Recipes: 14, Count ‘Em, 14 Pizzas

To begin, these are the easiest made-from-scratch pizza doughs we’ve ever encountered.

ABBY MANDEL’S THIN PIZZA CRUST

2 teaspoons olive or safflower oil

2 teaspoons cornmeal

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose or bread flour, about

3/4 teaspoon salt

Rub 1 teaspoon olive oil over 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) pizza pans. Sprinkle pan or pans with cornmeal. Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy.

Combine flour, salt and remaining oil in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Turn on machine. Pour yeast mixture through feed tube. Process until dough cleans inside of work bowl.

If dough sticks, add more flour by tablespoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. If dough is crumbly, add water by teaspoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. When desired consistency is reached, process dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.

Roll dough immediately on heavily floured board to 14-inch circle. Or divide dough in half and roll each half to 9-inch circle. Add flour to board as necessary, rotating dough while rolling. If dough resists, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.

Fold dough in half, then in quarters. Place on prepared pan with point of dough in center. Unfold dough and lightly press into place, working from center to edge. Pinch edge together or fold over edge to form 1/3-inch rim. Proceed as directed in pizza recipe. Makes 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) thin pizza dough.

Note: Dough does not need to rise. If dough is allowed to rise until doubled, crust will be slightly chewier. After rising, transfer to oiled bowl and turn to coat entire surface with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (75 to 80 degrees) until doubled, about 1 hour. Then roll as directed.

ABBY MANDEL’S DEEP-DISH PIZZA CRUST

1 1/2 tablespoons olive or safflower oil

2 teaspoons cornmeal

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose or bread flour, about

1 teaspoon salt

Rub 2 teaspoons olive oil on sides and bottom of 1 (14-inch) deep-dish pizza pan, 2 (9-inch) layer cake pans or 1 (17 1/2x11 1/2-inch) jellyroll pan. Sprinkle pan or pans with cornmeal. Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy.

Combine flour, salt and remaining oil in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Turn on machine. Pour yeast mixture through feed tube and process until dough cleans inside of work bowl.

If dough sticks, add more flour by tablespoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. If dough is crumbly, add water by teaspoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. When desired consistency is reached, process dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.

Transfer mixture to oiled bowl and rotate to coat entire surface with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (75 to 80 degrees) until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down on heavily floured board. Roll into 20-inch circle or divide dough in half and roll each half to 12-inch circle. For jellyroll pan, roll to 22x18-inch rectangle. Add flour to board as necessary and rotate dough while rolling. If dough resists, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.

Remove excess flour on dough with soft brush. Place on prepared pan with point of dough in center. Unfold dough and lightly press into place, working from center to edge. Gently ease dough so it extends 1/2 inch beyond rim of pan, then cut away any excess.

Distribute topping of choice over crust. Fold dough over to edge of topping and pinch to form finished edge. Proceed as directed in pizza recipe. Makes 1 (14-inch), 2 (9-inch) or 1 (17 1/2x11 1/2-inch) deep-dish crusts.

This isn’t a traditional pizza--it’s actually a sort of quiche made with lots of garlic. But it’s perfect when you are in the mood for something that’s as pungent as a pizza but a whole lot richer.

NANCY’S GLORIOUS GARLIC TART

3 heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled

Pastry Crust

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Half fill large saucepan with water. Add garlic cloves and bring to boil. Drain garlic and repeat process with fresh water. Drain and reserve garlic.

With back of spoon, spread mustard over bottom of Pastry Crust, which can be hot from oven or at room temperature. Distribute cheese evenly inside crust.

Puree reserved garlic with egg, cream, nutmeg and pepper in food processor 30 seconds. Pour garlic mixture over cheese. Bake tart at 350 degrees 25 minutes or until filling is firm. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

Pastry Crust

Flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup frozen butter, cut into 6 pieces

1/4 cup ice water

Butter

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and butter in food processor. Process until mixture looks crumbly.

With motor running, slowly add water. Mixture will gather into ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1/2 hour.

Butter and flour inside of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Roll out dough to fit into pan. Trim edges.

Line dough with foil and fill center with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Continue baking additional 10 minutes, until crust begins to brown.

If you have friends who like the idea of pizza but don’t like tomatoes, this is the recipe for them.

WHITE PIZZA

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/4 cups water

4 cups flour, about

Olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 heads garlic, about 25 cloves, peeled and finely minced

1 (2-ounce) can anchovies, drained, oil reserved

1/4 cup finely minced parsley

Crushed hot pepper, optional

3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees). Let stand 10 minutes until yeast foams.

Combine 1 cup flour with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt in large bowl. Add 3/4 cup warm water to foamed yeast and stir into flour until smooth. Add additional flour to make stiff dough.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and divide in 1/2, freezing other 1/2 for later use. Roll dough into 14-inch circle or to desired size on lightly floured surface. Turn onto pizza stone that has been dusted with cornmeal.

Combine garlic and anchovies with 2 tablespoons olive oil and reserved anchovy oil in small bowl. Evenly distribute mixture over pizza crust. Sprinkle with parsley. Season to taste with crushed hot pepper. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 475 degrees 15 minutes or until crust is golden. Makes 4 servings.

Note: If using metal pan, grease lightly with oil. Using oil instead of margarine will produce crispy crust.

The name of this Provencale pizza is a little misleading. It has nothing to do with the word pizza; it comes from pissala, the local name for an anchovy fillet preparation. From “Cuisine Nicoise” (Penguin: 1991) by Jacques Medecin:

LA PISSALADIERE

1/2 ounce yeast

4 tablespoons warm milk (105 to 115 degrees)

1 3/4 cups flour, about

Salt

2 eggs

7 tablespoons olive oil

6 1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Bouquet garni

2 ounces black olives

10 anchovy fillets

Pepper

Combine yeast and warm milk. Let stand until foamy.

Place 1 3/4 cups flour and 2 teaspoons salt in bowl. Add yeast mixture, eggs and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Mix well until dough is smooth. Form into ball.

Sprinkle dough with flour, cover bowl and let stand in warm place 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until dough has risen and is very light.

Salt onions lightly and place in heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Add garlic, bouquet garni and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cover and simmer very gently until onions are thoroughly cooked, but not browned.

Place dough in oiled 10-inch tart pan. Press out until dough fills pan. Bake at 425 degrees 10 minutes.

Remove bouquet garni, then spread cooked onion mixture over dough. Make layer as even as possible with wooden spoon. Arrange anchovy fillets in spokes and dot with olives. Sprinkle top with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Bake at 425 degrees 30 minutes or until crust is browned. Remove from oven and season to taste with pepper. Makes 10 servings.

This pizza was contributed by the wife of Times photographer Al Seib; it’s one of the best we’ve ever tasted.

GAYLE SEIB’S PIZZA

4 cloves garlic, minced

Olive oil

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste, optional

Crust

Freshly ground pepper

Shredded Jack and sharp Cheddar cheeses

Sauteed mushrooms

Chopped green pepper

Sliced black olives

Saute garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar and salt to taste. Cook 30 to 45 minutes. To thicken sauce, add tomato paste.

Cut dough for Crust in half. Roll out each half on lightly floured surface. Place on pans greased with olive oil. Stretch dough lightly to reach edges of pans.

Sprinkle dough with pepper to taste. Add cheese, then spoon and spread sauce carefully over top. Add mushrooms, green pepper and olives.

Bake at 425 degrees 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is brown on edges. Makes 2 large pizzas.

Crust

1 1/2 packages dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

2 teaspoons sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups flour, about

Salt

Olive oil

Combine yeast, warm water and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes.

Add basil, cornmeal, cheese, 2 cups flour and salt to taste. Stir until mixture holds together and can be kneaded. Knead on lightly floured surface 1 minute.

Place in large oiled bowl, turning to oil top. Cover and let rise in warm place 1/2 hour.

Heather Barratt is a home economics student at Cal Poly Pomona; she worked with us for a few months in The Times Test Kitchen. This is her contribution.

BARRATT’S MUSHROOM PIZZA

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound mushrooms, chopped

1/2 sweet red pepper, sliced

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed hot pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large Boboli bread

1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

3 Roma tomatoes, sliced

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add and saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Add mushrooms and saute about 15 minutes. Add sweet red pepper, basil, oregano, crushed hot pepper and salt.

Place Boboli bread on baking sheet. Spread with mushroom mixture. Top with sun-dried and Roma tomatoes. Bake at 450 degrees 12 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Maurice Sabbagh, distributor of Earthstone wood-burning pizza ovens, shares his recipe for this delicious tasting pizza .

MAURICE’S VEGETABLE PIZZA

8 (1/8-inch thick) slices zucchini

8 (1/8-inch thick) slices Japanese eggplant

8 (1/8-inch thick) slices green pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups skinned, seeded and chopped tomatoes

2 (9-inch) unbaked pizza crusts

1/2 cup prepared pizza sauce

1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese

Salt, pepper

Fresh chopped basil

Lightly saute zucchini, eggplant and green pepper in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Saute garlic in remaining tablespoon olive oil. Add mushrooms, vinegar and 1 cup tomatoes. Cook until most of liquid has evaporated.

Place pizza crusts on baking sheet. Spread 1/2 mushroom mixture over each crust. Arrange vegetables over mixture and top with garlic, pizza sauce and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bake at 425 degrees 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining 1 cup chopped tomatoes and basil. Makes 2 (9-inch) pizzas.

Spago’s most famous dish isn’t even on the menu. But those in the know sit down and immediately order a “Jewish pizza.” Now you can try it without even waiting for a table.

WOLFGANG PUCK’S PIZZA WITH SMOKED SALMON AND CAVIAR

3 to 4 ounces smoked salmon

Pizza Dough

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, cut julienne

1/4 bunch fresh dill, minced

1/3 cup sour cream or creme fraiche

Freshly ground pepper

Domestic golden caviar

Black caviar

4 small sprigs dill

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat at 500 degrees 30 minutes. Cut salmon into paper-thin slices. Set aside.

Roll or stretch dough into 4 (8-inch) circles. Place on lightly floured wooden peel.

Brush center of each crust to within 1 inch of edge with olive oil. Sprinkle with part of onion. Slide pizza onto stone and bake 8 to 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Combine minced dill with sour cream and pepper to taste. Transfer pizzas to heated plates and spread with sour cream mixture. Divide salmon and arrange decoratively over top of pizzas.

Place 1 heaping tablespoon golden caviar in center of each pizza, then spoon small amount of black caviar in center of golden caviar. Garnish each pizza with small dill sprig. Makes 4 (8-inch) pizzas.

Note: Sour cream topping and smoked salmon may be doubled.

Pizza Dough

3 cups flour, about

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup cool water

1 package dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

Place 3 cups flour in food processor. Combine salt, honey, olive oil and cool water in small bowl or measuring cup. Mix well.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand 10 minutes. With motor running, slowly pour honey mixture through feed tube, then dissolved yeast. Process until dough forms ball. If dough is sticky, add sprinkling of flour.

Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in buttered bowl, cover and allow dough to rise 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each piece into smooth, tight ball. Place on flat sheet or dish, cover with damp towel and refrigerate.

About 1 hour before baking, remove dough from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Lightly flour work surface.

Using fingertips, flatten each ball of dough to circle about 6 inches in diameter, making outer edge thicker than center. Turn dough over and repeat.

Lift dough from work surface and gently stretch edges, working clockwise to form 7- to 8-inch circle.

Variations:

To make dough with electric mixer fitted with dough hook, place flour in bowl and add ingredients in same order as when using food processor. Knead dough in machine until smooth ball forms. Place in buttered bowl and allow to stand, covered, 30 minutes.

To prepare by hand, place flour on work surface and make well in center. Add liquid ingredients and dissolved yeast. Slowly incorporate flour into liquid ingredients working from center outward. When dough forms, knead on floured surface until smooth. Place in buttered bowl and allow to stand, covered, 30 minutes.

Note: Dough may be rolled out with rolling pin, then edges inched up to form ridge.

Johanne Killeen and George Germon own two of the most celebrated restaurants in Providence, R.I.: Lucky’s and Al Forno. They are especially famous for their grilled pizzas. This recipe is from their new cookbook, “Cucina Simpatica--Robust Trattoria Cooking” (HarperCollins, 1991: $25).

GRILLED PIZZA WITH SPINACH, GORGONZOLA AND RAISINS

6 ounces pizza dough

Virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 cup shredded Fontina cheese

2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

4 to 5 tablespoons chopped canned tomatoes in heavy puree

8 to 10 fresh spinach leaves

1 tablespoon raisins

Prepare hot charcoal fire, setting grill rack 3 to 4 inches above coals. Spread and flatten pizza dough with hands on large, oiled, inverted baking sheet into 10- to 12-inch free-form circle, 1/8-inch thick. Do not make raised edge.

When possible to hold hand over coals 3 to 4 seconds at distance of 5 inches, lift dough gently with fingertips and drape onto grill. Catch loose edge on grill first and guide remaining dough into place over coals. Within 1 minute, dough will puff slightly, underside will stiffen and grill marks will appear.

Using tongs, flip crust over onto coolest part of grill. Quickly brush grilled surface with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic, Fontina and Gorgonzola cheeses and tomatoes. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil over top.

Slide pizza back toward hot coals, but not directly over top. Using tongs, rotate pizza frequently so different sections receive higher heat. Check underside often for burning. Pizza is cooked when top is bubbly and cheese melted, 6 to 8 minutes. Top with spinach leaves and raisins. Makes 1 (10- to 12-inch) pizza.

According to Pietro Chessa, the Sardinian-born chef at Regata in Santa Monica, the authentic 18-inch, crisp Sardinian pizza dough is made with semolina flour and is called pan carasau or carta musica, meaning a sheet of music, because of its large size and thin crust. When served as bruschetta it is topped with tomato, garlic , olive oil and vinegar. The dough can also be topped with dried tuna roe and Pecorino cheese, and sometimes with tomato sauce and raw eggs. A substitute for the thin dough, which is difficult to make, is the large lavash cracker. Top it with any filling desired, heat and serve.

SARDINIAN PIZZA (Bruschetta)

1 (18-inch) lavash cracker

3 tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon mashed garlic

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt, pepper

1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese

Place cracker on large serving platter. Combine tomatoes, basil and garlic. Season to taste with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Evenly distribute drained tomato mixture onto cracker. Sprinkle with cheese.

Serve cold or bake at 400 degrees until heated through, about 5 minutes. Cut pizza into wedges or break apart as desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Terry de Wolfe of Hollywood got the idea for this easy-going pizza recipe from an Armenian bakery selling lahmajune, a flat bread topped with spicy meat, and available at most Armenian bakeries. De Wolfe dolls it up with a topping of Roma tomatoes, red onions, basil and mozzarella cheese . The results are outstanding.

ARMENIAN PIZZA MARIA

6 lahmajune

18 Roma tomatoes, sliced

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch fresh basil, cut into thin julienne strips

1/4 cup chopped black olives, optional

1 (8-ounce) package mozzarella cheese, grated

Olive oil, optional

For each serving, place lahmajune on perforated pizza pan. Top with layers of sliced tomatoes, red onion, basil, olives and cheese. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is bubbly and browned, or as desired, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Note: Lahmajune is available at most Armenian or Middle Eastern grocery stores.

This “pizza” belongs to the Central Asian family of flat breads with raised edges that were originally baked by being slapped onto the walls of clay ovens. It makes a fascinating party snack because its onion-yogurt topping turns pink--yes, pink--as it bakes. The dough is also full of onion juice, so it takes quite a long time to rise.

The name refers to the city of Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region--the desert basin north of the Himalayan Plateau formerly known as Sinkiang Province, China. Since the recipe is adapted from Karim Makhmudov’s “Uzbekskie Bliuda,” a Russian-language cookbook from the Uzbek Soviet Republic, presumably the Uzbeks learned Kashgari Patyr from Kashgari refugees fleeing the suppression of their 1867 revolt against Chinese rule.

KASHGARI PATYR

1/2 pound onions, sliced

3/4 cup warm water

2 teaspoons salt

1 package dry yeast

Generous dash ground saffron, optional

3 to 3 1/2 cups flour

2 tablespoons yogurt

Puree onions in food processor. Pour into bowl, add warm water and knead onions well with hands. Strain liquid through sieve into large mixing bowl, reserving onion debris.

Dissolve salt, yeast and saffron in onion water. Let stand in warm place until yeast foams. Add enough flour to make somewhat stiff but kneadable dough.

Knead dough 10 minutes then place in large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until nearly doubled, 3 to 4 hours.

Punch down dough and form into 2 patties. Take 1 and squeeze center with fingertips while turning and stretching to form flat, round pizza 8 inches across with raised border. Border should be 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide and about 3/4-inch thick; center should be 5 to 6 inches wide and about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with second piece of dough.

Let pizzas rise 20 to 30 minutes, covered with plastic wrap, on floured board. Just before placing on floured baking sheet, take 2/3 onion debris, wring as dry as possible in hands and mix well with yogurt. Spread 1/8 inch layer of mixture on center of pizzas. Bake at 375 degrees 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 8 servings.

This Syrian snack, thin and limp like lahmajune, is a specialty of the city of Hama; sometimes it is flavored with the sour Near Eastern spice sumac instead of red pepper. I first had it in 1980, bought from a stand near one of the groaning 60-foot Roman water wheels that are still used in Hama.

KHUBZ BI-FLAYFLEH (Syrian Sesame and Hot Pepper Pizza)

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons yogurt

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 to 3 teaspoons crushed hot pepper

Mix warm water and yeast in bowl and leave in warm place 5 minutes. When yeast foams, add salt, flour and butter and mix well. Knead on floured board 10 minutes. Place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and towel and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.

Punch dough down and roll out thin into 1 large or 2 small pizzas. Place on greased baking sheet, smear surface of dough with yogurt and sprinkle sesame and crushed hot pepper as evenly as possible over surface. Preheat oven to 450 degrees 20 minutes while dough rests. Place baking sheet on middle rack of oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is pale golden. Makes 4 servings.

Food styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane