Recipe NightGlow Pizza A Taste of Apex

[Pamela Jo]

I am impressed by what I get in the mail from Apex. These guys are good at understanding their audience.

Apex Books & Apex Magazine

The Authors of Issue 141: A.M. Lomuscio​ ​

A.M. Lomuscio, author of "Nightglow Pizza", joined us to share their Nightglow Pizza Recipe! The instructions are below, but please see the attached PDF for pictures of this creation! A.M. Lomuscio is a speculative fiction writer and television editor based in NYC. She is an alum of the 2019 Clarion Writers workshop and loves to write pieces that combine space, magic, and comedy. Her work as a television editor has earned her a Daytime Emmy award nomination for Outstanding Lifestyle Program. She and her husband live under the firm but fair rule of their cats, Leo and Monty. You can find her at lomush | Twitter | Linktree ~~~ While this pizza won’t grant you the power to control minds, it may just grant you the power to control taste buds! This modified focaccia recipe uses red wine to give the dough a deep, almost floral flavor and, most importantly, a purple hue. When paired with some ingredients from the story, it’ll look just like it’s sitting on Fara’s counter in Sinfully Sweet. The toppings are also completely optional, feel free to customize as you please! Equipment: 9x13 nonstick cake pan, Large mixing bowl, rubber spatula, basting brush Cook time: total – 5 hours, active time 30 minutes Ingredients:​ ​ For the dough: 140grams of warm red wine (heated between 105-115 Fahrenheit) 160grams of warm water (heated between 105-115 Fahrenheit) 1 packet of instant yeast 480 grams of flour 8 grams of salt 1 ½ tsp dried rosemary ½ tsp garlic powder 3 Tbs olive oil, divided Toppings: 1 jar of marinara pasta sauce 1 jar of roasted red peppers Sun dried tomatoes Truffle oil (very little is needed) Step 1.) In a small bowl, mix together the water and wine then add the instant yeast and let it bloom for several minutes. I know, I know, instant yeast doesn’t have to be bloomed! All I can say is I’ve had the most success with this recipe using instant yeast and essentially treating it like active dry. I think the high sugar content of the wine throws a wrench in there somewhere so just hear me out, take this extra step and you’ll thank me later. Step 2.) Mix together all the dry ingredients. Add 1 tbs of olive oil and the bloomed yeast mixture. Mix everything until well incorporated. A rubber spatula should do most of the job but I usually get a hand in there and smoosh it like you’re making meatballs to get all the flour fully incorporated. It should come together like a sticky dough resembling chewed bubble gum. Dough should stick to the spatula when pressed but pull away uniformly when pulled taut. Step 3.) First proof! Keep the mixture in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Leave it in a warm place to proof. Usually between an hour and a half to two hours or until it has doubled in size. (Pro tip: If, like me, you don’t have control of your building’s heat, place the bowl on a heating pad set to a medium setting to keep the temperature consistent) Step 4.) Prepare your baking pan by adding the other two tablespoons of olive oil. Then, dump out your dough mixture into the pan. Twist the dough around in the pan to make sure all sides get coated in oil. Then, using your fingers, massage the dough outwards towards the edges of the pan until it’s a somewhat rectangular shape. Totally optional but I like to maniacally laugh while softly whispering ‘brains’ during this step. The dough may not quite fill the pan to the edges just yet but that’s ok because now it’s time for our next step! Step 5.) Second Proof (insert generic joke about second breakfast). Cover the pan with a kitchen towel or paper towel and leave to proof another hour and a half to two hours, until dough has doubled once again. About 20 minutes before the second proof is done preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Step 6.) Take your wonderfully proven dough and mash a bunch of finger holes into it. There is a purpose for this – it’s fun. Also! It helps stop the dough from puffing up too much in the oven and pushing your toppings all over the place. So don’t be afraid to make a bunch of holes. Step 7.) Add your toppings. First, sprinkle the top with a healthy amount of salt and pepper. Then, spoon out your tomato sauce just like you would on a pizza. Use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly. Try and leave about a centimeter of crust dry around the edges. Then, add the sliced roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes in whatever fashion you like. Sprinkle your freshly grated parmesan cheese over top. Now, the truffle oil. With a basting brush or fork pour out enough oil to coat the bristles or tongs. Then, lightly shake it out over the pizza as even as you can get it. This stuff is strong so a little goes a long way. If you love truffle then go wild! But for most palettes the equivalent of a light drizzle will do. ***If foregoing toppings, you can use a basting brush to lightly coat the top in a bit more oil then, liberally sprinkle salt, pepper, and whatever other spices tickle your fancy! Then you are good to follow the next step. Step 8.) Bake. 25-30 minutes at 425 degrees or until the edges are golden brown. Let it cool in the pan for a bout 15 minutes then remove from the pan (I like to use two spatulas and pretend I have robot arms) and leave on a cooling rack for at least 10 more minutes before cutting. Serve warm or cold! Storage: It will stay good on the counter in an airtight container for about three days. Or wrap it first in a layer of wax paper, then tightly wrap in saran wrap and it’s good to freeze. ~~~ Thank you to the author for joining us! Stay tuned for more from the authors of Issue 141! ​

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