I love fun dates. I search Groupon and LivingSocial on a daily basis to find anything and everything that sounds like a unique experience. I love to enjoy and explore with my boyfriend (who has become much more open to trying new things lately—another reason why I’m pretty much obsessed with him). A lot of my Saturdays, Sundays, (and let’s be honest, weekdays and weeknights) are consumed by all things photography—photo taking, photo editing, blogging, marketing, website upkeep, wedding preparation, location scouting, equipment research… the list could go on forever. Point being, when I have an off day, I like to take advantage of it. And this past Sunday afternoon was a perfect example (and I only say afternoon because immediately following the pizza class I met with potential clients down the street, I know… I’m a bit of a work-a-holic) .

Danny and I made our way into Lincoln Square’s delicious Trattoria Trullo for a pizza making class. November wedding clients of mine—Bree + Trey—also wanted to master their pie tossing skills and I was ecstatic to see open chairs at their table when we walked in a few minutes late.

We had wine, broke bread, drank beer, pounded pizza dough, ate pizza samples, shared a few laughs, and learned a new recipe (which I shared below for all of you—it’s simple and delicious). I wish I could share some of the tips the instructor told us, but to be honest I was busy taking pictures and Danny did most of the pizza making. Luckily, he was nice enough to jot down some notes to include with the recipe (thanks, babe!) But overall, it was such a memorable day and I’m so thankful I have someone to share these special moments with (I promise I put down the camera eventually and just enjoyed myself) 🙂

Our pizza before and after: cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, and fresh basil. YUM.

 

Here’s the recipe in case you want to try this at home:

Ingredients: Makes 12 pizza balls, 8 oz. each

– 36 gallons of water

– 2 oz. of sea salt

– 3.75 lbs. of flour “00”

– 1 oz. of yeast

In a bowl, dissolve the yeast and sea salt in warm water and let stand for a few minutes. Place this flour in the mixing bowl and mix for 3 minutes. Add the yeast mixture and the cool water to the flour and mix all ingredients until the dough is no longer sticky. Let the dough rise until double in size (should take about 1 hour). Make 12 balls of dough and allow the dough to rest for a few minutes before rolling out. Use your favorite pizza toppings.

Pizza Sauce Recipe:

– 14 oz. can of plum tomato

– 1 small pinch of sea salt

– 1 small pinch of pepper

– 6 basil leaves

– 1 table spoon of extra virgin olive oil

– 1 small pinch of oregano

Blend all ingredients together or squeeze with your hands.

Danny’s Tips from Our Instructor:

– Pound out the dough until it is almost thin enough to see the marble countertop through it (if you can clearly see the countertop, it’s too thin)

– To get the size/shape desired, let a side of the dough droop over the counter and press out more while spinning like a disc

– Add sauce, grated paremsand cheese (to absorb moisture) fresh mozzerella, favorite toppings (not too many since it’s thin) and olive oil