(This is the third in a series on cooking in Tuscany. Part 1 here. Part 2 here)
From time to time I like to reminisce about certain cooking or dining experiences we've had while traveling. Our Tuscan trip in '09 is ripe for this, for we rented a villa for a week, and did lots of cooking en suite, as well as relaxing and enjoying the wonderful views of the countryside, as well as the dreamy, bucolic confines of the villa and its grounds.
One day while shopping at the local market, I saw an Italian version of the Chef Boyardee pizza kits I used to enjoy making as a child. I couldn't resist picking one up, as I figured it would be a fun and simple way to make a lunch one day during our stay in the villa.
The kit was similar to the ones we have here, with a packet of dough mix and a can of sauce. While it contained no cheese, it did have a little seasoning packet which seemed to be mainly oregano. Also present was a Carta Da Forno, which was basically a piece of parchment paper on which the pizza was meant to be baked. I'm sure the makers intended this to be placed on a metal baking sheet, but, since we didn't have one, the Carta Da Forno went directly on the oven rack. Also present in the little pack was a paper cup which could be used to measure out a one cup measure. It was pretty handy to have as well, as the villa kitchen had no measuring cups. I mixed up the dough, let it rise, then spread it out on the CDF to form the beginnings of a pie.
The can of 'sauce' turned out to be mainly chopped tomatoes in a bit of sauce that didn't do much to cover the pizza dough. Luckily, we had some additional tomato puree that I'd bought on a whim, as well as some little grape tomatoes and green olives that we sliced and added to the pie.
And of course we couldn't go without cheese. Luckily, we'd picked up some of the delicious local Pecorino-Romano, as well as some mozzarella, which we shredded and added to the pie.
Below, our little cramped but cozy kitchen, where several good meals were prepared.
The pizza, ready for the oven.
And, voila, fifteen minutes later, a perfectly baked pie.
Certainly it was nothing to rival Naples or New York City, but it made for a festive lunch nonetheless.
Particularly with a little wine accompanying it!
And afterwards, nothing left to do but finish the wine and enjoy the lovely Tuscan views of the nearby vineyards.
Until next time,
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore!
Chris
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