PIZZA

In recent years pizza has overtaken other fast food snacks in unexpected ways. It now shows up on menus in the trendiest of chic restaurants as well as the neighborhood hangout. And it also has earned a goodly amount of space in the frozen food sections of supermarkets and the hot food sections of most delicatessens.

Along with the increase in popularity of the pizza, however, comes inevitable change. The days of the simple chewy wedges of freshly baked pizza dough lightly flavored with herbed tomato sauce and shredded cheese apparently are waning. Today’s pizzas sport toppings of imported goat cheeses, prosciutto, ratatouille and marinated artichokes, among others. They are a far cry from the earthy Italian open-faced sandwiches that were their forerunners.

Fortunately, pizzas tend to be flexible enough to lend themselves to creative design without losing their basic flavorful characteristics. A good cook can have a whale of a time creating a variety of masterpieces by switching doughs and toppings. All it takes is a bit of free-thinking, a sense of humor and a healthy appetite.

The dominant current thinking seems to be that when it comes to fillings, more is better. And when it comes to pizza dough, anything goes. Thick, chewy crusts, skinny crisp ones. Whole-wheat doughs, rye doughs . . . take your pick. It’s a whole new pizza world out there.

There’s probably no better protagonist for creating masterful pizzas of all types than Abby Mandel, an admitted pizza freak who has authored a number of cookbooks devoted to helping cooks everywhere understand and use a food processor successfully.

“I love pizza,” she said in an interview in The Times’ Test Kitchen as she deftly whipped up a batch of yeasty pizza dough in a food processor. “It was the first thing I made when I bought a processor in 1973. That’s what sold me on the machine.”

Mandel’s enthusiasm for making pizzas from scratch, using a food processor, is catching. She makes it look so simple. And it is. Her methods are quick, concise and remarkably easy to follow.

Her admitted pizza addiction and recognized expertise with food processors have produced a batch of easy tips on making different pizza doughs that assure cooks of almost foolproof results. She also has experimented extensively with different types of pans and different baking techniques.

“Black metal pans will produce the best crust,” she said. “The outside of the crust will be crisp and brown, but the inside will remain chewy.” And if you’re really into pizza making, you can closely approximate the stone-lined ovens found in pizza parlors by lining your oven with unglazed quarry tiles or a pizza stone (available in some housewares departments).

For a crisper crust for pizzas other than those with a paper-thin crust, she suggested sprinkling a well-oiled baking pan with cornmeal. Mandel prefers to use olive oil when greasing the pan and says to oil it well, but be sure not to use so much that it “puddles.”

Her extensive experimentation with pizzas has led her to a couple of conclusions about flours. “I find no big difference between using all-purpose flour and bread flour,” she said. “But don’t use 100% whole-wheat flour for your dough as the crust will be too crisp and dry. Use half whole-wheat and half white flour.”

The same is true for rye flour, although Mandel recently found Joyce Goldstein of San Francisco’s Square One restaurant was turning out a wonderful rustic-type pizza using one-third rye flour to two-thirds all-purpose flour for the crust.

When preparing pizza dough in a food processor, the stickier the dough the better, our expert contends. That way it won’t dry out. If it sticks too much, it’s easy to add a little more flour through the feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. When the dough pulls away from the sides of the processor bowl cleanly, it will be ready to turn out into a greased bowl for a rising period, or onto a well-floured board for immediate rolling, depending on the recipe you choose.

When ready to roll the dough, roll it from the center out, large enough to extend at least half an inch beyond the pan. Sprinkle it with flour if it begins to stick to the rolling pin.

If the dough suddenly begins to retract extensively as you are rolling it, let it rest a few minutes to relax the gluten. Then try again. Don’t try to hurry it. When it is the proper size for the pan, brush any loose flour away with a soft brush and fold it in half, then in half again. Place it in the pan and unfold it, pressing it to fit the bottom and sides evenly. If you have an excess amount around the edges, cut it with scissors to a half-inch overlap. Fold excess dough under to form a thicker rim after filling the center.

Mandel pierces thin crusts with a fork all over the bottom and sides before filling so they will remain flat as they cook.

She also suggests that partially prebaking a crust before filling it will help prevent sogginess when a very moist filling is used. If you do this, brush the crust before baking with a little olive oil to keep the natural moistness of the dough in, but additional moisture out, when the other ingredients are added.

Although Mandel finds it easy to whip up a fresh batch of pizza dough and fill it with all sorts of goodies on the spur of the moment, not everyone is so adept with a food processor. But once you get your hand in, it’s easy to become spoiled by the texture and flavor of your own “from scratch” creation.

If preparing the dough is not for you, it’s still possible to indulge in homemade pizzas--or almost homemade. There are many substitutes that will work as a base. Frozen bread dough adapts nicely as a pizza base. Packaged frozen, ready-to-bake pizza crusts can be used, too, as can flat breads such as the cheesy Boboli rounds.

Choose toppings that reflect your personal tastes. Make them as fancy or simple as you desire. And don’t overlook the opportunity to use leftovers when possible. Mandel makes a pizza that calls for a ratatouille topping; a perfect solution for using up the excess from another meal without earning the old “that again” complaint, which usually greets leftovers.

Leftover bits of meat or poultry can be incorporated into pizza toppings, as can well-drained leftover vegetables. Stray bits of cheese can be combined with other cheeses that are compatible. A little imagination can conceal leftovers in such a way they will never be recognized as repeats.

One Page 29, you’ll find photos of Mandel’s methods for making a deep-dish pizza.

The following recipes are from her recently published two-volume food processor recipe cookbook, “Fast and Flavorful” (Cuisinart Cooking Club: $25). Each volume is ring-bound and will lie flat for easy use in the kitchen. They come in a hard-cover slipcase for easy storage. The cookbook set is available at Bullock’s, The Broadway and Martinel’s, among other stores. It also can be ordered from the Cuisinart Cooking Club Inc., P.O. Box 900, Cos Cob, Conn. 06807. If ordering from Cuisinart, include $2 for postage and handling.

FRESH TOMATO PIZZA SAUCE

2 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, halved and seeded

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup tomato paste

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chiles

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons finely snipped basil or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil

Place 1/3 of tomatoes in food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse to chop tomatoes finely. Remove tomatoes and process remaining tomatoes.

Heat oil in 2 1/2-quart saucepan. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, chiles and sugar. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, until reduced to 2 2/3 cups, about 45 minutes. (Sauce can be stored 4 days in refrigerator or up to 3 months in freezer.) Just before serving, add basil and mix thoroughly. Makes 2 2/3 cups.

PIZZA SAUCE WITH CANNED TOMATOES

1 (16-ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons snipped basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoons snipped oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chiles

1/2 teaspoon salt

In food processor fitted with metal blade, combine tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, sugar, chiles and salt. Process 10 seconds. (Sauce can be stored up to 5 days in refrigerator or up to 4 months in freezer.) Stir well before serving. Makes 1 1/8 cups.

PEPPERONI-GREEN PEPPER-ONION PIZZA

Rolled dough for 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) Thin Crusts

12 ounces mozzarella cheese, well chilled

2 ounces pepperoni, peeled and cut into thirds

4 ounces Parmesan cheese, quartered

1 small onion, peeled

1 small tomato, cored

1 medium green pepper, stem end cut and cored

6 tablespoons Pizza Sauce of choice

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Dash sugar

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Fifteen minutes before baking, place rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 degrees. If using quarry tiles or pizza stone, place on center rack to preheat.

Pierce prepared and rolled crust(s) in several places with fork. Bake at 425 degrees until very lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before adding topping. Leave oven at 425 degrees.

Process each ingredient in food processor as follows, removing from work bowl after each time and reserving each ingredient separately:

Using medium shredding disc with light pressure, shred mozzarella.

Using metal blade, pulse to coarsely chop pepperoni and Parmesan.

Using thin slicing disc (2-mm) with medium pressure, slice onion.

Using all-purpose slicing disc (4-mm) with light pressure, slice tomato and remove. Stand green pepper in feed tube, cut end down, and slice into rings.

Spread sauce evenly over partially baked crust(s). Separate onion into rings and distribute over sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella, then arrange tomatoes over. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

Distribute pepperoni and Parmesan mixture, then green pepper rings, over top. Sprinkle oregano and basil over top. Bake at 425 degrees until bottom of crust is well browned, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) pizzas.

Thin Crust

2 teaspoons olive or safflower oil

2 teaspoons cornmeal

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose or bread flour, about

3/4 teaspoon salt

Rub 1 teaspoon oil over 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) pizza pans. Sprinkle pan(s) with cornmeal. Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy.

Combine flour, salt and remaining oil in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Turn on machine. Pour yeast mixture through feed tube. Process until dough cleans inside of work bowl.

If dough sticks, add more flour by tablespoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. If dough is crumbly, add water by teaspoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. When desired consistency is reached, process dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.

Dough does not need to rise. Roll immediately and use as is. If dough is allowed to rise until doubled, crust will be slightly chewier.

On heavily floured board, roll dough to 14-inch circle. Or divide dough in half and roll each half to 9-inch circle. Add flour to board as necessary, rotating dough while rolling. If dough resists, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.

If dough is allowed to rise, transfer to oiled bowl and rotate to coat entire surface with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (75 to 80 degrees) until doubled, about 1 hour. Then, roll as suggested.

Remove excess flour in dough with soft brush. Fold dough in half, then in quarters and place in prepared pan with point of dough in center. Unfold dough and lightly press into place, working from center to edge. Pinch edge together or fold over edge to form 1/3-inch rim. Proceed with recipe. Makes 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) thin crusts.

DEEP-DISH SAUSAGE-MUSHROOM-GREEN PEPPER PIZZA

1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage, with casings removed

1 large green pepper

10 ounces Herkimer or white Cheddar cheese, chilled

1 pound mozzarella cheese, well chilled

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chiles

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large mushrooms, with sides of caps trimmed flat

2 cups Pizza Sauce of choice

2 tablespoons safflower oil

Rolled dough for 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) Deep-Dish Crusts

Fifteen minutes before baking, place rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 degrees. If using quarry tiles or pizza stone, place on center rack to preheat.

Crumble sausage and cook in 8-inch skillet until browned. Drain off fat and transfer to large mixing bowl.

Stand green pepper on cutting board. Using sharp knife, cut off sides in 3 or 4 vertical slices, discarding core and stem. Remove any membrane from slices.

Process ingredients in food processor as follows:

Using medium slicing disc (3-mm), stand green pepper slices lengthwise in feed tube, wedging tightly to hold. Slice, using light pressure.

Using medium shredding dish with light pressure, shred cheeses. Add cheeses and green pepper to mixing bowl with flour, fennel, oregano, chiles and salt. Combine thoroughly.

Using thin slicing disc (2-mm), place mushrooms in feed tube, flat side down. Slice, using light pressure. Gently fold mushrooms into Pizza Sauce.

Brush bottom and sides of rolled crust(s) with oil. Add cheese mixture in even layer. Spread Pizza Sauce over, leaving rim exposed. Fold upper edge of dough over and pinch to form decorative edge. Bake at 425 degrees 20 to 22 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Makes 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) deep-dish pizzas.

Deep-Dish Crust

1 1/2 tablespoons olive or safflower oil

2 teaspoons cornmeal

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose or bread flour, about

1 teaspoon salt

Rub 2 teaspoons oil on sides and bottom of 1 (14-inch) deep-dish pizza pan, 2 (9-inch) layer cake pans or 1 (17 1/2x11 1/2-inch) jellyroll pan. Sprinkle pan(s) with cornmeal. Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy.

Combine flour, salt and remaining oil in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Turn on machine. Pour yeast mixture through feed tube and process until dough cleans inside of work bowl.

If dough sticks, add more flour by tablespoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. If dough is crumbly, add water by teaspoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. When desired consistency is reached, process dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.

Transfer mixture to oiled bowl and rotate to coat entire surface with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (75 to 80 degrees) until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down on heavily floured board. Roll into 20-inch circle or divide dough in half and roll each half to 12-inch circle. For jellyroll pan, roll to rectangle 22x18 inches. Re-flour board as necessary and rotate dough upon rolling. If dough resists, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.

Remove excess flour from dough using soft brush. Fold dough in half, then in quarters. Place in prepared pan with point of dough in center. Unfold dough and lightly press into bottom and sides of pan, working from center to edge. Gently ease dough so it extends 1/2 inch beyond rim of pan, then cut away any excess.

Distribute topping of choice over crust. Fold dough over to edge of topping and pinch to form finished edge. Proceed as directed in pizza recipe. Makes 1 (14-inch), 2 (9-inch) or 1 (17 1/2x11 1/2-inch) Deep-Dish Crust.

FRESH VEGETABLE PIZZA

1 large clove garlic, peeled

1 small onion, peeled and quartered

1 tablespoon safflower oil

12 large mushrooms, with sides of caps trimmed flat

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths

1 medium zucchini, cut into 2-inch lengths

2 cups Pizza Sauce of choice

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 ounces Jack cheese, well chilled

4 ounces Parmesan cheese, at room temperature

Rolled dough for 1 (14-inch) Thick Crust

Place garlic in food processor fitted with metal blade and process until minced. Drop onion through feed tube and pulse until finely chopped. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet. Cook garlic and onion over high heat, stirring often, until begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

Using all-purpose slicing disc (4-mm), place mushrooms in feed tube, flat side down, and use light pressure to slice. Add to skillet and cook gently until most of moisture has evaporated, about 15 minutes.

Using medium shredding disc, place carrots in feed tube and use firm pressure to shred.

Using French fry disc, place zucchini in feed tube and use light pressure to cut. Add carrots and zucchini to skillet and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Pizza Sauce, oregano and salt.

Using medium shredding disc with light pressure, shred Jack cheese. Remove and reserve. Using light pressure, shred Parmesan.

Spread vegetable mixture over prepared crust, leaving 1/2 inch of edge exposed. Sprinkle Jack and Parmesan cheeses over surface. Let pizza rest at room temperature 1 to 2 hours before baking.

Fifteen minutes before baking, place rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 degrees. If using quarry tiles or pizza stone, place on center rack to preheat. Bake until bottom of crust is deep golden-brown, about 20 to 22 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. For neat slices, cut through cheese and vegetables with serrated knife, then finish slicing with pizza cutter. Makes 1 (14-inch) pizza.

Thick Crust

1 1/2 tablespoons olive or safflower oil

2 teaspoons cornmeal

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose or bread flour, about

1 teaspoon salt

Rub 1 teaspoon oil over 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) pizza pans. Sprinkle pan(s) with cornmeal. Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy.

Combine flour, salt and remaining oil in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Turn on machine. Pour yeast mixture through feed tube and process until dough cleans inside of work bowl.

If dough sticks, add more flour by tablespoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. If dough is crumbly, add water by teaspoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. When desired consistency is reached, process dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.

Transfer mixture to oiled bowl and rotate to coat entire surface with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (75 to 80 degrees) until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down on heavily floured board. Roll into 14-inch circle or divide dough in half and roll each half to 9-inch circle. Re-flour board as necessary and rotate dough while rolling. If dough resists, let rest for 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.

Remove excess flour from dough using soft brush. Fold dough in half, then in quarters and place in prepared pan with point of dough in center. Unfold dough and lightly press into place, working from center to edge.

Roll edge over to form 1/3-inch rim. Let rest at room temperature until edge of dough is puffy, about 1 to 2 hours. Proceed with pizza recipe. Makes 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) Thick Crusts.

MEXICAN PIZZA

2 jalapeno or serrano chiles, with stems and seeds removed

3 large onions, peeled and quartered

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons safflower oil

2 cups Pizza Sauce of choice

1 medium green pepper, cored

4 large green onions, including green tops, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro or parsley leaves

1 pound Jack cheese, chilled and cut into 10 pieces

Rolled dough for 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) Cornmeal Crusts

1 large avocado, peeled and cut lengthwise into 12 slices

1 cup sour cream

Fifteen minutes before baking, place rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 degrees for 1 (14-inch) pizza, 475 degrees for 2 (9-inch) pizzas. If using quarry tiles or pizza stone, place on center rack to preheat.

Drop chiles through feed tube in food processor fitted with metal blade. Process until minced. Remove and reserve. Pulse to chop onions coarsely.

Combine water, oil and onions in 10-inch skillet. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until all moisture has evaporated. Remove from stove and stir in reserved chiles and Pizza Sauce.

Using medium slicing disc (3-mm), stand green pepper in feed tube, cut end down, and use light pressure to slice. Remove and reserve.

Using metal blade, process green onions, cilantro and cheese until minced.

Spread onion and tomato mixture over crust(s), leaving 1/2-inch edge of dough exposed. Top with green pepper slices, then cheese. If making 2 (9-inch) pizzas, place in preheated 475-degree oven and immediately decrease temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 22 minutes. If making 1 (14-inch) pizza, bake at 425 degrees until bottom of crust is well browned, about 20 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Arrange avocado slices on top in radial design and serve with sour cream. Makes 1 (14-inch) pizza or 2 (9-inch) pizzas.

Cornmeal Crust

1 tablespoon safflower oil

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons yellow cornmeal

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose or bread flour, about

2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, optional

3/4 teaspoon salt

Rub 1 teaspoon oil over 1 (14-inch) pizza pan or 2 (9-inch) pizza pans. Sprinkle pan(s) with 2 teaspoons cornmeal. Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy.

Combine flour, cilantro and salt in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Add remaining oil and cornmeal. Turn on machine. Pour yeast mixture through feed tube and process until dough cleans inside of work bowl.

If dough sticks, add more flour by tablespoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. If dough is crumbly, add water by teaspoons through feed tube, letting each addition work in before adding more. When desired consistency is reached, process dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.

Transfer to oiled bowl and rotate to coat entire surface with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (75 to 80 degrees) until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down on heavily floured board and roll into 14-inch circle. Or divide dough in half and roll each half to 9-inch circle. Re-flour board as necessary. Rotate dough while rolling. If dough resists, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.

Remove excess flour from dough using soft brush. Fold dough in half, then in quarters and place on prepared pan(s) with point of dough in center. Unfold dough and lightly press into place, working from center to edge. Pinch edge together or fold over edge to form 1/3-inch rim. Proceed with pizza recipe. Makes 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) crusts.