I made my favorite meal for our Anniversary. Mexican Pizza and Watermelon Margaritas. Divorce? Never. I don't have to worry about my husband kicking me to the curb after making this.
I'll even start this post in the prehistoric dough stage. You'll need:
2 pkgs. dry yeast
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
4 cups flour (I use 3 1/2 cups white flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
In a large measuring cup mix the lukewarm water and the yeast. Let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes. Now mix all of the dry ingredients and the oil in a large mixing bowl. Push the flour mixture to the side and pour in the yeast/water mixture. Now be ready to knead. I knead with my right hand and keep my left hand clean in case I (knead) to add more flour. (If it is too sticky)
It will be a big wet mess at first. But soon it will come together. To knead you just fold the dough over and on itself over and over. Of course you won't be able to really knead until the dough comes together.
It should look like this after a few minutes. When you are done kneading and it feels like a springy dough ball, cover the dough with a damp towel. I always prepare the damp towel in advance because your hands will be a mess. Now let the dough rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes. It should double in size. When that happens you'll need to punch it down to release some of that air. Now pull the dough from the sides of the bowl and kind of loosely form it into a ball again. Pour a little olive oil over the dough and cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until dinner.
O.K. so now it is hours later right? The dough will have risen and should be enough for 3 pizzas. I take the dough out of the bowl and cut it into 3rds. I take 1 3rd and roll it out as shown. I freeze the other balls for later. And boy, is it nice to have those in the freezer! I like a thin crisp crust so I roll it thin. I transfer it to my large oiled pizza pan. And this is an important part. Take a fork and poke it all over your crust. Then bake it for 5-10 minutes. (My metal pan has holes in it) This pre-baking will give you a crisper crust. You don't need any pizza stone or special pizza oven. Trust me.
Now you can take your pre-baked crust and add your toppings. I spread a thin layer of Ortega taco sauce on top. Then a thin layer of a taco cheese blend. My favorite meat is chorizo. I find my favorite at Clancey's Meats in Linden Hills. If you've tried chorizo and didn't like it, try another kind. When you find the right one it is fantastic. I take one link and squeeze it out of its casing and saute it until it is almost done. Then I sprinkle it on my pizza. I'll add onions and sliced peppers. But add what ever southwestern veggies you like. Bake for around 5-10 minutes at 450 degrees.
After the pizza is done. Add cooked frozen corn. I always have pre-cooked frozen corn in my freezer. You might want to defrost the corn on a paper towel to absorb moisture. Then sprinkle the pizza with some fresh Mexican cheese. I usually add my favorite herb cilantro as well. But I didn't have any today. This is a fabulous pizza!
Now the Margaritas will take some planning. Last Summer my husband brought home as many watermelons as he could carry. He picked them up on his lunch break downtown at the Farmer's Market. The melons then came home with him on the bus. Ha! But you don't have to go quite that far. My point is you'll need watermelon puree in the freezer. Or fresh. You'll need to blend the fresh seeded watermelon and strain out the pulp.
Now put 1/2 cup of watermelon juice each in two large glasses. Add 2 shots of Tequila and 1/2 shot of Grand Mariner to each glass. Then add 1/2 shot of Lime Margarita mix and 1 shot of fizzy club soda to each. Stir, add ice and enjoy what ever special occasion you're celebrating! It is sooooo good. This recipe is too good not to share. Pass it on...
