This is a bonus #BakingWithBeth pi(e) month Pi Day recipe. Pi Day was one of the inspirations behind pie month so we’re bring out a special Pi Day 3.14159 recipe. Instead of a sweet pie, I decided to go the more savory route with a Pi Day pizza pie recipe.
Today’s recipe is a special one because it’s one from the #BakingWithBeth community and was submitted by my brother, Paul. Years back, Paul developed a pizza making affinity and has yet to slow down. My dad made us homemade pizza’s growing up, and still makes them for us today. He now grills his pizza’s on the Big Green Egg, so perhaps Paul picked up his pizza kitchen skills from him. They are both really quite good! Also, back in the 90s, my grandfather owned an Italian pizza restaurant in Monticello, Georgia, so it might go even further down the Meyer line. I think this means I need to practice my pizza skills and organize a Meyer-family pizza pie-off.
In keeping with a Pi Day pizza pie theme, Paul decorated this year’s pizza with sausage in the shape of Pi. However, due to a bit of loose handling when putting the pizza in the oven the sausages did not stay in their planned shape. Haha! In previous years, he’s celebrated the glorious Pi Day pizza pie occasion using red bell peppers. The pizza and toppings are your art canvas, my friends! Go wild & let’s see those Pi Day pizza pie creations!! 🙂
Paul’s Pi Day Pizza Pie
Paul’s Pi Day Pizza Pie – Slight sliding of the sausage but it still looks delicious!!
Paul’s Pi Day Pizza Pie 2015
Now that we’re on the subject of pizza, let’s take a quick look through some of my favorite pizza’s from the country that invented pizza – Italy! I’ve had train station pizza in Italy that was really good, so it’s a tough to choose from so many options.
Best Pizza in Italy
Gino Sorbillo – Naples, Italy
It feels wrong to make a favorite pizza list and not have the number one spot be from the city that invented pizza. The recommendation for Gino Sorbillo in Naples came from a friend who grew up just across the bay in Capri, so it felt legit taking advice from a local Italian. It is a phenomenal place to stop for a pizza pie. Maybe worth a side trip to Naples for a day?!
Buffalo Mozzarella – Gino Sorbillo – Naples Italy
Gusta Pizza – Florence, Italy
This next one is a recommendation from a friend, and a helluva recommendation it was. It was my mom and my final day in Florence and we stopped into this small, unassuming pizzeria before our train. My friend said Gusta Pizza was his favorite pizza ever, and it’s pretty hard to disagree.
Gusta Pizza – Florence, Italy
Il Grottino Azzurro – Positano, Italy
Following a fairly strenuous hike along the Path of the Gods, our local Positano guide Lucy took us to get pizza at Il Grottino Azzurro in Positano. An extremely delicious and well earned lunch after our hike! Three of us basically devoured the entire thing. A little up the hill from central Positano, but well worth the trek.
Il Grottino Azzurro – Positano, Italy
Da Franco – Sorrento, Italy
Da Franco is a recommendation from Lucy as being the best pizzeria in Sorrento. I visited with culinary classmates and chef lecturers on our International Culinary Diploma gastronomy trip to the Amalfi Coast and it was pretty amazing.
Da Franco – Sorrento, Italy
Dar Poeta – Rome, Italy
Sometimes the simplicity of a delicious margarita pizza is all that is needed. Dar Poeta in Rome in the Trastevere neighborhood checked all those boxes. A glorious pie after a long day walking and exploring the history of Rome.
Dar Poeta – Rome, Italy
Now, let’s get y’all making your own pizza’s at home!
Specialty Tools Needed:
- Dough Scraper
- Bowl Scraper
- Pizza Stone
- King Arthur Bread flour
- 00 flour (if using instead of bread flour; you might be able to find at your local grocery or specialty culinary shop)
If you’re brand new, we have a new recipe that comes out every Thursday. January covered all things Southern cakes: week one/caramel cake, week two/Hummingbird Cake, week three/sour cream pound cake and week four / pineapple upside down cake.
February was all about cookies!! Week five / best chocolate chip cookies, week six / Italian macarons and week seven / chocolate covered alfajores and the final week of the month, week eight / DYI Samoas Girl Scout cookie.
March is everything pi(e)!! Week nine / chocolate chip cookie with dulce de leche and week ten / mint chocolate chip grasshopper pie.
If you’re a regular, thanks again for coming back for another #BakingWithBeth recipe! Be sure to follow along Instagram and Facebook and tag #BakingWithBeth so I can see what kind of recipe for adventures y’all have going on. 🙂
Do y’all have a favorite Pi Day pie? Have you ever made your own pizza? What’s your go-to toppings?
Cheers y’all!
Pizza Dough
Paul Meyer's go-to pizza dough recipe adapted from Roberta's Pizza Dough in the New York Time's.
Ingredients
- 153 grams bread flour
- 153 grams all-purpose flour
- 8 grams sea salt
- 2 grams Active dry yeast
- 4 grams extra virgin olive oil
- 200 grams water, lukewarm
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine flours and salt. Mix together with hands so evenly incorporated.
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In another bowl, stir together lukewarm water, yeast and olive oil.
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Make a hole in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in yeast and liquids. Mix with your hands until just combined. Rest for 15 minutes.
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Knead rested dough for approximately 3 minutes. Divide dough in half and shape each piece into a ball. Place on heavily floured plate and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise at room temperature 3-4 hours. You can also let rise for 24-hours in the refrigerator, but let come to room temperature for half hour before shaping.
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On a heavily floured surface, stretch each pizza into a circle using your fingers.
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Top with your favorite sauce and toppings. For the grill: bake on a hot pizza stone on a hot grill (550 degrees+ Fahrenheit) for 6+ min depending on desired crispness. For the oven: bake on a pizza stone at 500 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for 8-10 mine, until the cheese melts and the crust browns around the edges.
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Serve & enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Recipe modified from Roberta's pizza dough in the New York Times.
Instead of bread flour, you can also use 00 flour according to the original recipe.
Beautiful Pizzas. I know what we are having tonight.
Thanks so much Jennifer! Let me know how y’all’s pizza’s turned out! 🙂
Yum. Those pizzas are making me hungry. Can you make the dough ahead of time?
Hi Amy! Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time. Just do the initial prove/rise and then shape it and freeze it! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂