Hand Tossed Pizza

georgehirsch October 20, 2025

Everyone loves a great pizza, and there is nothing better than hot right out of your own oven. When it comes to making any pizza, let imagination and the season rule your toppings. I love changing up the pizza according to the season. And if you are up to expanding your hand-tossed style, take the dough to the grill for an added fire-roasted flavor.

mini grape tomatoes, caramelized fennel + onion, sopressata and stilton — *mini grape tomatoes, caramelized fennel, onion, sopressata + stilton*

Hand Tossed Pizza

Makes four servings

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Makes enough for 2-3 pizzas

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees F)

1 teaspoon sugar

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1/4teaspoon salt

3/4 cup warm water

1 Tablespoon olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and water. Add the sugar and stir well. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until small bubbles appear on the surface.

Place 3 cups of the flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and the water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, using the additional 1/2 cup flour if the dough is sticky.

The dough is sufficiently kneaded when you can stick two fingers into it and it springs back without leaving an indentation.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest in an oiled bowl for 45-60 minutes. Lightly oil the top of each ball with the 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

- Mixing with a mixer & dough hook: Mix for eight minutes at medium speed.

- Mixing with a food processor: process for 40 seconds until smooth, add 1 additional Tablespoon of flour at a time until all of the flour is combined into the dough.

Mix Dough and place in a bowl lightly oiled with olive oil. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator overnight.

Next day, pre heat oven to 475 degrees F.

Stretch out dough to a rectangular shape and cut into two pieces. Sprinkle a teaspoon of fine grind corn meal on the surface of a heavy gauge pizza pan or sheet pan. Place the two pieces of dough on the top of corn meal. Brush top lightly with olive oil.

Add your favorite toppings and cheese. Note: Use cold, not hot sauce.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until pizza crusts are fully baked. You can check for doneness by tapping on the edge of the dough with your finger. It should should hollow.

Remove from oven, place pizza on cutting board, cut to desired size.

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Sausage Campagnola, an Old World Tradition

georgehirsch August 11, 2025

Cooler nights and a bounty from the garden. Campagnola, an italin style hearty country dish fitting for this time of year.

The old world tradition of sausage and vegetables makes this rustic country dish ideal for cooking on the grill or stovetop. Cook it today and it will taste even better tomorrow.

Note: With this country-style dish, you can add seasonal and readily available vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini, and peeled carrots.

Sausage Campagnola

Makes 4-6 servings

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2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound Italian Ring Sausage or 4 links

½ sweet onion, chopped

6 cloves of garlic

1 red bell pepper, cut into small strips

2 small Yukon potatoes, sliced thin

¼ cup dry white wine

pinch red pepper flakes

3 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, torn

¼ cup pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat.

Add olive oil and sausage and cook until the sausage has browned. Add onion, garlic, red bell, and Yukon potatoes and cook on low to medium heat until soft and a rich golden color and fully cooked.

Add Kale, red pepper flakes, fresh ground black pepper, and wine, cook 4-5 minutes.

Serve topped with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

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GEORGE HIRSCH’S SLOPPY GIUSEPPE BURGER

George Hirsch May 22, 2025

The weekend calls for a burger, but not just any burger. Grilled slider served on a potato roll, with pickled bourbon peppers, an Italian-style sweet sloppy Joe sauce, topped with crisp sriracha slaw made with farm-fresh veggies, and a side of garlic kettle chips.

Burger Bash Chef George Hirsch Beauty Plate

George's SLOPPY GIUSEPPE is a winning combination

Grilling a winning burger from the bun up takes time and the freshest farm-picked ingredients. For my SLOPPY GIUSEPPE, the peppers were farm-picked and pickled the same day, two months ahead of adding to my burger. I used a colorful mix of vine-ripen sweet and hot peppers, and the vinegary brine was topped off with bourbon for added zip. The Sloppy Sauce is a homemade sweetened Italian tomato sauce, and the slaw—is a mixture of crunch tossed at the last moment in a creamy sriracha dressing. With no compromise to the meat tossed on the grill, my signature special meat blend, and the only bun of distinction worthy for such honest “sloppy goodness’ is a soft potato roll.

SLOPPY GIUSEPPE BURGER

Makes eight quarter-pound burgers.

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*Weight before cooking

1 3/4 pounds ground beef, short rib blend, 80/20 lean/fat ratio

3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Accompaniments: Potato Rolls, a mix of sweet & hot vinegar peppers, sloppy sauce, sriracha slaw,

In a 2-quart mixing bowl, combine the beef and sausage meat, then mix with a fork, taking care not to overwork the meat. Divide into 8 or 10 equal portions and form into 3/4-inch-thick patties. Use raw meat from two of the above-formed burgers for sloppy sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Sloppy Sauce

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Makes about 2 Quarts or enough topping for 16 SLOPPY GIUSEPPE burgers.

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onions, sweet red peppers

8 cloves fresh garlic, chopped fine

1 - 15 ounces each of Tomato Sauce & Tomato Puree

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

1 pint of IPA

1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano

2 bay leaves

2 cups water

Preheat a saucepot to medium temperature. Add olive oil and two burger patties, browning lightly; add onions, peppers, and garlic. Cook for an additional 2 minutes; do not brown the vegetables. Add all remaining ingredients using water to rinse out any additional tomato sauce left in cans. Simmer for 45 minutes. Keep warm until topping burgers.

For Slaw & Dressing as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

Vegetables: 1 small head of shredded white cabbage, 1/2 head of shredded red cabbage, two grated carrots, 1/4 of a sweet onion, thinly sliced, two cloves of finely chopped garlic, and three chopped green onions. Mix 2 cups of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1/2 cup of sweet chili sauce, 1/4 cup of sriracha, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, pepper, and sea salt to taste. Add dressing to slaw thirty minutes before serving.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the burgers on a hot grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, turning once.

Serve on lightly toasted Potato Rolls, first the peppers, then the burger, sloppy sauce, and slaw. Serve extra Sloppy Sauce on the side, accompanied by plenty of napkins.

Note: If you don’t see ground short-rib beef in your butcher shop, by all means, ask for it. Whenever you’re mixing any ground meat product, it’s a good practice to have the meat and bowl well chilled. Not only will a chilled bowl help reduce bacterial growth, but it will also aid in binding the beef. If possible, use a metal bowl for mixing the ingredients and place it in the freezer beforehand. If your kitchen is warm, place the bowl over a bowl of ice when incorporating the meat with the spices.

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Speedy Side

George Hirsch August 23, 2024

Don't feel like peeling the spuds or steaming rice on a warm day? Try my cool couscous salad, which is ready to serve in a matter of minutes. It's a great make-ahead cold side salad that travels well from your kitchen to your tailgate.

Couscous is a staple side dish of North Africa, Sicily, and the Middle East. It is made from semolina or granules of durum wheat. A healthy side dish contains a 1 % low fat-to-calorie ratio of 3.6 grams of protein for every 100 grams. My flavorful Couscous and Tomato Salad tastes so good. Who will remember the dish is healthy?

Couscous is a quick, healthy dish that becomes fluffy when cooked and has a slightly chewy—firm texture. Traditionally, it was hand-rolled, but today, it's made by machine: The coarsely ground durum wheat (semolina) is moistened and tossed with fine wheat flour until it forms tiny, round balls.

There are three main types: Moroccan, Israeli, and Lebanese. Most couscous available in North America is "instant" or quick-cooking.

In Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, it’s steamed over a simmered stew after being tossed with a little water or oil.

Serve warm or chilled with grilled, or go all veggies and top with Acorn Squash.

Couscous and Tomato Salad (see recipe below)

Makes four cups

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1 1/2 cups Couscous

2 cups chicken broth

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

1/4 sweet red bell pepper, chopped

2 Tablespoons pine nuts and raisins

2 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

For Tomato Dressing: 2 Tablespoons lemon juice; 1 Tablespoon honey; 1/2 cup vine ripened tomatoes, chopped; 1/4 cup chick peas; cooked or canned rinsed & drained; 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 teaspoons curry powder; pinch of cinnamon

Preheat a sauté pan; add one tablespoon of olive oil, onions, and peppers. Sauté three to five minutes until tender. Add pine nuts and raisins and cook for one additional minute. Add couscous; mix with the onion and pepper mixture. Add boiling hot chicken broth and 1 Tablespoon mint, cover, and remove from the stove. Allow to rest for five minutes.

Meanwhile, make Tomato Dressing by mixing tomatoes, chickpeas, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, curry, cinnamon, and the remaining mint.

After the couscous has sat covered for five minutes, remove the lid and mix with a fork or spoon to loosen the granules. Top with the tomato dressing and mix well.

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Farmer's Grilled Potato Salad

georgehirsch August 15, 2024

*Grilled Summer Squash with Thyme and Thai Basil*

Summer's bounty from the farm inspired this salad, made with baby Yukon potatoes, colorful confetti of grilled peppers, eggplant, zucchini, sweet red, green and white onion & fresh dill. You can embellish this recipe by adding any grilled sliced meats or seafood.

George Hirsch Basket of Fresh Picked Farm Vegetables

Farmer's Grilled Potato Salad
Makes 8 servings

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For the Dressing:
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 Tablespoon horseradish
4 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground pepper to taste

- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

For the Salad:
2 pounds Yukon, blue or red new potatoes - grill roast, or boil, cool—then chill in refrigerator overnight
1 each sweet white & red onions, sliced and grilled 6 green onions, trimmed and grilled
1 each: red, yellow & green bell peppers, split - grilled, and sliced 1 each eggplant, sliced and grilled1 each green and yellow squash, sliced and grilled1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground pepper to taste

Two days before serving: Cook potatoes. If grilling, slice or split potatoes in half; if boiling, leave whole. Cool at room temperature, then place in refrigerator. The day before serving: Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Combine potatoes and dill in a large bowl. Add 3/4 of the dressing and toss well. Refrigerate overnight. Grill vegetables for 2-3 minutes on each side. Brush with olive oil and top with dill, sea salt, and pepper. Cool at room temperature, then place in refrigerator.

Day of serving: Mix the remaining 1/4 of the dressing in the potatoes. Arrange grilled vegetables on a platter with potato salad. Just before serving. Top with a fresh sprig of dill.

Food Safety Tip: Never put hot or warm food in the refrigerator. Chill to room temperature, and then place in the refrigerator uncovered. After food has become fully chilled, then cover.