Pizza Night - by Alexandra Stafford (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Make pizza night a fun weekly tradition with these 52 seasonal pizzas paired with salads for a complete meal-from the award-winning author of Bread Toast Crumbs and creator of the blog Alexandra's Kitchen Creating consistently great pizza from scratch isn't complicated--even kids can get in on the fun and lend a hand! Whether cooking pizza in your kitchen oven, a tabletop pizza oven, or an outdoor wood-burning oven, it all starts with the dough. In Pizza Night, professional chef Alexandra Stafford presents six simple doughs including one that's gluten-free, for making deep dish, Neapolitan, and Sicilian style pizzas, along with easy techniques for perfecting your crust. Mix it by hand or use a stand mixer; make the dough the same day or ahead; make it extra cheesy and decadent or go the healthy road-pizza-making easily adapts to busy schedules and tastes, and requires very few pieces of special equipment. Each pizza is paired with a salad made with seasonal ingredients, and a few simple dessert recipes (Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lemon Semifreddo) make pizza night complete. From a springtime Asparagus, Salami, and Cráeme Fraiche Pizza served with a Snap Pea Salad with Walnuts and Citrus, to a Broccoli Rabe and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza accompanied by a Farm Share Harvest Slaw to a Roasted Hatch Chili Pizza with Corn and Oaxaca with a Melon, Cucumber and Mint Salad, Pizza Night serves up a year's worth of inspired, satisfying, pizzas and salads to make pizza"--

Book Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - Make pizza night a weekly tradition with these 52 seasonal pizzas paired with salads for a complete meal--from the award-winning author of Bread Toast Crumbs and creator of the popular blog Alexandra's Kitchen.

"I dare you to flip through Ali's easy-to-follow, farm-fresh recipes and not feel inspired to plan your first pizza night immediately."--Jenny Rosenstrach, bestselling author of Dinner: A Love Story and The Weekday Vegetarians

Making great pizza isn't complicated. Whether you're using a kitchen oven, a grill, or an outdoor pizza oven, it all starts with the dough.

In Pizza Night, Alexandra Stafford presents four simple doughs--thin-crust, pan, Neapolitan-style, and gluten-free (plus sourdough variations)--and easy techniques for perfecting your crust. From there, you can create a variety of delicious pizzas, including Detroit-Style Pizza for a Crowd, Classic Margherita Pizza, and Winter White Pizza with Garlic and Herbs. You can make it the same day or ahead; make it extra cheesy and decadent or go the healthy road--pizza-making easily adapts to busy schedules and tastes and requires little in special equipment.

Arranged seasonally, each pizza is paired with a salad, from a springtime Salami and Red Onion Pizza with Calabrian Chiles and Hot Honey served with an Arugula Salad with Prosciutto and Parmesan, to a fall Broccoli Rabe and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza accompanied by a Farm Share Harvest Slaw to a summery Roasted Hatch Chili Pizza with Corn and Oaxaca with a Melon, Cucumber and Mint Salad. To end your meal on a sweet note, there are also a handful of simple desserts to choose from (Loaf Pan Tiramisu, One-Bowl Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake). Pizza Night serves up a year's worth of delicious, inspired, and satisfying pizzas and salads.

Review Quotes

"In Pizza Night, Alexandra makes a strong case for enjoying pizza every week of the year--and who wouldn't want to live that life? With her dependable dough recipes, innovative and seasonal toppings, and nourishing salads, you'll never be left wondering if you can make pizza this week, only that you should."--Maurizio Leo, baker and author of the James Beard Award-winning The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More

"This gorgeous book is, of course, for anyone who craves excellent homemade pizza (Hot Italian Sausage and Giardiniera Pizza with Mozzarella! Roasted Wild Mushroom Pizza with Garlic, Thyme, and Fontina! Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza with Scallion Crème Fraîche!), but it's also for anyone who wants to be intentional about rituals and memory-making and doesn't know where to start. I dare you to flip through Ali's easy-to-follow, farm-fresh recipes and not feel inspired to plan your first pizza night immediately."--Jenny Rosenstrach, bestselling author of Dinner: A Love Story and The Weekday Vegetarians

"At last! The perfect casual meal finally has a cookbook worthy of its elemental splendors. Ali's lifelong love of a good pie and reverence for its special place in our lives shines in recipe after recipe. As if that alone were not enough, she also matches each pizza (one for every week of the year) with a fabulous, alluring, seasonal salad--many of which are worthy of their own meals."--Emily Nunn, author of The Comfort Food Diaries and creator of the Department of Salad

"Readers of Pizza Night are going to have difficulty deciding which pizzas to make, because they all sound (and look) amazing. The helpful pictures--especially when it comes to dough stretching--are invaluable. And so many styles! Roman, Neapolitan, Detroit . . . it's all here, giving any pizza lover an excuse to whip up a pie (or three) any time of the year."--Steve Dolinsky, the Food Guy on NBC Chicago and host of the Pizza City podcast

"This book--I'm loving it! Pizza is just one of those foods that I cannot get enough of. Pizza Night is filled with brilliant combinations for pizza and the salads are off the charts! This book will have you enjoying pizzas through all four seasons. Well done, Ali!"--Andris Lagsdin, creator of the Original Baking Steel and author of Baking with Steel

About the Author

Alexandra Stafford graduated from Yale and moved to Philadelphia, where she attended cooking school and worked in professional kitchens. After two years at the acclaimed restaurant Fork, she left to start her blog, Alexandra's Kitchen, which won a Saveur Blog Award for Most Inspired Weeknight Dinners. Her first cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs, was nominated for the IACP Julia Child First Book Award. She lives in upstate New York with her husband and four children.