanting to do the bare minimum. My parents are in their North Carolina house and so I have nothing to do but make dinner and care for Milo and their cats. I decided to play around with a Alsatian dish called the flammekueche, or tarte flambee, and made it into a breakfast pizza; something that can sustain and warm and fill you up the way only the holidays can.

Breakfast Flammekueche

Ingredients:

  • Dough for one pizza, whichever recipe you prefer
  • 4 strips of bacon
  • 1 medium-sized onion, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup creme fraiche (Vermont Creamery's is my go-to)
  • 4 eggs
  • Salt and pepper 

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425*F and place rack on second-to-top position
  2. While oven is preheating, place bacon in a skillet on medium-high heat and fry bacon until it is just beginning to crisp up (it will continue to fry in the oven as a topping)
  3. Do not drain bacon fat, but instead place bacon on a paper-towel lined plate to drain and replace bacon with your onion
  4. Cook on medium heat until just tender
  5. Remove onions from skillet and put on plate with bacon
  6. Roughly chop your bacon to small "lardons"
  7. Now, quarter your dough into four sections and roll each out to a small disc on a floured work surface
  8. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until discs are firm, yet pliable and not browned
  9. Remove from oven and cool slightly before continuing
  10. Now, assemble your flammekueche by spreading about 2 TB of creme fraiche per disc
  11. Sprinkle on your onions and bacon, creating just a small divet in the center of your toppings to hold your egg in
  12. Now, carefully crack your egg in the center of your discs and put back in oven to bake for about 6-8 minutes (6 minutes will give you a runnier egg)
  13. Remove, serve immediately. These are not meant to be stored.