Orso's Romano Pizza

While perusing food sections today, I thought this sounded good, it's from the La Times: http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-sos16-2008jul16,0,5156591.story From the picture, it is REALLY thin, like pappadum thin! Recipe is at end of post

And a note on some of the recipes from this week. I've finally made one of my lunch recipes I've planned. The Pasta with Chickpeas and Broccoli Rabe. It's yummy! The serving size is 2 cups, but 1 cup filled me up (I must admit that I did eat lunch a bit earlier than usual though). I didn't find fresh tarragon or basil at the POG (Plain Ole Grocery) that is needed for the other lunch recipes so when I head into Richmond tomorrow for a doc visit I'll check out some other stores. I didn't plant a herb garden and the one freebie basil I had come up is nowhere near big enough to cut yet. If worse comes to worse I can use dry.

I've also made the Scandinavian Muesli and I've tasted it but not technically EATEN it yet. It did taste good though. The granola I made yesterday was good, I had it over yogurt this morning.

The Turkey burgers and sweet potato fries (along with corn on the cob) were great last night for dinner. Tonight I'm planning to make the Indian spiced Cauliflower and Eggplant.

The Triple Rich Bread - well, it's ok. Hubby says it's a bit heavy for him, so next time I make it, I'll just reverse the white and wheat flours and it should be fine for him (ie 2 cups bread and 1 cup wheat). I don't eat bread that often so it's not a big deal and he's still getting better bread than white squishy bread.

I was really tired last night, as we were getting ready for bed the news was on, and they were doing a segment about the bank in CA where people were taking their money out of it. All I heard since I wasn't paying close attention was: "*Name of Bank I didn't catch* AND Casino..." I turned to hubby and said "Well, if they put their money in a bank connected to a casino why would they think it was safe?" He gave me a WTH is she talking about? kind of look and I heard them mention "...in Encino" while still in the same segment and realized I had misheard. Hubby just rolled his eyes and kissed me goodnight.


Orso's Romano pizza
Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
PIZZA PIZZAZZ: A super-thin crust.
By Noelle Carter, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 16, 2008
Dear SOS: Orso on 3rd Street has the best thin-crust pizza in town. Their Romano pizza is my favorite. It has just the right blend of cheeses and no tomato sauce. I'd love to know how it's created!

Robert Nunes Beverly Hills

Dear Robert: This is one pizza pie that packs great flavor onto a super-thin crust. Great as an appetizer or light dinner, Orso's pizza combines a blend of three cheeses with a pinch each of red pepper and fresh parsley sprinkled over for a little heat and bright color. The wafer-like crust bakes faster than you can say mangiare. Well, almost.

Orso's Romano pizza
Total time: 45 minutes, plus rising time

Servings: 8 to 12

Note: From Orso restaurant. Fine and coarse semolina flour is available at select Indian and Italian markets.

2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup coarse semolina flour
1/4 cup fine semolina flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt
3 cloves garlic, chopped and divided
3/4 cup grated mozzarella, divided
3/4 cup grated provolone, divided
3/8 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, divided
1/4 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, divided

1. In a small bowl, mix one-fourth cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water with the yeast and olive oil. In a separate large bowl, mix together the flours. Slowly mix the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and knead to form a coarse dough. This makes enough for three pizzas.

2. Cover and set the dough aside for 10 minutes, then knead the dough again, adding additional water as necessary a tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough again and allow to rest until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

3. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Divide the dough into thirds. On a lightly floured board (note that you will transfer the pizzas from the board to the pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven), roll the first portion out as thinly as possible to form a 12-inch circle.

4. Sprinkle a third of the garlic over the dough, then top with a third of each of the cheeses and sprinkle over one-half teaspoon crushed red pepper. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings to form three pizzas.

5. Carefully transfer the first pizza from the board to the hot pizza stone in the oven. The pizza will bake quickly -- no more than 2 to 3 minutes -- and will be done when the cheese is melted and the crust is crunchy and golden-brown. Repeat with the remaining pizzas, then top each with a light sprinkling of parsley leaves. Cut into 8 to 12 slices then serve immediately.

Each of 12 servings: 143 calories; 7 grams protein; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 13 mg. cholesterol; 146 mg. sodium.