Welcome to The Fat Pastor! My name is Shawn and I'm a pastor. Am I fat, you ask? Well, I'm no Sheldon Cooper, that's for sure! I call myself The Fat Pastor because I'm incredibly fond of good food, that, when eaten in extreme portions might just make the scale somewhat afraid to see you coming. For me, it's not the quantity of the food, but the quality. My goal is to make mouthwatering food, eaten with wisdom and moderation.
That's the politically correct explanation. The truth is there are times when the food is so good that you just don't know when to stop... I guess that might end up making me a fat pastor.
I love to experiment with food, and I hope this blog encourages you to do the same! One of my greatest joys is to eat a really good meal, and then try to recreate it at home, maybe even give it a little extra flair. And there are also the times where the meal wasn't that great - but something says with a little lovin' it could be made into something fantastic.
On this blog, I'll do my best to inspire you to make some incredible meals at home. Sometimes it will be something simple, and at other times, it may take you some time to truly make something fantastic. I'll keep experimenting with amazing eats, and I'll be sure to share what I discover!
In the meantime, here's a recipe for a fantastic pizza. Tenielle and I were out enjoying an afternoon of wine tasting in the incredible Rattlesnake Hills of south central Washington. One of the wineries was featuring Guerra's pizza, which we had never had before. It was definitely one of the best pizzas we've ever had, taking into account that we've enjoyed pizza along the canals of Venice in Italy, the coast of Sicily, and in the heart of Rome. Yes, the pizza was THAT good! And what was fantastic was that it combined Italian and Mexican flavors, flavors that carefully complemented each other wonderfully! My first mouthwatering bite delivered an explosive punch to my tastebuds of Pepperoni, Salami, and Chorizo with just a hint of red onion. The crust was thin, flaky, with just enough wood-fire taste to make me wish we hadn't ordered a pizza to share.
This weekend I had to work at recreating this incredible masterpiece. Unfortunately, there is no creating the wood fired taste without an outdoor brick oven. Nonetheless, I was pleased with the outcome and I hope you will be too! Give yourself some time to make this tasty treat, and you'll be well rewarded!
Salami, Pepperoni, and Chorizo Pizza
For The Crust:
Ingredients:4 cups unbleached wheat flour
1 ¼ cups beer (or water)
1 packet active dry yeast
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Beer makes the dough flakier and lighter, but if you prefer, water can be used in its place. Heat beer to 110 degrees, add yeast and wait 5 minutes to be sure it is activated (foamed). Add olive oil, egg and salt. Mix with a spoon or whisk.
Beer makes the dough flakier and lighter, but if you prefer, water can be used in its place. Heat beer to 110 degrees, add yeast and wait 5 minutes to be sure it is activated (foamed). Add olive oil, egg and salt. Mix with a spoon or whisk.
In a bowl, combine the liquid with the flour. Stir with a fork until it begins to come together, and then knead with your hands for about 5 minutes, until a nice big ball forms. Place mixed dough on lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 2 hours or until double in size. Remove from bowl, cut into 4 equal pieces, form into balls and place on lightly oiled tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Each dough ball yields a 14 inch pizza.
For the Pizza Sauce
Ingredients:
1 Tbl. Olive Oil
1/4 Red Onion - chopped
8 Roma Tomatoes
7 Cups Of Water
3 Cloves Garlic
Small Can of Tomato Paste
2 Tbl. Chopped Fresh Basil
Salt & Pepper To Taste
In a medium saucepan, boil the water. When water is boiling, add the Roma tomatoes, and watch for the skin to begin to loosen in the boiling water. Once you see this, remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath. When cool, cut off the tops of the tomatoes and remove the skin. Chop two tomatoes and set aside. Blend the others together in a food processor. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic, and cook until onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and fresh basil, and combine well. As soon as the mix begins to simmer, reduce to low. Allow to simmer for at least 15, add salt and pepper and adjust according to taste.
Pizza Toppings:
Italian Dry Salami
Pepperoni
Chorizo - cooked
Mexican Cheese Mix, shredded
1/4 Red Onion, very thinly sliced
Greek Olives for garnish
Assemble your pizza! Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll out the dough to about 14 inches. Add 1/3 - 1/2 cup of sauce and spread on the dough. Then add your cheese, as much or as little as you like! Top the cheese with your cooked chorizo, Pepperoni and Salami. Garnish with red onion and greek olives.
Cook in the oven for 6-7 minutes, more or less depending on how you like your crust. More time will the crust more brittle, less time will give you a doughier crust. I like mine right on 7 minutes.
Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts once you've tried the recipe!!!
Because eating good is a calling of it's own!
Because eating good is a calling of it's own!
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