My neighbor (and good friend) Gabe and I used to debate who could cook a better pizza. I argued for my “fancy” pizza with balsamic caramelized onion, prosciutto, and sun-dried tomatoes (a recipe I discovered in Gourmet magazine). Gabe contended that his Red Potato Pizza, a recipe that originated in a pizza parlor in Connecticut, was far superior.
There was only one way to solve this argument – a pizza cook-off. We picked a Saturday night and, not surprisingly, had no trouble rounding up volunteer judges. Gabe and I assembled and baked our masterpieces and gave all the judges a slice of each pizza.
It’s hard for me to admit defeat, but as soon as I tasted the Red Potato Pizza, I knew it was the winning pie. It was amazing, one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten, and I could see everyone else thought the same thing. No hard feelings, though – in fact, in the next pizza cook-off, I’m entering Gabe’s pizza.
Kids in the kitchen
When cooking with younger chefs, let them work with the dough while you cook the potatoes and bacon. Find a clean flat surface, sprinkle it with flour, then give them a rolling pin and a small piece of dough. Ask them to roll the dough into a circle and see how thin they can make it. Sometimes, I let my kids roll out their own dough for mini pizzas, and I roll the remainder of the dough for the big pizza.
Put the dough on a pan or pizza peel (a flat wooden board with a long handle, made for sliding pizzas into very hot ovens) and have the toppings ready for a pizza assembly line. If your chefs are very young, give them one topping at a time so they don’t get overwhelmed and pile everything together. Remind them as they put on each topping to cover the entire pizza, otherwise it won’t cook evenly.
GABE’S RED POTATO PIZZA
Serves 4-5
1 pizza crust (make your own or buy one from an Italian Deli; I recommend Broders or Cosettas)
4-5 medium red potatoes, scrubbed but not skinned
1/2 pound bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup broccoli buds
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 450
Wash potatoes and put in a large pan, fill with enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender (you want these potatoes to be a little firm so they slice well). Drain water, then slice potatoes thinly.
Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels. Cut or break into small pieces.
Knead dough lightly and form it into a ball. Place the ball on lightly floured surface, sprinkle with a little more flour, and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rest until it puffs slightly, about 20 minutes.
Roll or pat out the dough as thinly as possible without breaking it. Place it on a baking sheet or pizza peel, ready to slide it onto a preheated pizza stone. Cover crust with a thin layer of sour cream. Arrange potato slices over sour cream. Sprinkle half of the bacon over the potatoes. Spread cheese evenly on the pizza. Evenly distribute remaining bacon and broccoli buds.
Bake until all the cheese melts and the crust starts to brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle chives on the pizza.
Bridget O’Boyle is a parent of two lively kids, lives in South Minneapolis, and teaches kids and grown-ups to cook at Cooks of Crocus Hill in St. Paul.
