Wow. Today has been such a lovely day! Fritz and I stayed up late last night talking, so I decided to surprise him with breakfast in bed, using some leftover pizza dough from last night.
The recipe for pizza crust that I used makes enough for three 12″ pizzas, and I used two of them last night and refrigerated the last one. With the addition of eggs and other breakfasty things, it transformed into a perfect weekend morning eat-in-bed kind of breakfast.
I have a vague memory of eating breakfast pizza only one other time in my life–I’m pretty sure it was at a sleepover at my friend Angie’s house while I was in grade school, and I really loved it then…even though I think it came from a gas station. I think.
You can use any pizza crust recipe–this spelt pizza crust I’ve used in the past is really good, or try out the basic crust I used yesterday (both require rise time):
Basic Pizza Crust (from America’s Test Kitchen) Basic Pizza Dough Printable Card
- 4 1/4 C all-purpose flour (you can substitute bread flour for a crispier crust or wheat flour for a denser one)
- 1 package yeast
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 3/4 C warm water
- 1 1/2 t salt
In a mixer, combine the dry ingredients (only 4 C of flour to start), then mix in the olive oil and water. Knead for five minutes using the dough hook, adding the remaining flour to stop sticking if necessary. Place in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour an a half. Once ready, punch it down, divide into three, and cover with plastic again–allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes while you get the toppings ready.
If you want, you can wrap the dough in plastic after they rise once and store in the fridge for a day. I’m not sure how well freezing it would work, but I may give it a try once my freezer has emptied out a bit.
Sorry there are no pictures of the dough-making process. I didn’t want to blog it last night, but you really need to make this breakfast pizza. Need to.
To assemble the pizza:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees (make it hot, baby!) with a pizza stone in the oven on a middle-lower rack.
If you are a serious pizza maker, buy a pizza stone. They come pretty cheap and they make your pizza crispy on the bottom in just a few minutes. This is the first time I ever used it and man, oh man, it makes a difference. By the way, thanks for my pizza stone, Mom!
Lay out a piece of parchment paper big enough for your pizza and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Stretch out your pizza dough to 12″–I find it easiest to do this with my hands and not with a rolling-pin, but whatever floats your boat.
Top the pizza however you want, brush the edges with olive oil, and slide the parchment paper on an upside down cookie sheet, walk over to the oven, and slide that pie off on the pizza stone, with the parchment paper. Once it’s cooked, it’s really easy to slide the pizza off the parchment paper, but not so much beforehand. Be careful. The oven is hot. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is brownin’ and the sauces bubblin’.
And for some breakfast pizza inspiration? Here’s what I did:
Dough. Maple syrup. Scrambled eggs (five of them). A green onion, diced. Ham. Salt and pepper. Mozzarella cheese. Yeah baby.
Breakfast on top of a crispy pizza crust? Better than you think. The best part was the subtle maple syrup taste, but I bet it’d be great with a pesto base, too.
Morning is Henry’s craziest time. When he transforms from nice cat into what we fondly refer to as crack cat. When he viciously attacks anything that moves. When he runs faster than Seabiscuit back and forth through the house.
This lasts for about a half an hour, then he checks out the view from the window and snuggles with Fritz. Standard morning for him.
So tender.
Fritz and I also completed a long-awaited DIY project today that you’ll be able to see for yourselves tomorrow. Have a great night!
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Hannah
July 9, 2011 at 8:59 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Clarification: when you slide the pizza off the cookie sheet onto the stone, do you keep it on the parchment paper? (is the parchment paper put on the stone too – or does the pizza slide off the parchment paper?) Wasn’t quite sure which would be best. Looks great, I may have to buy myself a stone
Lauren Zietsman
July 9, 2011 at 9:05 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
leave it on the parchment paper, so slide the entire paper off the sheet onto the stone. The dough will stick to the parchment paper pretty well until it’s cooked, at which point you can slide it off the pizza stone right onto a cutting board.
aesilver
July 9, 2011 at 11:42 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
It most certainly was with me and *WAS* from a gas station. Hess has strangely delicious breakfast pizza, although yours looks much tastier.
Lauren Zietsman
July 10, 2011 at 4:51 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
yes! i knew it! and actually that breakfast pizza was DELICIOUS I still remember the joy of having it for the first time. im not hating on hess
Holly
July 10, 2011 at 12:25 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
The morning you’ve had sounds awesome! Right up my street!
THe only pizza I usually eat in bed is the leftovers of the take-away that I bring home from a night out and eat when still hazy the next morning.
Also, let me reiterate… I want a cat. Actually, I want YOUR cat!
Lauren Zietsman
July 10, 2011 at 4:50 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
you can have him! oh wait. no you can’t. depends on my mood
Anne Klein
July 10, 2011 at 8:36 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Looks to die for! Yum.
Um, I have one of these cats with the morning crazies. We have two cats but our oldest cat is going on 16 and just sleeps. But our youngest cat is 10 months old. You have to be careful in the morning or he will run you over. LOL
Anne Klein
July 10, 2011 at 8:37 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Did you see this recipe last week on Tasty Kitchen?
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/grilled-breakfast-pizza/
Lauren Zietsman
July 10, 2011 at 11:50 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
oh my gosh I didn’t but it looks amazing! I’m definitely going to do the eggs that way next time–it’s MUCH prettier and I love runny eggs
katshealthcorner
July 10, 2011 at 9:42 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hehe, Henry is such a cutie.
Pizza for breakfast is the BEST! 
Nuts about food
July 12, 2011 at 6:17 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I had never heard of breakfast pizza before but was convinced when I read the ingredients. It sounds delicious!
Yadi @ShopCookMake
July 18, 2011 at 10:02 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Perfect way to eat pizza for breakfast!
Amanda
July 19, 2011 at 12:58 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Uh, brilliant. I’m a little skeptical on the maple syrup, but pesto does sound good! Breakfast pizza for dinner is sounding like a great idea…
Lauren Zietsman
July 19, 2011 at 4:46 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it (unless you don’t like maple syrup at all, in which case don’t ever try it!)
Caitlin
July 28, 2011 at 12:13 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
My cats are bonkers at nighttime. I fondly refer to it as the Nighttime Crazies. Best game- Attack the quilt.
Pizza looks delish! Certainly going to attempt it.
Stacie Paolucci Merriman
September 5, 2011 at 10:26 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I made this morning for my family and it was a big hit! Didn’t have ham, but substituted 4 strips of bacon. The maple syrup was the perfect with it! Thanks for a great recipe!
Lauren Zietsman
September 5, 2011 at 11:43 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
man I have been craving that pizza again! think it’s time to make some more crusts!
glad you liked it and the bacon sounds perfect!
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