Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

RICK ROSENFIELD is the cofounder and co-CEO of California Pizza Kitchen. He practiced law as Flax and Rosenfield from 1973 until opening the first CPK restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1985. Today, the chain has grown to more than 230 restaurants in thirty states and eight countries, including twenty-five CPK ASAP quick-service locations. Visit the CPK Web site at www.cpk.com.

LARRY FLAX is the cofounder and co-CEO of California Pizza Kitchen. He practiced law as Flax and Rosenfield from 1973 until opening the first CPK restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1985. Today, the chain has grown to more than 230 restaurants in thirty states and eight countries, including twenty-five CPK ASAP quick-service locations. Visit the CPK Web site at www.cpk.com.

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California Pizza Kitchen Family Cookbook
 
"From the time we published our first cookbook in 1996, and probably from the time we opened the doors of the first CPK in 1985, we've known that a family cookbook was in our future. Our customers have always included families; that was our hope from the start. Food is an art that appeals to all of our senses. Teaching our children that cooking is fun can only help develop their love for food as well as a sense of accomplishment for their artistic creation.
 
"We want to make our favorite--and your favorite--CPK specialties accessible to the whole family at home. So, we've taken care to make sure that all of the recipes in this book can be executed by anyone, regardless of age or culinary skill. Just as importantly, we want to inspire the whole family to create their own pizzas, panini sandwiches, salads, and desserts.
 
"We already know that people love to congregate in the kitchen. Whether it's because of the enticing smells or the anticipation of a great meal, that's where people like to be. Preparing CPK dishes has the added appeal of allowing all of the participants to be creative. This isn't work, it's fun!"
--Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield

Aus dem Klappentext

California Pizza Kitchen has been a hit with families ever since the first restaurant opened back in 1985. Grown-ups love CPK's signature pizzas, which take favorite flavor combinations from around the globe and put them on a pizza. Children love the CPKids menu, which features kid-friendly pizzas and pastas. And everybody loves CPK's zesty appetizers, sandwiches, soups, salads, specialty entrées, and desserts.
 
Now, in their new cookbook, CPK co-founders and co-CEOs Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield show you and your family how to prepare pizzas, kids' favorites, and other CPK specialties right in your own kitchen. These crowd-pleasing recipes bring the CPK experience home--and are perfect for relaxed family meals as well as special celebrations. Best of all, each of the nearly fifty recipes is a cinch to make, which means your whole family can have fun helping out in the kitchen.
 
Your kids will love the CPKids Pizza Party recipes, including a Create-Your-Own Pizza specially designed to help them unleash their pizza creativity. If you're a fan of CPK's signature pies, you'll find recipes for standouts like Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza and Chipotle Chicken Pizza. You also get special holiday-themed pizzas, like a Halloween Jack-o-Lantern Pizza, that are perfect for parties--plus fun desserts like S'mores "Pizza." And to top it all off, there are recipes for a whole range of other CPK family favorites, from Thai Crunch Salad and Curly Mac & Cheese to Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini and Chicken Piccata with Spaghettini.
 
And don't forget the dough! You'll find recipes for three kinds--Traditional, Honey-Wheat, and thin-crust Neapolitan--along with step-by-step instructions and photographs to help you roll, stretch, and shape dough like a pro.
 
Illustrated throughout with inspiring color photo-graphs, the California Pizza Kitchen Family Cookbook is just what you need to get your whole family involved with cooking, get creative in the kitchen--and serve up tasty pizzas and other favorite dishes that everyoneloves to eat.

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California Pizza Kitchen Family Cookbook

John Wiley & Sons

Chapter One

Pizza is not fancy food, and making pizza at home does not require many specialized tools. Here are a few tools, though, that will help make your homemade pizza better and more fun to make. Be sure to follow the safety tips so that your pizza-making experiences will always leave fond family memories.

tools

Making pizza at home is fun and easy, especially when you have the right tools. Here are a few that we recommend.

Pizza Cutter: The classic rolling pizza cutter certainly does the trick when it comes to cutting pizza into slices. You can also use a long, heavy chef's knife, or even a two-handled cheese knife. Be sure to transfer your pizza to a cutting board; don't cut directly on your pizza peel.

Pizza Stone: The pizza stone is absolutely essential for a creating a crisp crust that bakes quickly. Make sure to "season" the stone (according to manufacturer's instructions) before using it.

Pizza Peel: The best way to transfer your dressed pizza from the counter to a pizza stone is with a large pizza peel (sort of a giant spatula), and the best way to transfer it without any sticking is with a wooden peel. The wooden peel also cools quickly and won't cause a new piece of dough to rise if you've just taken another pizza out of the oven with the same peel (a metal pizza peel will continue to conduct heat).

Electric Stand Mixer with Dough Hook: While this type of mixer can make all kinds of cooking easier, it is good for pizza dough only when you are making a large batch. If the batch is too small the dough will simply flop around the bowl without kneading. For small batches, use the paddle attachment on your mixer. But, remember, nothing beats the fun of kneading dough by hand, so get in there!

kitchen safety

You already know not to run around the kitchen with a knife in your hand. Here are a few other kitchen safety tips that you might not know:

Always cool food completely before covering it and storing in the refrigerator.

Thoroughly wash and sanitize your cutting boards, especially after cutting raw meats and raw chicken. Use a dishwasher-safe cutting board for cutting up chicken.

Keep a hand sanitizer in your kitchen and always use it after handling raw chicken.

Keep sanitizer wipes handy for cleaning countertops and other work surfaces. Don't use the same wipe for a large surface or for cleaning multiple surfaces-this will just spread the germs around.

Keep raw chicken refrigerated and take it out just before cooking.

Keep your knives sharp, and teach your kids how to use them properly. If a cut happens, it will be "cleaner" with a sharp knife.

Always apply first aid immediately to cuts and burns.

the basics

Great pizza always starts with great dough. If the dough is prepared properly, there's virtually no limit to what can go on top. That's where your own creativity comes in! Here are our dough recipes, along with basic sauces and various chicken preparations. The rest is up to your imagination!

traditional pizza dough

Makes 1 pound-enough for one 13-inch pizza, two 9-inch pizzas, or four 6-inch pizzas

Make your own pizza dough when you have plenty of time to let it rise and fully develop its flavor. But if you do not have the time, you can still make fabulous pizzas using storebought doughs and crusts. This recipe can easily be doubled, or even tripled for a pizza party. You can use the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer if you're making a double or quadruple batch of this dough.

SHOPPING/PANTRY/REFRIGERATOR LIST HOW MUCH YOU'LL NEED

Active dry yeast (not "quick rise" type) 1 teaspoon Warm water (105 to 110F) 1 cup + 1 tablespoon Unbleached bread or all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups Sugar 2 teaspoons Kosher salt 1 teaspoon Extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Stand mixer with paddle attachment or food processor with plastic blade (both optional); do not use a hand-held mixer, which may shred the dough

PREPARATION

1 In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Make sure the water is not too hot, as this will kill the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.

2 If using a stand mixer, use the paddle because the dough hook will not mix this size batch efficiently. In the mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and stir by hand just to distribute. Add the dissolved yeast and place the bowl and paddle on the mixer. Start mixing on the lowest speed to mix. Increase the speed slightly and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Do not over-knead, as this will build up too much gluten and make the dough difficult to shape.

If using a food processor, be sure to use the plastic blade; the metal knife will cut through the gluten strands and keep the dough from developing any "body." Proceed as for the stand mixer, making sure to stop kneading as soon as the dough forms a smooth ball. Over-kneading could overheat the dough because the mixing bowl is directly above the motor.

If mixing by hand, place the dry ingredients in a 4- to 6- quart mixing bowl, and stir to combine. Make a well in the middle and pour the liquids, reserving 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. Once all the flour is mixed in, turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and, with lightly oiled hands, knead the dough for 5 minutes. It should be smooth and elastic, but will still be slightly sticky.

3 Place the remaining teaspoon of oil in a 1-quart mixing bowl and spread it with your fingertips. Place the dough ball in the bowl, move it around the oil, then turn it over so that the oiled side is facing upward. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

4 You may use the dough at this point, but if possible-and this requires some planning-punch the dough down, re-shape it into a ball, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough overnight; this will develop a more flavorful dough with a chewier consistency.

5 About 2 hours before you are ready to assemble your pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator. If making individual pizzas, use a sharp knife to divide the dough into 2 or 4 equal portions.

6 Roll each portion of dough into a round ball on a smooth, clean surface, making sure to seal any holes by pinching or rolling.

7 Place the newly formed dough balls in a glass baking dish, spaced far enough apart to allow for each to double in size. Seal the top of the dish with clear plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature until the dough balls have doubled in size, about 2 hours. They should be smooth and puffy. Dress the pizza according to the recipe.

neapolitan (thin crust) pizza dough

Makes about 14 ounces-enough for one 14-inch pizza or two 10-inch pizzas

Thin and crisp when baked, this is the pizza dough of southern Italy. It is also perfect for our Dessert Pizzas (pages...