Ti Amo, Roma: Life Changing Pizza

There is something about Rome, about the Italian people, really, that truly opens your eyes. Every culture has contributed and continues to contribute positively to the world, and it feels like I never really understood the joy of eating until I came here.

I will be here until May, and during this time I’ve broken down my goals to certain days of the week. While CK is off teaching, I’m at home job searching, learning chemistry, practicing Italian and Irish, working on my drawing technique, light housework and, of course, cooking.

The way Italians think about food is contagious. They know how to eat and how to enjoy it with others. There is such pride in their food. It is fresh, wholesome, simple, and traceable (I mean, how would you not be able to visit the place of your favorite cheese if they didn’t). But the simplicity of their dishes brings out the complexity of flavor. You can taste and name every ingredient, and all the while feeling daring.

Having CK as a partner has encouraged me to try new things, mostly because his willingness to participate, and has been wonderfully supportive of me facing my fears about food. Over Valentine’s Day weekend, we made donuts. They were delicious flops, completely oil-filled and cakey, but for the first time in years I had a deep fried, sugary food.

Another weird thing about me is that I struggle with the idea of more than one carbohydrate being on a plate. That would mean no bread to soak up the remaining red sauce from a pasta dish at dinner (if I could), or have waffles and hash browns as part of the same breakfast, or rice and potatoes in the same stew. It wasn’t to the point of me squealing in disgust, but the concept just didn’t make sense to me. It was weird and oddly frightening.

In Italy there is a type of pizza called pizza patate: a white pizza with, you guessed it, potatoes on top. When CK first described the dish to me, I was appalled. Why on Earth would you do that? What was the appeal? Did it even taste good? To which CK replied yes, indeed it does.

I’ve experienced a lot of healing moments since 2014. Despite the hardship of living alone in Malta, I came to really feel connected to my body and honoring its needs for the first time. Food was no longer something to be afraid of, but embraced and shared. And I fully admit that Italian cheeses have ruined it for me: I’ve yet to taste better than my first Mozzarella di Bufala Compana ball, or the sacred moment of placing a melty forkful of smoked Scamorza straight from the hot oven and into my mouth.

Since having the donut, and seeing that the world did not, in fact, end, I wanted to see what else my fears of food deprived me off. And for over a year, CK and I would talk about pizza patate in passing, and for the first time since then, I wasn’t squicked by the idea, but rather intrigued.

Last weekend, as we were recovering from Week 1 of Shaun T’s Insanity workout (yep, we’re both doing it!), we wanted to celebrate with a thin pizza. Surprisingly, I think I said I wanted to see what pizza patate was all about, and so that is what we did.

We think we can improve the toppings a bit, but the crust… the crust was a game changer.

Both CK and I believe it is the best we’ve ever made, and most certainly the best that I’ve ever had. It held together beautifully, and the taste reminded me of a good, thin pizza crust. We do want to play around with the rise, perhaps using sparkling water instead of still (this trick is wonderful for bagels, by the way), but we’ll keep you updated. We also used this dough to make a huge, albiet bursting, calzona. 

Thin Pizza Crust (recipe ratio and technique adapted from this recipe)

1 package Active dry or fresh yeast
1 tsp. Honey (use coconut sugar for a vegan option)
240 ml warm water, 105-115°F (40-46°C)
120 g Teff flour
120 g Glutinous rice flour
120 g Chickpea flour
1 tsp. Sea salt
1 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 60 ml warm water.
In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt, then add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining 180 ml of water.
Mix until the entire mixture forms a ball.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead by hand until the dough is smooth and firm.
Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours.
Divide the dough into 2 balls.
Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball.
Repeat 4 or 5 times, and then on a smooth, clean surface (not floured), roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm.
Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour. (At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) or highest temp.
Lightly oil a medium-large cookie sheet with extra-virgin olive oil on parchment paper.
Roll out one of the dough ball, on a lightly floured surface (I typically use a roller for this part), to the shape of your cookie sheet.
Carefully transfer dough to cookie sheet, lightly press and stretch out to the edges of sheet.
Add your favorite sauce (not too much) and toppings (again, not too much).
Cook for 10 - 12 minutes or more depending on the thickness of crust due to size of pan you used.

Each pizza ball makes 1 pizza, or two servings.

Why I Blog (about Souffle)

Do you ever wonder what bloggers do aside from blogging? I think about it often. I remember being blown away and instantly awed when I realized Cheryl of Harris Whole Health, a person who I know in the "real world", was also the mastermind behind Gluten Free Goodness. I also find it amazing how I am able to talk to people time zones away and learn about their cultures through the food they eat and the stories they tell. Technology is truly an amazing phenomenon these days.

In reality, bloggers do in fact have lives away from the computer screen. Even with the possibility of money earned from their website and the networking brilliance blogging provides, they go out and do non-blogging things. Some have nine to five jobs, while others are at school full time. Some are raising families, and there are others trying to make sense of their place in the world. We create an identity on the Internet and share things that matter to us. We write about things we are passionate about, and we publish things to see if anyone actually reads our stuff (for giggles mostly).

I’ve written on this blog that I am not perfect, and I do my darnedest to remind people and myself of that. I make mistakes and I can mess up royally (with food or with situations). I don’t have all the answers, and I’m still figuring out what I want to do with my life. What’s more, dear readers, is a statement I thought I would never write: Meals with Morri is not the center of my world.

This is both a joyous and rather sobering thing to say. I love writing on Meals with Morri and coming up with recipes to share with the world. I love getting emails with questions about food and requests to make something gluten free. But there are other things that rank in higher priority than blogging, such as school, work, health, family and friends. And surprisingly enough… I’m okay with that. Blogging isn’t everything, but it’s still a fun way to connect with people.

I mention this because the GFRR didn’t do anything for December (trust me, we tried), which was originally to be posted the first Wednesday in January this year. And when it looked like January (this particular challenge) would follow suit, we adapted and moved it to this week.

Today, actually.

In an effort to make an epic soufflé recipe by the original deadline, I scrambled to get it into the oven right as I was literally walking out the door to do other things. Contrary to popular belief, despite in my frantic state, the soufflé is a lot heartier than stereotypically perceived. As long as you take care to follow the steps and not breathe too loudly (I’m kidding), you will have a puffy, fluffy, delicious soufflé on your plate.

Although I call this recipe the “Pepperoni Pizza Soufflé”, it is simply a cheese soufflé with layers of pepperoni in it. I replaced the cheddar cheese with mozzarella, and added a heaping tablespoon of Italian seasoning to make the flavors pop.

(For some reason, Italy has been on my mind lately…)

Pepperoni Pizza Soufflé  (inspired by this recipe)

240 ml Whole milk
30 g Brown Rice flour
60 g Unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the baking pan
6 Large eggs, separated
175 g Mozzarella, shredded
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
5 tbsp. (60 g) Grated Parmesan cheese
36 slices of pepperoni*
Sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste**

Separate the egg yolks from the white, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Pour the milk into a saucepan and warm gently over a low heat, then sift the flour into the milk and mix well.
Cook on a moderate heat until the mixture is thick and there are no lumps.
Remove from the heat and beat in the butter, followed by slowly adding the egg yolks into the batter, followed by the mozzarella and Italian seasoning. (You may need to sporadically put it over a burner on low heat to melt the cheese completely.)
Grease the deep-dish baking pan with softened butter and coat the insides with the grated Parmesan.
Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until you have firm peaks (our immersion hand blender worked beautifully).
Carefully fold the egg whites into the cheese sauce, taking care not to deflate them.
Pour in a third of the mixture into the pan followed by a single layer of 12 pepperoni slices.
Repeat this step two more times and then place in the oven to bake for 35 minutes.
Serve immediately from the oven, taking care to mind the temperature.

Makes 4 – 6 servings.

*If you are not partial to pepperoni, think of adding your favorite pizza toppings instead.
**I didn’t need to use any salt or pepper because the cheese and seasonings made the soufflé extremely flavorful.

TR was our wonderful host for the soufflé challenge, and has a wonderful recipe just in time to impress your S.O. for Valentine’s Day!

TR | No One Likes Crumbley Cookies    Chocolate Souffle   

Heather | Discovering the Extraordinary    Mini Artichoke-Spinach-Parmesan Souffles   

 Pete Bronski | No Gluten, No Problem    Amaretto Souffle

Morri | Meals with Morri    Pepperoni Pizza Souffle  

It's Quiet... too Quiet

There are a few things I’ve learned since limiting my daily coffee intake (currently 120 ml, and will be 30 ml less in a week): one, how coffee had pushed my adrenals; two, how much my body had been pushed and for so long; and three, how my body is truly feeling.

Right now, my body is healing from a lot of abuse I didn’t know it had been suffering.

Last week was the last week of camp. 9 1/2 hours working with children each day put teachers in an all-new light of respect in my eyes (especially those in the K – 6 range). All of Saturday was slept, as well as the majority of Sunday. And then there’s today, my first day of school.

Graduate school, that is.

Despite the hectic workweek and literally doing a one-eighty in my life, I still have been playing around in the kitchen. My first jar of fermented veggies (recipe to come later) was devoured, with the second in the fridge (recipe also to come later). There’s homemade nut butter, soaked black beans and rolled oats, whey just waiting for lacto-fermentation, and finally, a jar of  the remaining sourdough starter I had from making pancakes.

“Homemade” has certainly gone up a notch in this household.

Sourdough Buckwheat Bread

120 ml Filtered water
120 g Greek yogurt
240 ml Sourdough starter
200 g Buckwheat flour
1 tsp. Sea salt
1 tsp. Baking soda

Combine the ingredients (except the salt and baking soda) in a mixing bowl and cover to sit at room temperature overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Add the remaining ingredients and let it rest for another 10 minutes (it should bloom slightly).
Pour the batter into a parchment-lined 12 x 16” baking pan* and bake for 30 – 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for fifteen minutes before serving.

Makes 8 – 16 servings depending on use.

I treated this as “sheet bread”, something to cut into squares and slice in half. It made a delicious sandwich bread option, and it was equally delicious to eat wholly. This recipe would also do well as a skillet bread and flatbread, but monitor the baking time.

Another thing I made with the starter was pizza. Yes, a sourdough, grain-free and vegan crust with a multitude of veggie toppings. Omit the cheese if you must, but I still think pizza was made for breakfast.

Grain-free Sourdough Veggie Pizza

For the crust:
500 g Sourdough starter
120 g Garbanzo bean flour
14 g Coconut flour
1 tsp. Sea salt

Mix the ingredients and let it sit covered at room temperature for twenty-four hours.

For the toppings:
120 g Pizza sauce*
90 g Parmigiano-Reggiano
Veggies, by preference
15 ml Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
Press the dough onto a 12 x 16” baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Ladle the sauce in the center and spread thinly, followed by the cheese, the veggies, and sprinkle with olive oil.
Bake for 10 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 400ºF to bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for ten minutes before using the parchment paper to carefully transfer the pizza onto the counter for slicing.
Serve hot.

Makes 6 – 8 slices.

* When I went on vacation to Bedford, the family visited the DelGrosso Amusement Park, a place where rides and Italian cuisine unite! The majority of the their sauces are gluten free, but one particular sauce didn't have added sugar or soy. I had to try it out, and it certainly made this pizza yummy!

The Socca Chronicles

Besides the whole manganese thing, there are other aspects to socca that I love. It’s versatile, it’s delicious, but above all else, it’s comforting.

And I’m a huge fan of all things comforting. I am comforted by the smell of my Lilli cat after she comes back inside early in the morning (No, I’m not kidding.), the images of autumn and the tastes it brings with it, the warmth of a kitchen in use, with the sounds of bubbling concoctions in pots and sizzling foods in pans, and this is just to name a few.

Socca is now an official Morri favorite, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I’ve perfected how to cook it* and have come up with quite a few variations of the original recipe. For a single serving I do 2.1 oz (or 1/2 cup) of garbanzo bean flour to 3.15 oz water, 5 g (or 1 tsp.) olive oil, and up to 1/4 tsp. of sea salt. The beautiful thing about this ratio – as the wonderful bloggers from the GFRR about any ratio will tell you – is how easy it is to multiply or decrease recipe to the number of people you want to cook for. You can cook for an entire food bloggers convention for hundreds and it would still turn out as amazingly as you would for a single serving. It’s also great as food on the go. I quickly cooked up a batch and ate it in the car on the way to the S/CAR resume workshop last Tuesday, wrapped in a paper towel and steaming hot.

Honestly, the average socca recipe is a great base for any flavor combination you could ever think of. Would you like a few examples? Oh, what am I saying, of course you do.

After my sweet and savory carrot socca success, I started looking into different spices and accompaniments:

Pesto Socca

2.1 oz Garbanzo bean flour
3.15 oz Water
1 tsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp Basil pesto (store-bought from Trader Joe’s and is not vegetarian)

I greased the pan with coconut oil instead of olive oil. It tasted amazing with the prosciutto, Dijon mustard, and basil.

Peppered Socca

2.1 oz Garbanzo bean flour
3.15 oz Water
1 tsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Cracked pepper

Then I tried cooking it with additional flours and different oils:

Coconut Socca

0.25 oz Coconut flour
1.85 oz Garbanzo bean flour
4 oz Water (coconut flour is like a sponge)
1 tsp. (7 g) Coconut oil, room temperature
1/4 tsp. Sea salt

It was a lot fluffier and more delicate due to the coconut flour and additional water. I topped it with a savory smear made with pumpkin puree, tahini, and coconut aminos. Oh, and a little curry powder goes a long way.

Mexican Mesquite Socca

0.5 oz Mesquite flour
1.85 oz Garbanzo bean flour
3.5 oz Water
1 tsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
Cinnamon, as garnish

Coincidentally, both the Coconut Socca and the Mexican Mesquite Socca are sweet socca as opposed to savory, but can be used for both depending on what you eat them with.

And most recently, as in today for lunch, I used socca in a different way entirely:

Socca Pizza

2.1 oz Garbanzo bean flour
3.15 oz Water
1 tsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1 Komato (or any small tomato of your choosing), sliced thinly into crescents
1 stalk Thai basil leaves (or regular basil), plucked and cut into fine slivers
1 tbsp. White onion, finely chopped
2 oz Ricotta cheese
Italian seasoning, for garnish
Red chili pepper flakes, for garnish

It turned out to be such an amazing crust for a single serving pizza, and much better than a traditional thin crust. It also gave me an idea for my next socca creation, one that has to do with sunny side up eggs and pork belly crisped bacon-style for breakfast. Something tells me socca is going to end up having it's own category on the Recipe Index page.

So now I want to hear from you. What unconventional ways have you made socca? How did it turn out? What interesting combinations would you like to try but haven’t done so already?

*How to cook socca… the MWM way:

Using this method in regard to pan-frying, I cook the socca like I would a pancake in cast-iron griddle pan on medium heat. Once it has set on the bottom and the bubbles have popped on the top, I put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes until the top has set. Sometimes I will flip it over and put it under the broiler again or use the stovetop for a crispier result.

Everything Peace Pretzels & Pizza Blanca

You remember that pizza I made for Mama Dazz’s birthday? Well, about that…

This post is significant, because it is the mark of the end of my four-month hiatus from The Gluten Free Ratio Rally. An entire summer of recipes I planned to create for each challenge was put on hold or forgotten because I had things to take care of that had nothing to do with cooking and everything to do with being in the present. But if you have been reading this blog long enough, you know how much cooking is part of my identity. There was something missing during those four months, deep down beyond the raspberry filling of my chocolate shell coating that used to be warm, loving, and inviting . And believe me, when something so crucial to your happiness is neglected, something you’ve watched flourish and evolve over a course of months or years, you do feel it.

But that chapter of my life has ended just in time for a new one to begin. I think it could be a best seller; it has it all. It has comedy, especially when making a multitude of messes in the kitchen on a daily basis. It has adventure, where the journey of my life as an undergrad is transitioning to the unknown of graduating. It has romance, and I think that is self-explanatory. This new chapter is titled “Arizona”, and here’s why.

Way back when I was a little fiend, a lover of sugary gluten treats and playing kick ball in my Sunday best, Mama Dazz would often go on travel to Arizona for her job. Every time she went she would go to the same restaurant and get a white pizza (no tomato sauce, with cheese, tons of garlic, basil, and tomato slices). It is her favorite pizza, and it was a similar pizza we had in Cape Cod.

I keep thinking back to that pizza, to every delicious bite that had soy and sugar, and I strived to make a crust that worked for my purposes. So I looked into Ruhlman’s book for inspiration. His ratio was five parts flour to three parts water, the exact same ratio as his bread recipe only with olive oil added into the dough. But gluten free dough is different than gluteny dough; sometimes it’s stickier and the idea of kneading such a gelatinous beast was a nightmare. That is, of course, until I stumbled upon Jim Lahey’s My Bread and his no-knead method of baking amazing out-of-this-world bread.

True, his ratio of pizza dough is almost identical to Ruhlman’s, though Lahey recommends a twenty-four hour rising period which, I believe, makes all the difference. I didn’t wait a whole day until I made a fantastic pizza, but I think letting it sit overnight until lunchtime makes a bangin’ pizza crust. I did stray away from his basic pizza dough recipe (or five parts flour to three parts water, a dash or two of salt, a packet of yeast, and a smidgeon of sugar to feed the yeast), and made a masterpiece. The flour combination was absolutely perfect. It was a pizza crust that took us back in time to the BGF days.

Basic Pizza Dough

200 g Rice flour
100 g Glutinous rice flour
100 g Potato starch
20 g Buckwheat flour
20 g Millet flour
10 g Amaranth flour
350 g Water, room temperature
10 g Unrefined apple cider vinegar
1 Large egg
1 packet (2 1/2 tsp. or 10 g) Active dry yeast
5 g Agave nectar or honey
1/2 tsp. Sea salt

In a medium bowl (or electric mixer), stir in the flours, egg, yeast, agave nectar, and salt. Add in the water and mix (either with a wooden spoon, by hand, or on medium-low speed) until blended.
Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature overnight to twenty-four hours.
Separate the dough into two equal parts, about 16 oz (453.6 g) each.
Use immediately or store in the freezer* up to a month.

Makes 32 oz.

*I noticed that freezing the dough, then refrigerating it to defrost, and then forming into the pretzels kept their shape when being molded and during the cooking process. Shauna mentions something about this kind of process for her pretzel recipe also. 

Pizza Blanca

16 oz Morri’s GFRR pizza dough
1.75 oz Frozen spinach, broken into small chunks
1 shallot, finely diced
7.5 oz Ricotta cheese
4 oz Mozzarella cheese, grated or torn into manageable pieces
1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. Red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. Oregano
3 Garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
0.5 oz Basil, sliced into thin slivers
1 Roma tomato (4.25 oz), thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Lay out the pizza dough in a greased 9x9” pie plate (or in a slightly larger cast iron skillet) and evenly spread it to the edges.
Layer the pizza starting with the spinach, then the cheeses, the spices, and garnish the top with the garlic, basil, and tomato.
Cook for 35 – 40 minutes or until the pizza is hot in the middle and the crust is thoroughly cooked.

Serves 4 – 6 people.

And now, the pretzels.

So, the full title of this recipe is "Everything Fo[u]r Peace Pretzels". Clever right? They’re formed into peace signs… and there were four of them. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to work with the dough at all by hand, but as I said, freezing then refrigerating is crucial. They aren’t pretzel pretzels. They’re pizza pretzels, a fun way to use up pizza dough you have laying around. Looking back, I think they would’ve been delicious bagels, but making a peace sign with food was just too cool an idea to pass up.

Everything Fo[u]r Peace Pretzels

16 oz Morri’s GFRR pizza dough
Olive oil, for greasing the baking sheet and coating the tops of the pretzels
Finely ground corn flour, for dusting the pans

Everything Bagel spices
1/4 tsp. Black sesame seeds
1/4 tsp. White sesame seeds
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Caraway seeds
1/4 tsp. Poppy seeds
1/4 tsp. Dehydrated onion

Preheat the oven to 475ºF.
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, coat the pan with olive oil and then the corn flour.
Separate the dough in four equal parts (up to 16 depending on the shape and how thick/large you want the pretzels to be).
Form them into peace signs (or your shape of choice), and lay them out on the baking sheet with at least and inch separating them from each other.
Heavily season them with the spices
Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until the pretzels are done.

Makes 4 – 16 pretzels.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the wonderful hostess for this month’s GFRR. Karen of Cooking Gluten-Free, author of the book with the same two, a blogger and a mom of two, began her gluten free journey when her children were diagnosed with celiac disease in 1997 and 1999. Similar to the GFRR’s “focus to collaborate and work together, comparing ratios and results, struggles and successes, all the while empowering each other to be better gluten free bakers”, she emphasizes the “pay it forward” spirit and does so in abundance.

Actually, I think we all do. Here's a list of the other Amazing Participants for this month's GFRR pizza crust challenge:

*Karen | Cooking Gluten-Free!    GASP! Garlic, Artichoke,Sun-Dried Tomato, Pesto Pizza 

Jenn | Jenn Cuisine    Moitié-Moitié  Sausage & Chanterelle Pizza 

Meg | Gluten-Free Boulangerie    Pissaladière (Provençal flatbread w/ olives & anchovies)   

TR | No One Likes Crumbley Cookies    Teriyaki Chicken Pizza   

Erin Swing | The Sensitive Epicure    Stuffed Pizza Pie: Spinach, Mushrooms, Sausage   

Charissa | Zest Bakery    Sauteed Onion & Sausage Grilled Pizza with Basil   

Pete and Kelli | No Gluten, No Problem    Grilled Pizza  

Mrs. R | Honey From Flinty Rocks    Pepperoni Pizza & Pineapple, Black Olive & Ham Pizza   

Caneel | Mama Me Gluten Free    Pizza crust by ratio (choose your toppings)   

Meredith | Gluten Free Betty    Pizza   

gretchen | kumquat    Mozzarella Pizza with Pine Nuts, Currants & Arugula   

Claire | Gluten Freedom    Fajita Pizza with Cilantro Pesto Sauce  

Dr Jean Layton | GF Doctor Recipes    Pizza  

Brooke Lippy | B & the boy    Dessert Pizza    

Lisa | Gluten Free Canteen    Rum Raisin Apple Pizza Pie, Gluten Free, Dairy Free   

Peace and Pizza to all, and to all an amazing feast!