UPCOMING: This week we're going international with Tofu Hot Pot and Chana Masala with homemade Roti. You can add a little meat to the Hot Pot if you wish but you'll need 1/2 lb. mushrooms if you can find them on sale. We will be adding chili paste and sesame oil to our pantry (I'm working on a pantry items list). Chana Masala is an East Indian chickpea dish and, while you can use canned chickpeas, it's cheaper to buy the dried ones and cook them yourself. We'll be adding garam masala to the pantry spices (just a tiny bit) but there's a good chance you'll have everything else already. Both of these dishes sound really good and look good in Leanne's photos. Let's see what they will look like in mine!
Okay, forget adding chili paste to the pantry list. It was $3.49 for a little jar and we only wanted to use 1 tsp. So, I researched substitutes and made by own using 1 tbsp. ketchup and 1/8 tsp. cayenne.
Week of March 1, 2015
Okay, forget adding chili paste to the pantry list. It was $3.49 for a little jar and we only wanted to use 1 tsp. So, I researched substitutes and made by own using 1 tbsp. ketchup and 1/8 tsp. cayenne.
Week of March 1, 2015
Tofu Hot Pot (serves 4)
1 tbsp. ginger root, finely grated ($.20) 4 cloves garlic, finely grated ($.24) 8 cups water 1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped ($1.97) 1 tsp. chili paste (l tbsp. ketchup $.05 + 1/8 tsp. cayenne $.01) 2 tbsp. soy sauce ($.18) Additions: chicken, pork or beef, chopped peanuts, cabbage, kimchi, chili peppers, fresh cilantro, sliced daikon radish. |
2 tsp. sesame oil ($.30) 4 scallions, chopped ($.52) 16 oz. firm tofu ($1.99) 4 medium carrots, chopped ($.68) 8 oz. dried spaghetti, soba, or any Asian noodles ($1.49) bean sprouts - optional |
If you have time, freeze the ginger root for an hour before you start. It's much easier to grate when frozen! Store the rest of the root in the freezer until the next time you need it.
Drop the grated ginger root and garlic into a pot over medium heat. A few seconds later, once you can start to smell the garlic, pour in the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the mushrooms, chili paste (or substitute), soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Place a lid on the pot and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Separate the white and green parts of the scallions as you slice them. You'll cook the white and save the green to sprinkle over the soup. Cut the tofu into four slices, then turn each slice into eight squares. Add the tofu, carrots, and the white parts of the scallions to the broth. Cook about 10 minutes more, until the carrots are tender.
Add the noodles and keep boiling until they soften, usually just a few minutes, although it depends on the type of noodles. Taste the broth. If it isn't salty enough, splash in more soy sauce. Adjust the sesame oil and chili paste to your taste as well. (I added the rest of the tbsp. of homemade chili paste, more soy and about a tsp. more sesame oil).
Ladle the soup into bowls. For a little crunch, top with bean sprouts and the green bits of the scallions. If you have leftovers, you'll find you like this soup even more the next day. Overnight, the flavours will infuse into the tofu as well as combining with each other. You might want to store the noodles separately, though, because otherwise they'll get soggy.
TOTAL: $7.58, $1.90 per person for 4 servings. See below for additions and costs for 6 servings.
Leanne: $7.20, $1.80 per person for 4 servings
Drop the grated ginger root and garlic into a pot over medium heat. A few seconds later, once you can start to smell the garlic, pour in the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the mushrooms, chili paste (or substitute), soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Place a lid on the pot and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Separate the white and green parts of the scallions as you slice them. You'll cook the white and save the green to sprinkle over the soup. Cut the tofu into four slices, then turn each slice into eight squares. Add the tofu, carrots, and the white parts of the scallions to the broth. Cook about 10 minutes more, until the carrots are tender.
Add the noodles and keep boiling until they soften, usually just a few minutes, although it depends on the type of noodles. Taste the broth. If it isn't salty enough, splash in more soy sauce. Adjust the sesame oil and chili paste to your taste as well. (I added the rest of the tbsp. of homemade chili paste, more soy and about a tsp. more sesame oil).
Ladle the soup into bowls. For a little crunch, top with bean sprouts and the green bits of the scallions. If you have leftovers, you'll find you like this soup even more the next day. Overnight, the flavours will infuse into the tofu as well as combining with each other. You might want to store the noodles separately, though, because otherwise they'll get soggy.
TOTAL: $7.58, $1.90 per person for 4 servings. See below for additions and costs for 6 servings.
Leanne: $7.20, $1.80 per person for 4 servings
MY RESULTS: This soup is pretty good. It has an earthy flavour from the mushrooms and sesame oil. Sesame oil is $4.49 for 185 ml which is rather pricey but it can add a unique flavor to a variety of dishes, it lasts a long time, and you only use a small amount. If it doesn't fit your budget, make this soup with cremini mushrooms to maximize their earthiness. When I adjusted the seasonings at the end, it required more soy sauce, the rest of the homemade chili paste and about a tsp. more sesame oil. When I served it, I provided hot sauce and it gave it not so much heat as a bit of kick. The blur in the photo is the steam rising from the bowl!
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Leanne's recipe provides a lengthy list of additions but no instructions on when or how to include them. Pork hocks were on sale at World Market Fresh for $.96. I bought a boneless piece, sliced it REALLY thin and added it with the mushrooms ($.97). There was cabbage in the fridge so I sliced it thinly as well and added it with the carrots ($.35). A few chopped peanuts for garnish were about $.20. These additions increased the volume of the soup and brought my cost to $9.10 or $1.52 per person for six servings.
Chana Masala (serves 2) (actually serves 4)
1/2 tbsp. butter plus a splash of olive oil ($.05) 1 tsp. cumin seeds ($.07) 1/2 cup onion, chopped ($.09) 1 tsp. garlic ($.06) 1 tsp. ginger root, grated ($.05) 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced ($.07) 3 tsp. ground coriander ($.21) 1 tsp. turmeric ($.05) |
1/4 tsp. cayenne ($.01) 1/2 tsp. garam masala ($.03) 1 tsp. smoked paprika ($.07) 1/2 tsp. salt ($.01) 1 cup canned tomatoes, puréed ($.68) 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained (1 1/4 cup raw $.78) 1/2 water |
Garnish: fresh cilantro, yogurt
You can use canned chickpeas for this recipe but it will increase your cost by almost $2. Dried chickpeas double in volume when cooked so you only need 1 1/4 cup. Put them in a bowl and cover them with water to about 3" over their level. Let soak overnight. About 11/2 hours before dinner, drain and rinse them and put them into a medium saucepan with water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. While they are cooking, prepare the rest of the meal.
Measure out all the spices except the cumin seeds and put them in a small bowl so they're ready. Let the butter & oil melt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it begins to sizzle, add the cumin seeds and stir for about 5 seconds. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ginger and jalapeño and cook for 1 more minute. Add the spices and then the puréed tomatoes. Mix, then put a lid on the pan and let everything cook down for 5 to 10 minutes.
Once the tomato has reduced and the butter starts to separate from the sauce, turn the heat off and wait for the chickpeas to be tender. When they are, drain them well and add them to the tomato mixture with the water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then squish a few chickpeas with a spoon to thicken the sauce. Garnish with yogurt and cilantro. For a full meal, serve over rice or with roti (see below for the roti recipe).
TOTAL: $2.23, $.58 per person for 4 servings (plus the cost of rice $1.10. or roti $.61)
Leanne: $3.00, $1.50 per person for 2 servings
You can use canned chickpeas for this recipe but it will increase your cost by almost $2. Dried chickpeas double in volume when cooked so you only need 1 1/4 cup. Put them in a bowl and cover them with water to about 3" over their level. Let soak overnight. About 11/2 hours before dinner, drain and rinse them and put them into a medium saucepan with water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. While they are cooking, prepare the rest of the meal.
Measure out all the spices except the cumin seeds and put them in a small bowl so they're ready. Let the butter & oil melt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it begins to sizzle, add the cumin seeds and stir for about 5 seconds. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ginger and jalapeño and cook for 1 more minute. Add the spices and then the puréed tomatoes. Mix, then put a lid on the pan and let everything cook down for 5 to 10 minutes.
Once the tomato has reduced and the butter starts to separate from the sauce, turn the heat off and wait for the chickpeas to be tender. When they are, drain them well and add them to the tomato mixture with the water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then squish a few chickpeas with a spoon to thicken the sauce. Garnish with yogurt and cilantro. For a full meal, serve over rice or with roti (see below for the roti recipe).
TOTAL: $2.23, $.58 per person for 4 servings (plus the cost of rice $1.10. or roti $.61)
Leanne: $3.00, $1.50 per person for 2 servings
MY RESULTS: Considering the wonderful combination of spices in this dish, I was surprised it wasn't more flavourful. Don't be afraid to add the 1/4 tsp. of cayenne even though there is half a jalapeño in the dish. I made it without, tasted it and felt it was needed but, keep in mind, I cleaned all the seeds and ribs out of the jalapeño before I chopped it. Fresh cilantro is too expensive to buy just for garnish so I bought the smallest container of plain yogurt ($.89) and used a sprinkle of dried parsley just for colour. I wish the stores would let you buy snips of cilantro. I liked this dish and while Leanne said it was intended for two, if you served it over rice it would serve four people.
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Roti (makes 16 - but they're rather small)
2 cups whole wheat flour ($.60)
1 tsp. salt ($.01)
1 cup water
In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients using one clean hand. It should form a fairly moist dough. Knead until smooth and form into a ball. Cover with a damp towel or paper towel and set aside for 10 minutes to an hour. Divide the dough into 16 small balls.
Sprinkle a countertop with flour and place one piece of dough in the middle. Cover the ball with flour on all sides so that it doesn't stick to the surface, then gently roll it out with a rolling pin (or a bottle if you're in a pinch) until it's thin and flat, about 1/8" thick. As you roll the dough, be sure to unstiuk it from your counter and flip it over. To make it round, roll straight in front of you, then turn the dough 90 degrees and roll out again.
Place a non-stick skillet on medium heat (I used my cast iron pan). Once the pan is hot, add the roti and cook until the dough lifts away from the pan around the edges and small bubbles form. Flip the bread over and cook the other side. Usually it goes very quickly. You want to see light-brown bubbles all over the dough. Don't let it get too dark, though, as this will make the roti too crunchy to use for rolls. Repeat this process until you're finished with the dough. Once you have practiced, you can roll out one roti while another cooks in the pan to make the process quicker. Keep them under a towel on the counter or in a warm oven until ready to serve.
TOTAL: $.61 for 16 roti ($.04) which is fine if you are going to have them as a side dish with the Chana Masala but if you want to also use them to make wraps, this recipe will only give you 8 that are large enough to roll.
Leanne: $.50, $.03 each
2 cups whole wheat flour ($.60)
1 tsp. salt ($.01)
1 cup water
In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients using one clean hand. It should form a fairly moist dough. Knead until smooth and form into a ball. Cover with a damp towel or paper towel and set aside for 10 minutes to an hour. Divide the dough into 16 small balls.
Sprinkle a countertop with flour and place one piece of dough in the middle. Cover the ball with flour on all sides so that it doesn't stick to the surface, then gently roll it out with a rolling pin (or a bottle if you're in a pinch) until it's thin and flat, about 1/8" thick. As you roll the dough, be sure to unstiuk it from your counter and flip it over. To make it round, roll straight in front of you, then turn the dough 90 degrees and roll out again.
Place a non-stick skillet on medium heat (I used my cast iron pan). Once the pan is hot, add the roti and cook until the dough lifts away from the pan around the edges and small bubbles form. Flip the bread over and cook the other side. Usually it goes very quickly. You want to see light-brown bubbles all over the dough. Don't let it get too dark, though, as this will make the roti too crunchy to use for rolls. Repeat this process until you're finished with the dough. Once you have practiced, you can roll out one roti while another cooks in the pan to make the process quicker. Keep them under a towel on the counter or in a warm oven until ready to serve.
TOTAL: $.61 for 16 roti ($.04) which is fine if you are going to have them as a side dish with the Chana Masala but if you want to also use them to make wraps, this recipe will only give you 8 that are large enough to roll.
Leanne: $.50, $.03 each
MY RESULTS: These are delicious, easy and fun to make! It took about an hour to make 16 but if you are going to make 8 it will take far less time. I don't use a non-stick pan but I have my trusty, well-seasoned cast iron fry pan which worked just fine. As I took each one out of the frying pan, I added it to a pie plate in a warm oven and they were absolutely yummy, warm straight from the oven. They are like a thin pita bread but they don't open for stuffing. The large ones will make great wraps. They are in the picture above with the Chana Masala and actually were more browned than they appear in the photo.
UPCOMING: I don't know what happened to the Upcoming for this week. Sorry. Some kind of glitch, I suspect because I know I posted it! We're doing 5 recipes this week: Croutons, Kale Salad, Pizza Dough, Potato Leek Pizza and Broccoli Rabe & Mozzarella Calzones. Here were the highlights:
Somebody has chicken thighs on sale for $2.99/lb. If you can budget it, pick up a package for next week's Filipino Adobe Chicken.
Broccoli Rabe which is also known as Rapini was on sale at Freshco. I was going to price match it at Superstore but they didn't have any.
Mozzarella cheese bars were on for $5.98 at Superstore so, while that's not a wonderful price it is better than usual so we're going to
make pizza. Fresh Mushrooms are on sale there too.
Week of March 8, 2015
Somebody has chicken thighs on sale for $2.99/lb. If you can budget it, pick up a package for next week's Filipino Adobe Chicken.
Broccoli Rabe which is also known as Rapini was on sale at Freshco. I was going to price match it at Superstore but they didn't have any.
Mozzarella cheese bars were on for $5.98 at Superstore so, while that's not a wonderful price it is better than usual so we're going to
make pizza. Fresh Mushrooms are on sale there too.
Week of March 8, 2015
Kale Salad - serves two or four as a side
1 large bunch kale or Swiss chard ($2.50) 2 cups bread cubes (2 slices from a loaf) ($.22) 2 tbsp. butter (more as needed) ($.18) Salt & Pepper Romano or Parmesan, freshly grated ($$ - use Kraft) |
Dressing 1 egg yolk, raw from a high-quality fresh egg ($.25) 2 tsp. lemon juice ($.32) 2 tsp. Dijon mustard ($.10) 1 clove garlic, finely grated (optional) ($.07) 1 anchovy, finely chopped (optional) ($.04 approx.) 3 tbsp. olive oil ($.30) Salt & Pepper |
Start by making croutons:
This is a method more than a recipe since you'll have a random amount of bread (several-day-old bread works best). Cut bread into cubes. If it's too stale/hard to cut, sprinkle some water on the towel and microwave for 20-30 seconds. This will restore just enough moisture to let you cut the bread easily. Choose a sufficiently large pan for the quantity of bread cubes and place it on the stovetop on medium heat. Add enough butter (or vegetable oil) to coat the bottom of the pan. Butter is nicest. Let the butter melt or the oil get hot. Add the bread and toss gently until coated. Let the bread sit for 2 minutes then flip the pieces over. Keep tossing and turning until the bread is brown all over. Add oil or butter as needed and sprinkle with salt and pepper. It is basically impossible, unless you are very patient to get every side of the cubes browned so just get them generally looking good and toasty and then take them off the heat. Place them in a sealed container after they cool.
To make the dressing, drop the egg yolk into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, mustard, garlic and anchovy. Whisk briskly until the dressing is light and frothy. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking the whole time. Once everything is incorporated, sprinkle with salt and pepper then adjust to your taste. (Leanne says she likes it very lemony.)
Cut the kale leaves to remove the large stem from the centre (Judy says "throw the stems into your frozen vegetable bag for stock"). Slice the leaves in half lengthwise, then cut into thin ribbons. Chopping the kale into small pieces disguises its tough texture.
Toss the kale in the bowl to coat it with the dressing. Set aside for 10 minutes or leave in the fridge for a few hours. The kale will become tender as it marinated. Before serving, toss in the croutons and top with grated cheese.
TOTAL: $3.98 plus whatever grated cheese you put on it, $1 per serving for 4 people, $2 each for 2 people
Leanne: $4.50 including cheese, $1.12 per serving for 4 people, $2.25 each for 2 people
This is a method more than a recipe since you'll have a random amount of bread (several-day-old bread works best). Cut bread into cubes. If it's too stale/hard to cut, sprinkle some water on the towel and microwave for 20-30 seconds. This will restore just enough moisture to let you cut the bread easily. Choose a sufficiently large pan for the quantity of bread cubes and place it on the stovetop on medium heat. Add enough butter (or vegetable oil) to coat the bottom of the pan. Butter is nicest. Let the butter melt or the oil get hot. Add the bread and toss gently until coated. Let the bread sit for 2 minutes then flip the pieces over. Keep tossing and turning until the bread is brown all over. Add oil or butter as needed and sprinkle with salt and pepper. It is basically impossible, unless you are very patient to get every side of the cubes browned so just get them generally looking good and toasty and then take them off the heat. Place them in a sealed container after they cool.
To make the dressing, drop the egg yolk into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, mustard, garlic and anchovy. Whisk briskly until the dressing is light and frothy. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking the whole time. Once everything is incorporated, sprinkle with salt and pepper then adjust to your taste. (Leanne says she likes it very lemony.)
Cut the kale leaves to remove the large stem from the centre (Judy says "throw the stems into your frozen vegetable bag for stock"). Slice the leaves in half lengthwise, then cut into thin ribbons. Chopping the kale into small pieces disguises its tough texture.
Toss the kale in the bowl to coat it with the dressing. Set aside for 10 minutes or leave in the fridge for a few hours. The kale will become tender as it marinated. Before serving, toss in the croutons and top with grated cheese.
TOTAL: $3.98 plus whatever grated cheese you put on it, $1 per serving for 4 people, $2 each for 2 people
Leanne: $4.50 including cheese, $1.12 per serving for 4 people, $2.25 each for 2 people
MY RESULTS: First, the croutons. This is a great way to use up old bread. I am very patient so I stood and turned each cube with tongs until they were browned on all sides. I might not have done this if I had old bread but my bread was fresh so I wanted to make sure it was dried out inside. These are really good and it sure beats paying $2+ for a bag of croutons. It took, maybe, 10 minutes.
The Kale Salad was really good. Leanne is absolutely correct when she says the texture of the kale becomes more tender as it marinated. I know kale is a 'superfood' but I would need more than just this salad for a whole meal, even a lunch. So, I'm recommending it as a really highly nutritious side dish. It does need cheese and freshly grated Romano or Parmesan would be delicious if you can swing it. Perhaps you can price out a very small piece in the Deli section and if there aren't any, the staff at the Deli counter will cut one for you. They are very accommodating. I think I'll make this salad again and try it with Swiss chard. AND, I forgot to take a picture of it before we ate.
The Kale Salad was really good. Leanne is absolutely correct when she says the texture of the kale becomes more tender as it marinated. I know kale is a 'superfood' but I would need more than just this salad for a whole meal, even a lunch. So, I'm recommending it as a really highly nutritious side dish. It does need cheese and freshly grated Romano or Parmesan would be delicious if you can swing it. Perhaps you can price out a very small piece in the Deli section and if there aren't any, the staff at the Deli counter will cut one for you. They are very accommodating. I think I'll make this salad again and try it with Swiss chard. AND, I forgot to take a picture of it before we ate.
Pizza Dough - makes 4 individual pizzas
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour ($2.19)
1 1/2 tsp. salt ($.02)
1 tsp. instant yeast ($.27)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.03)
1 1/4 cup water at room-temperature
Good and Cheap has two recipes for pizza dough. Leanne describes them at Fast and Slow. This is the fast method. Before you begin, remove any rings you wear. Pizza dough is really hard to get out of an engagement ring.
Measure out the flour, salt and a teaspoon of yeast into a big bowl. Mix the oil into the flour with hour hands, crumbling it until the texture is a bit sandy, then add the room-temperature water. Keep mixing with your hands until it comes together.
Knead the dough on a slightly floured countertop for 5 to 7 minutes, until it becomes a smooth elastic ball. The dough will be smooth but quite wet (I think she means sticky). (Kneading is a push, turn the dough 90 degrees and fold it towards you, repeat. Keep flouring your countertop to prevent the dough from sticking to it. )
Scrape out the bowl as best you can and add a small amount of oil to the bowl, spreading it over the surface. Place your dough ball into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. It's done rising when it has doubled in size. Then it'll be ready to shape into your favorite pizza.
TOTAL: $2.51 for 4 crusts, $.62 each
Leanne: $.80 for 4 crusts, $.20 each
MY RESULTS: This definitely makes the required amount of dough for four 12" pizzas. Because there are only two of us, I divided the dough into 4 and used 2 pieces for pizza and 2 for the calzone recipe. The dough has a nice flavour.
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour ($2.19)
1 1/2 tsp. salt ($.02)
1 tsp. instant yeast ($.27)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.03)
1 1/4 cup water at room-temperature
Good and Cheap has two recipes for pizza dough. Leanne describes them at Fast and Slow. This is the fast method. Before you begin, remove any rings you wear. Pizza dough is really hard to get out of an engagement ring.
Measure out the flour, salt and a teaspoon of yeast into a big bowl. Mix the oil into the flour with hour hands, crumbling it until the texture is a bit sandy, then add the room-temperature water. Keep mixing with your hands until it comes together.
Knead the dough on a slightly floured countertop for 5 to 7 minutes, until it becomes a smooth elastic ball. The dough will be smooth but quite wet (I think she means sticky). (Kneading is a push, turn the dough 90 degrees and fold it towards you, repeat. Keep flouring your countertop to prevent the dough from sticking to it. )
Scrape out the bowl as best you can and add a small amount of oil to the bowl, spreading it over the surface. Place your dough ball into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. It's done rising when it has doubled in size. Then it'll be ready to shape into your favorite pizza.
TOTAL: $2.51 for 4 crusts, $.62 each
Leanne: $.80 for 4 crusts, $.20 each
MY RESULTS: This definitely makes the required amount of dough for four 12" pizzas. Because there are only two of us, I divided the dough into 4 and used 2 pieces for pizza and 2 for the calzone recipe. The dough has a nice flavour.
Potato Leek Pizza - makes 4 pizzas
1 batch of pizza dough, above ($2.51)
2 tbsp. olive oil ($.20) (I had to use 4 tbsp. so $.40)
1 Russet Potato or 3 small potatoes, sliced into thin circles ($.91)
3 leeks, sliced into circles ($3.99)
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. fresh mozzarella, shredded (way too $$ - buy a cheese bar $5.98)
Turn the oven to 500F.
(I have a mandolin which slices things paper thin so I used that). Put a large pan on medium heat and add 1 tbsp. olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the potato slices evenly to the pan, making sure each slice is touching the bottom. Let them cook until they start to crinkle around the edges and turn brown. Flip them over and brown the other side, then move them to a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then, when they are cool, toss with your hands to make sure they're evenly coated.
Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan, then toss in the leek slices, stirring occasionally until they're soft, about 5 minutes. Toss them with the potato slices and add a bit more salt and pepper.
Clear a space on the counter and sprinkle with flour. Divide your dough into 4 equal pieces. One at a time, stretch the dough into crusts. You can use a rolling pin or just slowly use your fingers and hands. Leanne likes to make hers really thin and big but it's up to you how thick to make it. Once the crust is the desired shape and thickness, dust the back of a cookie sheet with flour or cornmeal to keep the crust from sticking, then place the dough on the sheet.
Now layer it with 1/4 of the potato and leek mixture and 1/4 of the shredded mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes. If it's your first time, simply keep an eye on the oven to see when the pizza's done. The crust should be light brown and the cheese melted. Repeat the process until you've baked all your pizzas.
1 batch of pizza dough, above ($2.51)
2 tbsp. olive oil ($.20) (I had to use 4 tbsp. so $.40)
1 Russet Potato or 3 small potatoes, sliced into thin circles ($.91)
3 leeks, sliced into circles ($3.99)
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. fresh mozzarella, shredded (way too $$ - buy a cheese bar $5.98)
Turn the oven to 500F.
(I have a mandolin which slices things paper thin so I used that). Put a large pan on medium heat and add 1 tbsp. olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the potato slices evenly to the pan, making sure each slice is touching the bottom. Let them cook until they start to crinkle around the edges and turn brown. Flip them over and brown the other side, then move them to a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then, when they are cool, toss with your hands to make sure they're evenly coated.
Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan, then toss in the leek slices, stirring occasionally until they're soft, about 5 minutes. Toss them with the potato slices and add a bit more salt and pepper.
Clear a space on the counter and sprinkle with flour. Divide your dough into 4 equal pieces. One at a time, stretch the dough into crusts. You can use a rolling pin or just slowly use your fingers and hands. Leanne likes to make hers really thin and big but it's up to you how thick to make it. Once the crust is the desired shape and thickness, dust the back of a cookie sheet with flour or cornmeal to keep the crust from sticking, then place the dough on the sheet.
Now layer it with 1/4 of the potato and leek mixture and 1/4 of the shredded mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes. If it's your first time, simply keep an eye on the oven to see when the pizza's done. The crust should be light brown and the cheese melted. Repeat the process until you've baked all your pizzas.
TOTAL: $13.79, $3.45 for each of 4 pizzas including the dough recipe
Leanne: $9, $2.25 for each of 4 pizzas
Leanne: $9, $2.25 for each of 4 pizzas
MY RESULTS: Wow! I certainly couldn't make these pizza's for $2.25 each. I think the problem is the cost of the leeks. Even if I had waited until summer to make this recipe, leeks don't come down that much in price. I probably could have done better on the cheese price. Still, a 16 piece pizza is $19.95 with a coupon so it's still cheaper AND IT'S FUN! I was laughing out loud as I tried to stretch the dough to make a nice round pizza. It just wasn't going to happen. You and your kids will have some fun with that. Take pictures!
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I have to admit I was a little iffy about a Potato Leek pizza but it was surprisingly good. I had to cook the potato slices in batches and she doesn't say whether to peel the potato or not so I gave my Russet potato a good scrub and sliced it on the mandolin. Also, the pizza's weren't cooked in 8 minutes, they took 14 minutes but that may have been because my edges were a little thicker than I would have liked and they just needed longer. I think Leanne's point with this recipe is that to use up leftovers, you can think beyond the traditional tomato sauce based pizza.
Broccoli Rabe and Mozzarella Calzones - serves 4
1 batch of pizza dough, above ($2.51) 1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10) 1 large bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), chopped ($1.99) 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped ($.21) 1 tsp. chili flakes ($.06) 2 cups mozzarella, grated ($3.00) 2 anchovies ($.08) |
Alternate Version - tomato based calzones 1 batch of pizza dough, above ($2.51) Genoa salami sliced very thin ($1.44 for .16 lb.) 1 small can pizza sauce ($.92) Fresh mushrooms ($1.40) 1 tbsp. butter ($.09) 2 cups mozzarella, grated ($3.00) |
Turn the oven to 500F (or as hot as your oven gets). Sprinkle a small amount of flour or cornmeal over a baking sheet and set aside.
Place a large pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tough stem ends of the broccoli rabe (rapini) and cook for 2 minutes. Next, add the rest of the rapini including the leafy parts, along with the garlic, chili flakes, and anchovies. Give the ingredients a stir and let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste The rapini is done when the stems are tender. Set the filling aside.
Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Sprinkle flour over the countertop and place one of the four pieces of dough on it. Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll out the dough as you would for pizza. Roll the dough out quite thin. Pile 1/4 of the rapini mixture and 1/2 cup of mozzarella onto one side of the circle, leaving a lip around the edge. Gather up the half of the dough that isn't weighed down with filling and fold it over top. Pinch the edges of the dough together to create a half-moon shape. Place it carefully on the prepared baking sheet and repeat until you have four Calzones.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the Calzones are golden-brown on the outside. Be careful when you bite into them - they'll be hot!
TOTAL: $5.96, $1.49 for each of the 4 calzones
Leanne: $6.00, $1.50 for each of the 4 calzones
MY RESULTS: There is only one word to describe these: YUCK! They are so bitter and unpleasant we couldn't eat them. I like rapini - steamed and served with butter, salt and a spritz of lemon. I had higher expectations from this recipe.
Alternate Version: sauté fresh mushrooms in a bit of butter and oil. Follow the directions for rolling out the dough. Spoon a little pizza sauce on half of the circle, spreading it with the back of the spoon. Lay 3 or 4 slices of salami on top, sprinkle with mushrooms and top with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake 8-10 minutes or until they are golden-brown on the outside. These, too, will be very hot inside!
TOTAL: $9.36, $2.64 for each of the 4 Calzones - more expensive but edible!
Place a large pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tough stem ends of the broccoli rabe (rapini) and cook for 2 minutes. Next, add the rest of the rapini including the leafy parts, along with the garlic, chili flakes, and anchovies. Give the ingredients a stir and let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste The rapini is done when the stems are tender. Set the filling aside.
Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Sprinkle flour over the countertop and place one of the four pieces of dough on it. Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll out the dough as you would for pizza. Roll the dough out quite thin. Pile 1/4 of the rapini mixture and 1/2 cup of mozzarella onto one side of the circle, leaving a lip around the edge. Gather up the half of the dough that isn't weighed down with filling and fold it over top. Pinch the edges of the dough together to create a half-moon shape. Place it carefully on the prepared baking sheet and repeat until you have four Calzones.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the Calzones are golden-brown on the outside. Be careful when you bite into them - they'll be hot!
TOTAL: $5.96, $1.49 for each of the 4 calzones
Leanne: $6.00, $1.50 for each of the 4 calzones
MY RESULTS: There is only one word to describe these: YUCK! They are so bitter and unpleasant we couldn't eat them. I like rapini - steamed and served with butter, salt and a spritz of lemon. I had higher expectations from this recipe.
Alternate Version: sauté fresh mushrooms in a bit of butter and oil. Follow the directions for rolling out the dough. Spoon a little pizza sauce on half of the circle, spreading it with the back of the spoon. Lay 3 or 4 slices of salami on top, sprinkle with mushrooms and top with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake 8-10 minutes or until they are golden-brown on the outside. These, too, will be very hot inside!
TOTAL: $9.36, $2.64 for each of the 4 Calzones - more expensive but edible!