Fresh Approach Cooking

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This past weekend was a kaleidoscopic blur. Two parties on Sunday alone (a brunch that I spontaneously hosted for my most lovely lady friends, the other a family friend bash that went to the wee hours. Hee) neither of which helped with my rapidly diminishing brain cells, but it did prompt me to make yet another (I know, I know, what a bore I am!) right-from-the-pantry extravaganza.

It was late Sunday morning and while I dutifully had the pitchers of Bloody Mary’s mixed and ready to go, food wise, I was at a loss and time was too short to head off to the market…so what could I whip up with 2 hours to spare?

Veggie rolls were easy enough, then I baked off some chips and made a smooth and spicy bean dip, there was my classic mango, cucumber delight and a few other oddities that didn’t exactly scream brunch, but were tasty treats none-the-less, including this extra fun purple potato pizza.

Like pretty much everyone else who comes across purple potatoes, I am intrigued, but always sort of at a loss for what to do to really accentuate their flashy hue. This pizza (a starch-a-holics dream) is the best answer I have come up with so far…and lemme just say, it’s a dandy delight indeed. I also didn’t have any cornmeal, something I normally include in my dough, so instead used a bit of masa flour, and the results were seemingly identical. Go figure. The results are fab-u-licious and worth the time to make. My only change, should I make this again, would be to layer the potatoes much closer together. They overlapped on the uncooked dough, but when it baked and puffed up, they seemed a bit sparse. So when you make it, be generous! Try it, and enjoy.


2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 packet yeast (1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
2 cups thinly sliced potatoes
Salt
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons corn meal or masa flour


In a large bowl, combine the sugar, yeast and water, stir to combine and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the potatoes quite thin and toss in a bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil, a hearty pinch of salt and the rosemary

In a mixer add the flour, a tablespoon of the oil and 1 cup of water, and knead with the dough hook for four minutes on medium speed. Remove from the mixer, form into a large ball, coat the dough with some oil and place in a bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise for 45 minutes.

Coat the bottom of a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides.) with the remaining oil. When the dough has risen, remove from the bowl, and shape into a long rectangle in the pan. Layer with the potato slices and bake in a 400F oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool. Slice into squares and serve.

Makes enough for 10 people

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The Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the 1550s

More than half of the estimated 140 pounds of per capita potato consumption in the United States is in the form of fast or snack foods

Burger King Holdings Inc.'s shares rose less than 3 percent by the end of its first trading day on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. The highly anticipated public offering began late Wednesday, when Miami-based Burger King sold 25 million shares of common stock at $17. The shares opened Thursday at $18, rose to $18.24, then fell back to close at $17.50. Chipotle, formerly a unit of McDonald's Inc., went from $22 to $44 when it went public Jan. 26.

Labels: Bread, Entree, Vegetarian