Giada's Lemon White Pizza

So, white pizza has always been a favorite of mine. I don't like lots of pizza sauce on my pizza. In fact,  I'll just go ahead and admit that I don't even really like pizza sauce on my pizza. There, I said it. Feel free to call me crazy.

I'm just there for the cheese. And the crust. Giada's Lemon White Pizza reminds me of Italy and all the lemons on the Amalfi Coast. There is nowhere I'd rather visit than the Amalfi Coast. It's number one on my list of travel destinations. Maybe one day.

In the meantime, I'm getting my lemons from the Kroger here in Georgetown, KY. It's not the same, but I have a good imagination. I bought the best ricotta I could find, some fresh mozzarella pearls, and some fabulous Parmigiana-Reggiano. We have a Murray's cheese shop inside my Kroger so I am able to get my hands on some quality cheese.

The pizza comes together quickly. Warm the dough and let it rise. Roll it out on the backside of a large baking sheet.  Mix the ricotta, lemon zest, salt, and oregano. Spread it all over the pizza crust. Top with fresh mozzarella. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Top with a drizzle of olive oil (I say so), Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes, and torn basil. Give it a squeeze of lemon if you really wanna get wild. Take a bite and close your eyes...

The pizza is light and delicious. There is a hint of lemon and the blend of three cheeses makes it so creamy. The fresh basil really adds a touch of freshness. Keep your eyes closed. It's summertime in Amalfi and there are good looking Italian men everywhere. You can hear their accents, you can feel the breeze, you can smell the sea. You have a delicious slice of pizza in one hand and a glass of Limoncello in the other. It is paradise.

Lemon White Pizza

Adapted from Giada's Italy

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4-6

1 (16-ounce) ball of store-bought pizza dough

1 cup whole milk ricotta

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

all-purpose flour, for dusting

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Place the pizza dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and allow it to rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450F.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, lemon zest, salt, and oregano. Set aside.

Using a touch of flour to prevent sticking, stretch out the pizza dough to an 11 x 6" inch oval. Turn a rimmed baking sheet upside down and drizzle with the olive oil. Place the dough on the baking sheet. spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Divide the mozzarella evenly over the ricotta.

Place the pizza on the lowest rack in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pizza to the upper rack and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Remove the pizza to a rack and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Cut into pieces and serve. 

My Favorite IHCC Chef and My Top Fifteen Giada De Laurentiis Recipes!

How do you pick your favorite chef? Is it based solely on their recipes? If so, is it your favorite recipes or your family's favorite recipes? Do you base it off the chef's personality? How much you like their cooking show? How well you like their cookbooks? Their ability combine flavors? The fact that they're a legend? There are just so many things to consider.

I am fond of many chefs, and cooks, for so many different reasons: Giada De Laurentiis, Jacques Pepin, Curtis Stone, Tessa Kiros, Madhur Jaffrey, Mark Bittman, Ruth Reichl, Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, Ina Garten, and Yotam Ottolenghi...to name a few.

It's a very close call, and it probably depends on my mood, but ultimately, it all comes down to Giada. I've thought about it for a long time. Agonized over it really. Was it Jacques Pepin, the one who reignited my love for cooking? Was it Tessa Kiros because she has great recipes and the most beautiful cookbooks ever? Was it Jamie Oliver because I love his passion for cooking and his contagiously happy personality? Was it Mark Bittman because I love that anytime I have a hankering for something he is sure to have a recipe? Was it Yotam Ottolenghi because he combines food in a way no one else can?  I could've picked any of them for any of those reasons and on any given day I just might, but today, it's Giada.

 I found myself going back to Giada again and again. Why? It goes back to the beginning, really. I think part of my love for cooking started while watching her cooking show. Back when we were a family of three. I can remember watching Giada and thinking, "I can do that" and "my family would love that dish."

It also comes down to a personal bias for the flavors she cooks with. I know for me, Mediterranean flavors are my absolute favorite. It also doesn't hurt that these are also the flavors my family enjoys the most. I know, without a doubt, everyone in the house is going to love Giada's recipes.

Here are some of my favorite Giada recipes that I've made over the years. These recipes go back to the beginning of my blog, many of these dishes shared as early as 2007 or 2008. This list is not in order and is by no means exhaustive. It is simply a list I put together of some of my favorite recipes that can stand the test of time!

As you're about to see, we are big fans of pasta and cheese with some meat, veggies, beans, and maybe even a little sweet treat thrown in for good measure!

If you click on the recipe title it will take you to the original post and recipe

Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Pot Roast with Porcini Mushrooms

Lemon White Pizza

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

Stuffed Baby Peppers

Orecchiette with Sausage, Beans, & Mascarpone

Sausage and Broccoli Pizza

Thanks Benedict on Stuffing Cakes with Sage Hollandaise

Deep-Fried Bocconcini with Spicy Tomato and Garlic Chutney

Pan-Roasted Asparagus with a Crispy Fried Egg

Ravioli with Balsamic Brown Butter

Pastina with Peas and Carrots

Sweet Cinnamon Breakfast Pizza

Beef and Bean Minestrone

Oatmeal, Cranberry, and Chocolate Chunk Cookies

All pictures courtesy of me! I had the chance to see Giada at a food show in Lexington years ago and have her autograph one of her cookbooks for me!

Five Favorite Mediterranean Dishes!

Mediterranean food is my all time favorite and most of this blog probably consists of some form of Mediterranean-based dish. 

I thought it would be fun to look back on some of my favorite Mediterranean dishes, namely my top Greek and Italian recipes. I chose a good mix of main dishes, one appetizer, and a dessert! As always, if you click on the recipe title it will direct you back to my original post with the recipe!

                                                    Ina Garten Sausage and Fennel Rigatoni

This is one of the MOST DELICIOUS FIVE STAR pasta dishes I've ever made or eaten anywhere, both in my kitchen and in a restaurant. Many others say the same, so I feel like it is a must make if you're a pasta lover. Don't let the fennel worry you if it's not your favorite. I felt that way and it turned out just fine. The fennel just gives this dish a delicate background flavor that really gives the dish the boost it needs to be something special. It is an outstanding dish!

            Giada De Laurentiis' White Lemon Pizza

White pizza is a real favorite of mine and this version with three cheeses: ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan is just a stunning dish! This pizza turns out perfectly for me every single time and to this day it is THE SINGLE MOST delicious pizza I've ever made at home! I always imagine myself eating a slice at an outdoor restaurant over the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast.

 

 Tessa Kiros' Garides Saganaki

I love all things shrimp and feta cheese, feta is one of my favorite cheeses, so this dish was meant for me! It's flavorful and light and feels so special. One day when I get over to Greece I plan to eat my weight in all things feta and shrimp, and probably baklava, but that's for another post.

 

Tessa Kiros' Peppers Stuffed with Feta

Again, feta cheese! I am ALWAYS looking for ways to eat feta cheese so this recipe makes me feel better about eating so much cheese because I'm also eating vitamin rich pepper as well! It's a win-win situation!

 

 Ina Garten's Fruit Salad with Limoncello

As I mentioned several times over the years, the Amalfi Coast of Italy is rife with lemons and in my spare time I watch travel vlogs on Youtube and everyone is dining al fresco on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast doing shooters of Limoncello, eating fresh fruit, pasta, etc. This dessert reminds me of the Mediterranean because it's fruity and light, spiked with Limoncello, and just a little bit creamy with a lemon yogurt dressing. It just seems like the fruity desserts you find all over Italy and I'm going to declare it Mediterranean! 

A Taste of The Mediterranean!