PENINSULA KITCHEN: Enjoy homemade pizza with friends

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, my family and I attended a dinner celebration at the home of a mentor of mine.

I was one of the youngest people there, save my then-9-year-old daughter.

At first, I felt out of place and uncomfortable surrounded by a veritable who’s who crowd of Port Angeles’ most well-known and respected residents.

I grabbed a plate of gorgeously crafted food and slunk over to the edges of the crowd.

Looking down, I saw a tumbleweed of dust and dog hair float by on the floor.

I was immediately put at ease.

I was grateful to be included in the event and even more grateful that my host felt comfortable enough with all of us to let the authentic raw edges of her home and life hang out.

When I find myself stressed at the thought of inviting guests to our tiny house because it’s “so dirty” or the toilet needs scrubbing or the laundry is piled up by the washer and dryer, which is right by the back door, which is the way out to the picnic table, which is the only place we can have more than four people sit comfortably, I think of the dog hair at my friend’s home and do my best to shrug my shoulders and open the door to friends.

Jack King describes this unflinching opening of your home, warts and all, as “scruffy hospitality.”

It was with this in mind that I texted friends at 7:15 on a recent Friday morning and invited them to our home that very night for pizza in the backyard.

I didn’t sweep or dust or scrub that toilet, and I’m betting they didn’t even notice.

If this pizza is too fussy for you to manage on a night of scruffy hospitality, do up a simple pepperoni, or order out, or just invite them over for grapes and Popsicles.

However you manage it, don’t shy away from letting your people in the door.

After all, as Annie Dillard points out, the way we spend our days is the way we spend our lives.

I, for one, would rather some company in a dirty house than sit alone in a clean one.

Grapes and kale pizza adapted from “The Splendid Table”

1 light-packed cup baby kale

A generous ½ cup seedless grapes cut in half

½ a medium red onion, diced

Shredded zest of ½ a large lemon

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

Leaves from 5 fresh thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Generous ¼ teaspoon coarse ground salt

⅛ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1 pizza dough, homemade or store bought

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup shredded Asiago, parmesan or other very hard cheese

Set one oven rack as low as possible. Place a pizza stone on the rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Tear the greens into bite-sized pieces as you add them to a large bowl. Toss them with the grapes, onion, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle a tablespoon or more on a large ungreased pizza peel. Stretch the dough in your hands into as big a circle as you can without tearing.

Place it on the peel and roll it out if need be.

Fill the center of the dough with the vegetable-grape mixture, spreading it out to the edges of the dough.

Slip it off of the pizza peel and onto the pizza stone in the oven, and bake 10 minutes.

As the pizza bakes, blend the heavy whipping cream and the cheese.

Remove the pizza from the oven.

Spoon the cheese mixture over the pizza.

Stick it back into the oven to bake another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and barely picking up color.

Take it out of the oven and let rest for a few minutes before cutting into wedges.

________

Carrie Sanford, who shares the Peninsula Kitchen column with Betsy Wharton, is a mother, wife, educator, artist, activist and cook.

She writes the newsletter for Salt Creek Farm in Joyce during the growing season and volunteers with nonprofits and schools in Port Angeles, where she lives with her husband, Tom Sanford, and their daughter, Abby.

More in Life

Suzan Mannisto, co-manager of Pioneer Memorial Park, introduces the “Pathway Accessible to All Project” as Sequim Irrigation Festival Prince Malachi Byrne looks on. (Sequim Prairie Garden Club)
Garden Club launches path at Pioneer Memorial Park

Organization seeking additional grants, fundraising

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Zane Rensen, 6, of Port Angeles receives patriotic face paint from Port Angeles High School cheerleader Madison Bishop in the children's activity tent at Port Angeles City Pier during Friday's Independence Day celebration.
Independence celebration

Port Angeles celebrated Independence Day with sights and sounds of America on… Continue reading

Map of lots available in Port Angeles from 1890.
BACK WHEN: Port Angeles celebrating 135 years on July 4

HERE IT IS. July 5, and we celebrated the 249th anniversary of… Continue reading

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
A crew erects an activity tent on Thursday in the parking lot of Port Angeles City Pier in preparation for today's Independence Day events. For a list of July 4 activities, see today's on-line edition of the Peninsula Daily News.
In tents preparation

A crew erects an activity tent on Thursday in the parking lot… Continue reading

Blaine Hammond
ISSUES OF FAITH: Look through the lens of love

THE NEW TESTAMENT says many things about God, but only once does… Continue reading

Niobe Weaver
Speaker scheduled for Sunday service at Unity in Olympics

Niobe Weaver will present “Gratitude” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.… Continue reading

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith.
Speaker set at Unity in Port Townsend for weekend service

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will present “Freedom and Community”… Continue reading

The Wisdom of Avalon oracle series slated for six weeks

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will lead the six-week series… Continue reading

About 15 hardy cyclists from the Victoria area came across on the early Coho ferry Tuesday to ride up to the top of Hurricane Ridge on their Canada Day July 1st. The cyclist made the round trip in about 4 hours in time for the return noon ferry  back home. This yearly trek has been happening for over 20 years and is organized by word of mouth through various cycle shops in the greater Victoria area. The numbers of riders was down considerably this year as riders shared that many felt “uncomfortable" coming over to America with the current political situation.
     ID: The cyclist are riding on 8th Street in PA for their approach to the park entrance. The round trip is about 34 miles. dlogan
Canada Day riders

About 15 hardy cyclists from the Victoria, B.C., area came across on… Continue reading

Photos by Karen Griffiths
Top: Earlier this month, Patterned Speed Horse Super Senior Division rider Sam Parks, 74, on Ed, finished the barrel race in just 15.08 seconds at the Crosby arena, 122 Franson Road in Agnew. The next show there will be July 5-6. Bottom: 4L arena belt buckle awards.
HORSEPLAY: The dangers of feeding others’ horses

THE AUDACITY OF throwing grass clippings over a fence to a neighbor’s… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: Sage advice for growing Mediterranean herbs

WELL, NOW THAT July is soon here (Tuesday) and the Lavender Festival… Continue reading