Bridgton Farmers’ Market recipe It’s Pizza Night!

By Nancy Tripp Bridgton Farmers’ Market

This past weekend was a busy one on the football field and in our living room. I decided on Sunday to start early in the afternoon and make my own pizza dough. I love doing this in the winter and after trying many different recipes I return to this one. I use Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour, which does require an extra rising, but if you use allpurpose flour that can be eliminated.

I use a tomato sauce that I canned this summer (you may use a jar of sauce from the market). I top it with almost any fresh veggie I have in the fridge, or the tail end of a package of sausage, burger or bacon (why not!) and cheese. The cheese does not have to be mozzarella, it can be feta, jack, muenster or whatever you have on hand. Pizza does not have to be classic pizza. Use your imagination and pair the flavors that you like or in my case the ingredients I have on hand.

Don’t want to bother with making a crust or need something gluten free? 3 Fold Bakery at the Bridgton Farmers’ Market sells gluten free pizza crusts you can dress yourself or LolliPapa Farm bakes a wonderful fresh pizza flatbread all dressed up and ready to pop in the oven and warm.

Wednesday, January 25

Cybersecurity at 6 p.m. at Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library in Lovell, offered both in-person and via Zoom. Laptops, tablets and mobile hotspots available for class use and for checkout.

Thursday, January 26

Gary Colello, Bridgton’s Director of Recreation, will speak to the Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club at 7:30 a.m. This will be an in-person meeting only at Stella’s on the Square, 6 High Street, Bridgton. He will talk about the Rec Department: past, present and future.

Ribbon cutting and open house at Tucker’s House, Women’s Recovery Residence, 120 North Bridgton Road, Bridgton, 4 to 8 p.m. Tours of the facility, dedications, fellowship and snacks.

Speaker Series at Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library presents Roseanne Montillo at 7 p.m. Join the Zoom discussion of Montillo’s book, “Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire’s Wife, and the Murder of the Century.” Zoom link available at library’s website (www. hobbslibrary.org)

Saturday, January 28

Church supper, Casco Village Church, United Church of Christ from 4:30

Shift a quarter turn and continue kneading until the dough is no longer sticky. This should take about 5 minutes. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic and shiny, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Or, if you have a heavy duty stand mixer, you can use the dough hook and at medium speed mix the dough to the smooth, elastic and shiny consistency.

So many options for those snowy winter weekends when you want something fun and easy.

Basic Pizza Dough

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup warm (110-115 degree F) water – warm to touch 1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

3 1/4 cups bread, semolina, or unbleached flour, or a combination 1 tsp salt ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar or honey (which ‘feeds’ the yeast) in warm tap water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and gently stir until it dissolves, about a minute. Let stand in a warm spot for about 5 minutes until a thin layer of foam covers the surface.

Combine 3 cups of flour and the salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast and olive oil. Using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the flour into the well, beginning in the center and working to the sides of the bowl until the flour is just incorporated and a soft dough just begins to hold together.

Turn the dough to a lightly floured surface. Dust your hands and begin to knead the dough gently by pushing the heels of your hands into the dough and pushing away from you, then partially fold the dough back over and repeat.

Shape your dough into a ball and roll it in a well-oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a towel and set in a warm place to rise until it doubles in bulk. About 45 to 60 minutes.

If you use bread flour you will punch the dough down, reform the ball and cover and place back in a warm place to rise again. Another 45 minutes. If you used all-purpose flour you may omit the second rising.

If you cannot bake your pizza in the next 2 hours, punch the dough down, roll the ball in the oil in the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to roll out. Bring the dough back to room temp before using.

I roll my dough out with a rolling pin and then pull and press to shape my pizza to my pan, whatever size you choose!

We have had pizza that has resembled various states of the union in the past, but after perfecting this recipe I find that I can make a lovely evenly rolled and shaped dough.

Top your dough with your chosen toppings. This is where it is fun to let the family dress their own side or corner of the pizza and pop in a preheated 500-degree oven for 12 to 13 minutes.

Enjoy!

The Bridgton Winter Farmers’ Market runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through April 22. The new winter location is the Masonic Hall, Oriental Lodge #13 at 166 Harrison Road (Route 117).

For a full list of vendors and information on ordering visit https://www.facebook.com/BridgtonFarmersMarket/ or contact BFM at bridgtonfarmersmarket.me@gmail.com

Please no dogs. Sorry, we have a lease to honor.

BFM accepts credit cards and EBT. See you there!