The last time we talked about pizza, you gave me a bunch of advice and opinions on pizza ovens and I shared them in a post. Now it’s time to report back on my pizza journey (as well as on a new favorite sandwich that I recreated from a Texan food truck, recipe below).
That’s amore!
I am in deep, enduring love with our pizza oven. Cooking with it is so different from a stove. It’s as if you’re the captain of a small ship, feeding it coals to keep the engine running, steering its course, and heeding the whims of the passengers. When you make pizza, people gather around you and peer inside the oven. Everyone likes to play with the infrared temperature gun. And when you serve up a fresh pizza, it’s like bringing a birthday cake with candles aglow to a table. Everyone centers their attention; you can feel the joy.
The other fun part is that people want to participate. When I’m at my stove, no one asks to brown the chicken. When we had our neighbors over for pizza in Ojai, at one point I needed to run into the kitchen and I asked Marty and Max, a father and son, if they’d mind taking charge of the oven. “We’ve been waiting for you to ask us,” Marty said. Max also brought an incredible dough using his sourdough starter. I will work on getting his recipe for you!
Casualties of a beginner ’za maker.
I don’t want to spoil the video below, which takes you from oven installation to oven curing to pizza making, but I want to be sure to share some resources that complement it: ...
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Welcome to Forkcast—our weekly meal plan with five recipes, a grocery list, and tips to keep dinner easy. This week’s lineup comes from our editor Julia.
In the Test Kitchen, we’ve been talking about how farmers’ markets are slowly coming back to life. We recently rounded up April’s best produce and can’t stop thinking about all the ways to cook with it. So this week, we’re leaning in: three dinners, a dessert, and a cocktail that make the most of the season.Think rhubarb, fennel, peas, and plenty of herbs.
Sear the pork chops first, then cook the peas (and any other veg) in the pan drippings. They’ll soak up all that salty, savory flavor.
Same idea for the pasta: start by cooking the bacon and onion on the sheet pan, then add your spring vegetables toward the end so they stay bright and tender.
For the parchment packets, use a 15-inch circle so you have enough room to fold and crimp. If the edges won’t seal, brush them lightly with water or olive oil.
If you find yourself with leftover rice from the chicken dish, give it a second life as a bowl of congee. It’s especially good with a flavorful dark stout like Guinness. Watch how to make it here.
For the whiskey sour, do a dry shake first (no ice), then add ice and shake again. Double strain for the smoothest, foamiest finish.
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