Life as always has
been crazy and I’ve been meaning to get this post up for almost three
weeks. The pressure has been coming from
all sides because it is coming from people in my life that have been part of my
life for so long. Many of them have
shared those little moments that make life amazing and I hope that they will be
sharing those moments for the rest of my life.
Pokey sticks were a
favorite staple from Gumby’s Pizza in Champaign where I went to school at UIUC.
The things were cheap and filled us up when we were starving college students
whether we had be out to all hours having fun or studying into the wee hours of
the morning. I have to admit that they
were even better when you had only about three hours of sleep in the past 48 hours… Hey, I blame it on studio and being an
architecture major!
Pokey Sticks are
really a cheese pizza without the sauce, but there was a different type of
taste that is hard to nail down. We were
joking around that A should drive down to Champaign (a three hour drive!) to
pick some up for an annual dinner with friends.
It had been a crazy week and me being me, I googled pokey stick
recipes! Those that know me really aren’t
surprised by this anymore J
I found two recipes
that sounded like they would taste right, but there were a few problems from my
point of view. Neither crust recipe went
in the stand mixer and I love using my stand mixer anytime I can, so I found
Tyler Florence’s recipe and adapted it just a smidge since I can’t leave well
enough alone. Then the two topping parts
of the recipes, I combined together just a bit to create the version I did
since using margarine just made more sense and mayo (in my mind) does not
belong near the pizza food group. Oh and
then there is the fact that I am generally not a fan of mayonnaise at all…
Notes: Use margarine for the topping! (and that’s a butter snob saying that – this needs
the different flavor!) Plus with how
cheap pokey sticks were and still are for that matter, I’m guessing that butter
was not even an option J
Pokey
Sticks!
Pizza Dough for the
Crust (this makes enough for one large pokey stick recipe)
- 1 package active dry
yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra (I used Tuscan herb
flavored olive oil and want to try garlic next time!)
- 3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting
Directions
In the bowl of a
standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and
warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast
comes alive and starts to foam, about 5
to 10 minutes.
Turn the mixer on low
and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a
time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated.
When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the
machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough
by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's
sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers
into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.
Turn the dough out
onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading
until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a
lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic
wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot
light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone
in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.
Once the dough is
domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch
the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest
for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.
Topping
¼-1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (the real stuff if you are feeling fancy or just have it on hand)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
¼-1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (the real stuff if you are feeling fancy or just have it on hand)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon minced garlic (to taste)
1/4 cup margarine, melted8 ounces part skim Mozzarella Cheese, grated (use the brick, like Kraft, it actually works better than fresh)
While the dough is rising mix together the cheese, and seasonings in a small bowl. Melt the margarine, and mix in the seasonings. Combine the shredded cheese together.
Spread the dough out onto a prepared baking sheet or pizza stone. Spread the margarine mixture around the entire surface, and top with the cheese combination.
Bake at 450 degrees, for 12-14 minutes. And how you cut them matters as well – be sure to cut once across the middle, and then cut opposite that way, to make little sticks.
