To wrap up our “summer break,” we decided to do something we’ve never done before!
(Okay, before I go any further…. If you wanna know more about how we roll during the summer or what homeschool looks like in our house, check out the posts below!
Summer Fun
Homeschool Part 1 and Part 2)
While I do tend to be a creature of rhythm and habit, sometimes…every now and then… I like to mix things up, just a bit. So, our conclusion to the Summer Sourdough Series will do just that!
Have you heard that old time ditty about the chores being done on specific days? “On Monday’s, we wash the clothes…. Tuesday, we iron the clothes…” Well, we do things in a similar manner, but for our evening activities. (Ok, I also wash clothes on Monday…) On Saturday nights, we watch a family movie. Sunday night is game night. Monday night we watch a show as a family. On Wednesday night we go to church, and sometimes hang out at the park first with friends. Thursdays are for karate and Friday begins the weekend fun with either a date night or hang out, parents only! Of course, none of this is done religiously, which means we get off schedule or life changes the plans.
But, when we do have movie night, it is typically accompanied with the one and only, the very best thing for couch eating (once a week, of course!), the only entrée that can rightly be consumed at any meal: Pizza!
Homemade pizza is a healthier alternative to a store bought pie and significantly cheaper. Adding sourdough starter to your typical pizza dough recipe takes it to a-whole-nother level. My go-to recipe is from the King Arthur website, and has stood the test of time, and picky eaters! (I am simply linking the recipe and will not be including it at the bottom, since it is not a recipe I have created. You can also take your favorite homemade pizza crust recipe and adjust the flour & water ratios to incorporate the sourdough starter.)
Begin by making your dough. (Don’t worry, the twist is coming!) Follow the directions for allowing the dough to rest and rise before rolling it out on a non-stick pizza mat.
When rolling the dough, always make it larger than the diameter of your cooking mat. Fold over the excess to create a thick, restaurant-style crust. For years, I skipped this step, but we have really loved the “real” feel of the thicker crust. To amp it up another notch, rub melted butter or olive oil around the crust and top with garlic powder.
Pour your favorite marinara sauce onto the dough, and spread evenly. Then, top with grated cheese and any other toppings you prefer.
Every time I roll out pizza dough and begin swirling the sauce, I am taken back to my teenage years, when I worked at an East Coast pizza and sub shop. Each return trip to the coast, we try to visit at least one of these quaint shops as there seem to be none in the central part of Oklahoma.
Once you have finished topping the dough, put it into a very hot oven and bake until the cheese is golden. I typically use a pizza stone, and turn the oven to at least 450-500 degrees. A traditional pizza oven is tremendously hot, and cooks the pizza much faster than a home oven.
Now, for the twist in the routine…. After the dough is sauced and cheesed, put it on a cookie sheet and “bake” it on the grill. Really! Grilled pizza is so amazing. It is very similar to a pizza cooked in a wood-fire pizza oven🍕😍 Again, this reminds me of my east coast hometown. My favorite restaurant in Baltimore has a massive wood-fire pizza oven as the backdrop for the open kitchen.
Now, that we have sufficiently explored the best of sourdough in the summer, let’s move on to fall!
I’d love to hear your favorite summer eats, or your favorite hometown foodie memories!
Happy Eating!
