Kathryn Kellinger - Lets Make Pizza!: A Pizza Cookbook to Bring the Whole Family Together

Copyright 2016 by Rockridge Press, Berkeley, California

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ISBN: Print 978-1-62315-732-6

eBook 978-1-62315-733-3

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SPOTLIGHT: Spring

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Appendix A:
The Dirty Dozen & The Clean Fifteen

Appendix B:
Measurement Conversions

P izza night. Its one of the most crowd-pleasing events in the family meal hall of fame. Rare is the child who doesnt count pizza amongst their favorites, and rarer still is the parent who isnt grateful for a dinner thats fast, customizable, healthy, phenomenally delicious, and best of all, makes everyone happy.

For some, pizza is a speed-dial solution.

For others its a high-minded pursuit with investigations into flours, gluten levels, and meteoric oven temperatures. But for me, pizza is a chill-out family traditionthe time each week when we cook together, reconnect, and laugh it up. Its a touch-base built around basic but profound pleasures: having fun together and eating delicious food made exactly as we want it.

Pizza is often a kids first foray into savory cooking, and, as a parent, Im fascinated by watching them explore the imaginative, the adventurous, the safe and steady. Their personalities and their palates tend to be similar to my own. Ive watched perfectionist five-year-olds arrange cherry tomatoes in diamond shapes and artistic seven-year-olds make self-portrait pizzas with red onion smiles, but more times than I can count, Ive watched kids confidently shape dough and spread sauce and cheese to make themselves something delicious and satisfying. Pizza doesnt have to look neat or perfect, and kids find that liberating. Theyre natural-born pizza masters.

For parents, pizza night (or afternoon) offers us the freedom to tailor the toppings to suit our own tastes. While the little ones make their own edible masterpieces, parents do the same with next-level ingredients: clams and grilled summer corn, handmade cured meats, or prosciutto with figs. Pizza night can be as simple or sophisticated as the maker, but whats especially unique is that this kid-friendly cuisine can coexist alongside a guest-worthy dinner, bringing everyone to the same table. Pizza is the only food I know of that offers this kind of universal culinary cohesion.

The recipes in this book are designed to be accessible to home cooks of all skill levels, adaptable to every type of eater (yes, even the gluten-frees and vegans!), and made with love, laughter, and good conversation. As kids grow, so do their tastes. That flexibilitythat openness to trying new thingsis one of the ways we gauge that theyre growing up. One of the best things about pizza night is the mood that comes with it. Memories, along with dinner, are in the making.

ITS PIZZA NIGHT!

P izza making is interactive. From a cooking standpoint, that means its tactile; youre handling and communicating with the ingredients. But for families cooking together, the interaction is face to face and in real time. Kids, with dough on their hands, drop the devices and live in the moment.

While parents might aim for a precise pizza circle topped by farmers market finery, kids often have a different ideal in mind. Pizza might take the shape of a red-sauced Valentine or Mickey Mouse rendered in tomatoes and cheese. That both of these mind-sets can exist side by side is one of the true joys of family pizza night.

Think of pizza night as a weekly touch-base, an opportunity to turn on the tunes and let family life take shape. Precious time together and a great meal? Its one of parentings easiest win/wins.

YEAST. Yeast is the living organism that animates dough. The recipes in this book use active dry yeast (not rapid rise or fresh yeast). Active dry yeast is sold in conjoined paper envelopes and can be found in the baking section of any chain supermarket. Combine the yeast with the indicated amount of water and set it aside, giving it 5 minutes or so to foam on the surface of the water. If it fails to bloom, the yeast is no longer active. Discard and start again with a fresh packet of yeast.