Bucatini all'Amatriciana & Pizza rolls

Bucatini all’Amatriciana 

4 to 6 servings  Active time: 20 minutes  Total time: 50 minutes

3 T. olive oil

1 med. yellow onion, 1 cup fine chop

6 oz. guanciale, pancetta or bacon

2 cl. garlic minced

1/2C. dry white wine

28 oz can plum tomatoes or diced

1 tsp. seeded and fine chop serrano or red pepper flakes

fine salt

1 lb bucatini or perciatelli pasta

2/3 C. grated pecorino Romano cheese + more for serving

1 T. ch. fresh basil-optional

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to turn golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the guanciale and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan, and cook until it evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and their juices, the chile and salt. Reduce the heat to low so the sauce is at a simmer and cook until the tomatoes have broken down – use your spoon to help them along if necessary – and absorbed the flavors of the onion, garlic and pork, about 30 minutes

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt so it tastes pleasantly salty, followed by the pasta, and cook according to packaging instructions until al dente. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the sauce, cheese and basil, if using, and toss to combine. Serve family-style or in shallow bowls, with more grated cheese on the side.

Nutrition per serving (11/4 cups pasta and sauce), based on 6: 594 calories, 68g carbohydrates, 29mg cholesterol, 25g fat, 4g fiber, 20g protein, 8g saturated fat, 635mg sodium, 10g sugar

From “Savoring Italy” (HarperCollins, 1992)

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

You’ll have fun both making and eating these Homemade Pizza Rolls! Made with my tested pizza dough recipe, this is a perfect party snack. Use your favorite pizza toppings such as pepperoni, cheese, and pizza  sauce. The recipe can be halved to make 12 rolls.

Ingredients

• 1 recipe homemade pizza dough*( recipe follows )
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2/3 cup pizza sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• Italian seasoning or ground basil, to taste
• garlic powder, to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 60–65 pepperoni slices
• optional: 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• optional: extra mozzarella cheese and fresh basil

Instructions

1. Prepare pizza dough through step 3. When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half into a large rectangle, about 10×12 inches.
2. To prevent the filling from making your pizza rolls soggy, brush the tops lightly with 1 teaspoon olive oil each. Using your fingers, push dents into the surface of the dough rectangles to prevent bubbling. See photo above for visual. Spread 1/3 cup pizza sauce on top of each dough rectangle. Sprinkle each lightly with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
3. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over sauce, then top with pepperoni slices. Carefully roll dough rectangles into tight logs. Place logs onto 1 prepared baking sheet, seam side down and place baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes. Chilling prevents the rolls from falling apart as you slice.
4. During that time, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
5. Remove logs from the refrigerator and cut each into 12 1-inch slices. Pour cornmeal into a plate or bowl. Dip the bottom of each roll into cornmeal and place 12 on each baking sheet, cornmeal side down. The cornmeal is optional, but gives the bottom of the rolls an extra delicious crisp. Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with extra cheese, if desired.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sides are lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with fresh basil on top (if desired) and extra pizza sauce for dipping. Pizza rolls should be enjoyed immediately, though they can be covered tightly and stored for a few days in the refrigerator. Reheat to your liking.

Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: If you plan to make this snack ahead of time, prepare the rolls through step 3 where you chill the logs in the refrigerator. Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. The next day, proceed with the recipe. Baked pizza rolls freeze well, up to 3 months. Bake frozen rolls at 350°F (177°C) for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. See the pizza crust recipe for how to freeze and thaw the pizza dough.
2. Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer (for pizza dough) | Pastry Brush | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper
3. Half Batch: Recipe can easily be halved to yield 12 rolls. Freeze half of the pizza dough for another time.
4. Whole Wheat Version: If desired, use whole wheat pizza dough instead.
5. Muffin Pan or 9×13 inch Baking Pan: You can bake these rolls in muffin pans or 9×13 baking pans. Bake time is the same.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) warm water (between 100-110°F, 38-43°C)
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant yeast (1 standard packet)*
• 1 Tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for pan and brushing on dough
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 and 1/2 cups (about 450g) unbleached all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands and surface
• sprinkle of cornmeal for dusting the pan

Instructions

1. Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes. *If you don’t have a stand mixer, simply use a large mixing bowl and mix the dough with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula in the next step.
2. Add the olive oil, salt, and flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 5 minutes (for a visual, watch me do it in the video above). The dough can be a little too heavy for a mixer to knead it, but you can certainly use the mixer on low speed instead. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger – if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
3. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray– just use the same bowl you used for the dough. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until double in size. (Tip: For the warm environment on a particularly cold day, heat your oven to 150°F (66°C). Turn the oven off, place the dough inside, and keep the door slightly ajar. This will be a warm environment for your dough to rise. After about 30 minutes, close the oven door to trap the air inside with the rising dough. When it’s doubled in size, remove from the oven.)
4. Preheat oven to 475°F (246°C). Allow it to heat for at least 15-20 minutes as you shape the pizza. (If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to preheat as well.) Lightly grease baking sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray or olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal, which gives the crust extra crunch and flavor.
5. Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough in half. (If not making 2 pizzas, freeze half of the dough for another time. See freezing instructions below.) On a lightly floured work surface using lightly floured hands or rolling pin, gently flatten the dough into a disc. Place on prepared pan and, using lightly floured hands, stretch and flatten the disc into a 12-inch circle, about 1/2-inch thick. If the dough keeps shrinking back as you try to stretch it, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly for 5-10 minutes, then try again. Once shaped into a 12-inch circle, lift the edge of the dough up to create a lip around the edges. I simply pinch the edges up to create the rim. If using a pizza stone, place the dough directly on baker’s peels dusted with cornmeal.
6. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for a few minutes as you prepare your pizza toppings. I suggest pepperoni & green peppers or jalapeño slices, extra cheese pizza, Hawaiian pizza, pesto pizza, spinach artichoke white pizza, or homemade BBQ chicken pizza.
7. Top & bake the pizza: Using your fingers, push dents into the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. To prevent the filling from making your pizza crust soggy, brush the top lightly with olive oil. Top with your favorite toppings and bake for 13-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
8. Slice hot pizza and serve immediately. Cover leftover pizza tightly and store in the refrigerator. Reheat as you prefer. Baked pizza slices can be frozen up to 3 months.

Notes

1. Freezing Instructions: This recipe yields enough dough for two 12-inch pizzas, a little less than 2 pounds total. After the pizza dough rises and you divide the dough in half (step 5), you can freeze one of the balls of dough to make pizza at a later time. Or you can simply freeze both balls of dough separately. Lightly coat all sides of the dough ball(s) with nonstick spray or olive oil. Place the dough ball(s) into individual zipped-top bag(s) and seal tightly, squeezing out all the air. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen pizza dough in the refrigerator for about 8 hours or overnight. When ready to make pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest for 1 hour on the counter. Preheat the oven and continue with step 5, punching down the dough to release air if needed.
2. Overnight/All Day Instructions: Prepare the dough through step 3, but allow the dough to rise for 8-12 hours in the refrigerator. (If it needs to be in the refrigerator for longer, use cooler water in the dough which will slow the dough’s rise and allow for more time.) The slow rise gives the pizza dough wonderful flavor! When ready, continue with step 4. If the dough didn’t quite double in size overnight, let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before punching down (step 5).
3. Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer | Dough Scraper | Pizza Pan | Pastry Brush | Pizza Cutter
4. Yeast: Red Star Platinum yeast is an instant yeast. You can use active dry yeast instead. The rise time will be at least 90 minutes. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
5. Pictured Pizza: This recipe yields 2 pizzas. For each, top with 1/2 cup pizza sauce, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni slices, thinly sliced green pepper or jalapeño, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning blend or dried basi