In-House Cook

Pizza in a Biscuit

I remember mornings when my mom would make biscuits with bacon and eggs. She likes English muffins, which is how I came to love them, but I love flaky, buttery biscuits above any breakfast or dinner bread. When I began cooking, baking was the one thing I feared the most - and still do - because, if it can be wrecked, I am the one to do it, and really badly! But I can never give up on making biscuits. I have made my fair share of disasters, though. I like to make my biscuits from scratch, using whole wheat flour. I one time forgot one or two key baking ingredients and they turned out like rocks. Despite such disasters, I persist.

I am one of those die-hard butter users when I make biscuits, instead of shortening or lard. My Grandma P - bless her - made The BEST biscuits I have ever put into my face. Her secrets were shortening, she used a cast iron skillet (for Everything) and her most precious ingredient: Love. I miss her.

I did not spend much time as a child out in the country with my paternal grandparents, although I enjoyed staying with them more so as a kid than a teenager. I was a dumb teenager for not staying there more often. My G-Ma P's cooking was always a masterful occasion. Very down home, good old-fashioned amazingly flavorful cooking. I will never forget the aromas of her cooking, and most certainly, I will Never forget her biscuits. I would float into the kitchen like a cartoon character when she took them out of the oven. I will forever strive to make biscuits like her.

Alright, let's go to it. I am sure you are tired of my reminiscing. Sorry.

I love pizza, too, which, in my humble opinion, should be a food group. I am sure you all know why. I love sausage, pancetta and bacon biscuits with egg and cheese, so why not make a biscuit with pizza fixings? And so I did.

Here is where I must confess my sin. Because I was experimenting with ingredients yesterday, I (blushing) used a boxed biscuit mix. Don't be hatin'! Now that I know how awesome these are, next time I will make the biscuits from scratch and I will post them here for you. In the meantime, keeping my chin up, here is what I did:

My Ingredients:

6 slices of peppered salami or sopressata, finely chopped

8 slices of pepperoni, finely chopped

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

1/2 cup your favorite Italian cheeses (I used a store-bought mix of finely grated mozzarella, asiago smoked provolone, Romano, Fontina and Parmesan).

1 teaspoon Tuscan seasoning (found in the spice section of your grocery store)

1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

2 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

1/2 stick iced butter, finely cubed

1 cup milk

2 cups biscuit mix (I used Bisquick)

1/2 cup pizza marinara

1 egg

I did not picture the egg as it is not part of the original biscuit recipe, but because my G-Ma P always used one, I did, too.

Grind up the cumin seeds and the Tuscan seasoning and add it to your dry biscuit ingredients, and stir them in thoroughly. Add the half cup of parmesan cheese to the dry mix and incorporate the cheese, as well, very thoroughly. I know, this is going to taste so great! Finish making your biscuits per your recipe. When you roll out the dough on a floured board or stone, cut out 18 circles. On each circle, add a small dollop of the pizza sauce.

You are going to make nine biscuits this batch. Now you have nine tops and nine bottoms. Add a teaspoon of the meats and a teaspoon of the cheese and place the top biscuit circle over the bottom. Gently pinch the seams together. In hindsight, I wish I had used a second egg, beaten it, and used it to seal the biscuit circles together. Next time!!! Top each biscuit with a pinch of parmesan cheese and bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees.