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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traditional pumpkin pie

George Hirsch October 11, 2025

‘Tis the season to make pie. And, from the bounty this year, I'll be a busy pie baker. The benefit for my guests is that they will all go home with some pie, and I'll still have some leftovers!

The best pumpkins for pie are sugar pie or pie pumpkins. They have a sweeter, creamier texture with less stringy, watery flesh. Other options include Jarrahdale, Cinderella, Fairytale, and Rouge Vif d'Etampes. When selecting a pumpkin, choose a smaller one that feels heavy for its size, ideally between 2 and 8 pounds.

But what if you don't have time to make the crust? Solution, Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

Pumpkin Pie

Makes eight servings

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1 recipe pie dough or a 9-inch lightly pre-baked pie crust (*see below)

1/4 cup granulated Turbino sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons lite-corn syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 pound cooked + reduced Cheese Pumpkin puree, or in a pinch, 1- 15 ounce can make Pure Pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Fresh Chantilly Cream

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Step One: Combine sugars, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, eggs, and orange zest in a small bowl. Stir in corn syrup, pumpkin, and vanilla into the egg and spice mixture. Gradually stir in heavy cream and melted butter. Do not whip.

Step Two: Pour into a lightly pre-baked pie shell.

Step Three: Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or untila knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve with fresh Chantilly Cream.

Optional, to bloom the pumpkin flavor:

For best results, mix step one the day before and store in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

This recipe, made with butter, will result in a lighter and more flavorful crust.

*George’s Favorite Pie Crust Recipe
Makes one pie or two bottom crusts. RECIPE CONTINUED BELOW

**WATCH CHEF GEORGE MAKE PIE CRUST for Apple Pie**

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1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cold milk

Chill the butter and milk before you begin. Chilling keeps the pie crust flaky and prevents the fat pieces from melting into the flour and becoming tough.

Next, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut the chilled butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter, or pinch the fat into the mixture with your hands. The mixture should have fat lumps no larger than the size of raisins; if making pie crust in the summertime, cool off the flour by measuring your flour, and refrigerate one hour before making the dough.

Pour in the chilled liquid until the milk is absorbed, mixing gently with a fork. You should be able to press the dough into a ball gently. Mix the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the butter's lumps into the flour. A crust without lumps of butter will be dense, not flaky. Note that humidity will affect how much liquid the flour will absorb.

Split the dough into two equal parts. Pat them into balls, flatten them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Overnight is preferred. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, lets the dough relax, becomes more elastic, and keeps the fat in separate pieces, giving the crust a lighter texture when baked.

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Better than Quiche Lorraine

George Hirsch October 9, 2025

Contrary to what you might believe, the tart quiche originated on German soil, not French. The widely popular classic of French cuisine hails from an area of the medieval German kingdom, Lothringen, aka Lorraine, France.

Years ago, the pie was made with just eggs, cream, smoked bacon, and bread dough. The word Küche or Küchen is German for cake, believed to be the origin of the word Quiche.

Keep in mind that the Lorraine region influences Germany and France, so depending on who you ask or sample your Quiche from, you may receive a slight variation of the recipe. Today, a Quiche Lorraine is expected to contain cheese and onions. The use of Gruyère cheese is a relatively new addition to quiche in France. Oh, and don't expect to taste any Gruyère in your quiche in Lorraine; they are purists - sans the cheese. Too bad, it's a magnificent modification to the French recipe. In Germany, expect onions and no cheese, and it's called Zwiebelkuchen.

I find it interesting to know a dish's classical origin, but what is more important when making a quiche or any dish is what influences its taste and texture. So, for me, the appeal is not to stick to its classical roots but to see how the melding of cultures and the additions of flavorful savory ingredients, in this case, like onions and cheese, have improved this dish.

As for Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche, Bruce Feirstein's best-selling book that satirized stereotypes of masculinity, I can assure you, based on all the quiches I have made, that real men DO eat Quiche!

Tips:

Add 1 Tablespoon of flour mixed into the filling before adding the egg/ milk mixture to help set a too-moist filling, for example, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.

To prevent a raw bottom of quiche, pre-bake pastry dough Blind (8-12 minutes with no color) before filling.

Bake directly on an oven rack. Baking quiche on a cookie or sheet pan will cause the tart or pie bottom to be raw.

Feel free to improvise with flavors, seasonings, vegetables, meats, and seafood. Just keep in mind that adding very moist fillings, such as mushrooms, tomatoes, etc., will affect the custard of eggs and milk or cream.

Better than Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Makes one 9-inch tart

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For George's Pastry Crust:

*George’s Favorite Pie Crust

Makes 1 pie or 2 bottom crusts

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup cold milk

Chill the butter and milk before you begin. Chilling keeps the pie crust flaky and prevents the fat pieces from melting into the flour and becoming tough.

Next, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut the chilled butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or pinch the fat into the mixture with your hands. The mixture should have fat lumps no larger than the size of raisins. If making pie crust in the summertime, cool off the flour by measuring it and refrigerate one hour before making the dough.

Pour in the chilled liquid just until the milk is absorbed, mixing gently with a fork. You should be able to gently press the dough into a ball. Mix the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the butter's lumps into the flour. A crust without lumps of butter will be dense, not flaky. Note that humidity will affect how much liquid the flour will absorb.

Split the dough into two parts: 2/3 and 1/3 (2/3 for the bottom and 1/3 for the top). Pat them into balls, flatten them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is preferred. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, let the dough relax, become more elastic, and keep the fat in separate pieces, giving the crust a lighter texture when it is baked.

Prepare George’s piecrust the night prior or at least 1 hour ahead, or use store-bought piecrust. Roll out the pastry into a 9-inch tart or pie pan—pre-bake pastry dough Blind (8-12 minutes with no color) before filling.

For the Filling:

1 cup (approximately 6 slices) thick-cut or slab bacon, cut into thin strips-'lardons.'

1/2 cup sweet white onion, sliced thin

2 green onions, chopped

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk

Pinch of sea salt and freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon each hot sauce, fresh grated black pepper

1 cup Gruyere or good Swiss cheese, shredded

Optional:

2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons Arugula, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F. See Instructions Below

Preheat a sauté pan to medium heat, and cook bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon pieces and drain on a paper towel. Drain bacon fat from the pan; add onions to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften slightly. Allow bacon and onions to cool.

Place bacon, onion, parsley, Arugula, and Swiss cheese on top of the blind-baked pastry crust.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, nutmeg, hot sauce, and pepper, and pour the mixture over the onion and bacon tart.

Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F. The total baking time is 30 minutes, or until the egg custard is set. Allow to cool slightly, and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Classic Orange and Honey Cake

George Hirsch September 14, 2025

Mix, bake, + serve in under an hour! The perfect combination of locally made honey and citrus inspired today's post, playing off the color orange, as seen on an episode of GHL. Enjoy a slice of my Orange Honey Cake with a hot cup of orange pekoe tea. The orange in the orange pekoe denotes the quality of the tea leaves in the blend and not the orange flavor. Orange Pekoe is a good-grade tea using full and larger tea leaves.

Also, this recipe is a straightforward cake to bake with most household pantry ingredients. No fresh oranges for juicing? No problem, substitute orange juice. Orange you glad about that? Enjoy!

Honey Orange Cake

Makes 8 servings

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2/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup honey, heated

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 large eggs, separated

1 tsp. finely grated orange peel

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pan.

In a medium bowl, blend orange juice, honey, butter, egg yolks, and orange peel; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Mix the orange juice mixture into the flour mixture until blended. Gently fold in egg whites. Turn into a prepared pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. On a wire rack, cool for 10 minutes; remove sides from the pan and cool completely. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. To serve, cut into wedges and garnish, if desired, with peeled orange wedges and whipped cream.

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Apple Pot Pie as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

georgehirsch August 25, 2025

Make your day a little sweeter with my Apple Pot Pie

Apple Pot Pie

Makes 2 servings or 4 if sharing

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Ingredients

2 baking apples, such as Granny Smith or Gala

1 egg, beaten well for egg wash

1 sheet of puff pastry (store bought) cut into 2 pieces.

Butter, Brown Sugar, Graham Cracker or Cake Crumbs, Granola, Raisins, Brandy optional

Peel apples. Core apples 3/4 through, leaving the bottom intact.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the bottom of a small but deep heavy-duty casserole or cast-iron pan. I adapted a cast iron butter melting pot, the perfect size for an apple.

Add 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs or cake crumbs.

Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Place cored apples on top of the sugar and crumbs.

Repeat, add on top of the apple—1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Top with 1 tablespoon of granola, raisins, 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.

Repeat until flavorings are 3/4 up the side of the pie dish. Finish with a teaspoon of maple syrup added to the top of the apple.

Optional: 1 Tablespoon of brandy, or apple or orange juice.

Cut a sheet of puff pastry into a 6 x 6-inch square. Lightly drape over the apple pie dish, allowing it to lightly hang over the inside. Repeat on the second apple pot pie. Cut excess dough about 1/2 of an inch below the top of the pot pie.

With the tip of a paring knife, “dock” (poke holes) the top of the dough to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush pastry lightly with egg wash, do not puddle.

Refrigerate pot pies for 20 minutes. The pastry should be cold when placed into the oven.