Category — Food

Emily, as we’re getting out of the car at Wendy’s: “Mommy, where do the bakers sleep?”

Me: “Do you mean the bakers that make the food at Wendy’s?”

Emily: “Yes. Where do the bakers sleep?”

Me: “They sleep at home, in their beds. Wendy’s is open late, but it’s not open all night. Who would want food from Wendy’s in the middle of the night?”

Emily: “Maybe Jesus would.”

So at that moment, I was wondering what I might have ever said about Jesus that would make her think that he might be hungry for Wendy’s food in the middle of the night. Then I realized that we talk a lot about how Jesus is always with us, even though we can’t see him. This comes up especially at night, whenever the girls are afraid to go to sleep by themselves. “Yes,” I’ve said, “Jesus is always with us,” and, “no, he doesn’t go to sleep.” And while he’s not sleeping, maybe he would like to have some Wendy’s food.

My girls like to eat this. My husband likes to eat this. I like to eat this. Who wouldn’t like to eat this?

The sauce is what makes it oh so good.

The Crust
1 1/3 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast (or one envelope)

I make the dough in my bread machine. Put the water and oil in first. Then the salt and flour. The yeast goes on top, very carefully kept away from the water. The dough cycle on my machine takes two hours. Of course you could also mix everything together the traditional way, knead, and allow the dough to rise. It’s enough to make two 15-inch pizzas. One time I did make three pizzas, but it took a lot more work to roll it out thin enough. But, hey, we got to eat more pizza. I use a pizza stone dusted with corn meal. After you roll out the dough, let it sit for about ten minutes. Lightly brush on some olive oil. Now it’s ready for the sauce, mozzarella, and toppings. Bake at 425 degrees, on the lowest rack in the oven, for ten to fifteen minutes.

The Sauce
a medium-size onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
28 oz. can whole Italian peeled tomatoes, packed in puree (if packed in juice, add 2 tbsp tomato paste)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried marjoram or oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
black pepper to taste
sprinkle red pepper flakes to taste

In a saucepan, saute the onions in the olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Chop the tomatoes, then add the tomatoes and the puree to the sauteed onions. Add the garlic and seasonings and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce uncovered, for about 20-30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before using.