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Last summer, we received dozens of recipe submissions for our first challenge celebrating National Pizza Month in October. From the recipes submitted, our staff chose five to be recreated and photographed in the acclaimed Pizza Today test kitchen by our managing editor and food stylist, Mandy D.
This year, we're doing it again! We're looking for creative recipes that shine in your pizzerias. Got an interesting one to send to us? We want to know! To submit, send your FULL recipes (including prep and steps for any additional toppings like your caramelized onions or sun-dried tomato pesto) to Mandy Detwiler at mdetwiler@pizzatoday.com.
Here are last year's winners:
Italian Club Pizza
Two Guys and A Pizza Place
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Two Guys uses a classic dough recipe from Italy believed to be from the 19th century as the base for their pizza. A basil pesto base is topped with provolone and hot capicollo. Next, sprinkle the pizza with a mozzerella/ cheddar / Monterey mixture. Top with pancetta and red onion and bake. Once cooked, top with a fresh mixture of tomatoes and baby arugula. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan petals (a little goes a long way!) and drizzle with a balsamic glaze. The spicy meats and sweet glaze are a perfect complement.
Loaded Baked Potato Pizza
Mia’s Pizza and Eats
Cumming, Georgia
This pizza combines two comfort foods and is a departure from the everyday pepperoni. Start with a mashed potato base made with fresh potatoes, heavy cream, butter and salt. Add fresh broccoli, bacon, red onions and cheddar cheese. To finish, you can even drizzle the pizza with a Mexican crema over the top. This is a great winter recipe!
The Royal Family
Willy O’s Pizza & Grille
South Haven, Michigan
This was a winner in a local contest held by Willy O’s, and we love the addition of Cajun-seasoned chicken. Willy O’s uses a gluten-free crust with this pizza, but a traditional crust can also be used. Start with a basil, garlic and lemon pesto. Slice a grilled chicken breast and toss with Cajun seasoning. Place chicken on pizza and top with julienne-cut green peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, Feta cheese and a mozzarella/ provolone blend. Bake and serve.
Campagnia Pizza
Aldos Ristorante Italiano & Bar
Naples, Florida
We love the freshness of this pizza, and it uses a lot of toppings already found in most pizzerias. Brush a dough skin with extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic. Top with mozzarella and reggiano cheeses and bake. Toss fresh arugula with shaved red onions, Campari tomatoes, fresh lemon juice and EVOO. Top the pizza with the salad mixture, dollops of ricotta cheese and serve immediately.
Rena Bianca
Rosario’s Italian Restaurant
Medford, Oregon
The base for this pizza is housemade ricotta, topped with prosciutto, mushrooms, caramelized onions, Parmesan cheese and sprinkled with fresh arugula. While you can caramelize onions the traditional way with brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, rosario’s uses Dr. Pepper, which imparts a unique flavor to the onions. Brilliant!
More Related Articles
Photos by Josh Keown
National Pizza Month Pizza Challenge: We asked pizzeria operators to give us their best pizza recipes to celebrate National Pizza Month in October. We received recipes from across the North America. These are our interpretations of the best of the best.
Italian Club Pizza
Two Guys and A Pizza Place
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Two Guys uses a classic dough recipe from Italy believed to be from the 19th century as the base for their pizza. A basil pesto base is topped with provolone and hot capicollo. Next, sprinkle the pizza with a mozzerella/ cheddar / Monterey mixture. Top with pancetta and red onion and bake. Once cooked, top with a fresh mixture of tomatoes and baby arugula. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan petals (a little goes a long way!) and drizzle with a balsamic glaze. The spicy meats and sweet glaze are a perfect complement.
Loaded Baked Potato Pizza
Mia’s Pizza and Eats
Cumming, Georgia
This pizza combines two comfort foods and is a departure from the everyday pepperoni. Start with a mashed potato base made with fresh potatoes, heavy cream, butter and salt. Add fresh broccoli, bacon, red onions and cheddar cheese. To finish, you can even drizzle the pizza with a Mexican crema over the top. This is a great winter recipe!
The Royal Family
Willy O’s Pizza & Grille
South Haven, Michigan
This was a winner in a local contest held by Willy O’s, and we love the addition of Cajun-seasoned chicken. Willy O’s uses a gluten-free crust with this pizza, but a traditional crust can also be used. Start with a basil, garlic and lemon pesto. Slice a grilled chicken breast and toss with Cajun seasoning. Place chicken on pizza and top with julienne-cut green peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, Feta cheese and a mozzarella/ provolone blend. Bake and serve.
Campagnia Pizza
Aldos Ristorante Italiano & Bar
Naples, Florida
We love the freshness of this pizza, and it uses a lot of toppings already found in most pizzerias. Brush a dough skin with extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic. Top with mozzarella and reggiano cheeses and bake. Toss fresh arugula with shaved red onions, Campari tomatoes, fresh lemon juice and EVOO. Top the pizza with the salad mixture, dollops of ricotta cheese and serve immediately.
Rena Bianca
Rosario’s Italian Restaurant
Medford, Oregon
The base for this pizza is housemade ricotta, topped with prosciutto, mushrooms, caramelized onions, Parmesan cheese and sprinkled with fresh arugula. While you can caramelize onions the traditional way with brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, rosario’s uses Dr. Pepper, which imparts a unique flavor to the onions. Brilliant!
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Hand tossing dough is all in the technique or techniques, as pizzaiolos across the country apply their own spin to stretching dough. It's about artisanship and showcasing pizza makers in front of awestruck customers.
Today, Pagliacci Pizza posted a training video showing its toss style.
Pizza Today has visited World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani in San Francisco to learn his tossing technique.
Learn mad pizza tossing skills from World Pizza Games Champions like Kazuya Akaogi.
The Testa Family, of Carmine Pizza Factory in Jersey City, New Jersey, proves that you’re never too young to throw dough like a pro. Michael, 9, and Nicholas, 6, have earned Internet fame. Watch Nicholas toss practice dough at International Pizza Expo:
Be sure to check out Pizza Today articles below about hand tossing dough.
Get PIZZA NEWS, visit PizzaToday.com
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Photos courtesy of Tony Gemignani
W hen I was 18, I tossed my very fi rst pizza. It was my brother, Frank, who taught me the basics. Then I practiced every day. I noticed that customers were amazed when they came into our pizzeria — and back then I really didn’t do much … just a simple toss and catch. It has been nearly 20 years since then, and I have never forgetten that ‘aha’ moment. I knew there was opportunity there.
So each day I practiced. Having an open kitchen just made my pizzeria that much more exciting. Something as simple as pizza tossing has brought so many different variables for me as an operator. In fact, it has generated millions of dollars worth of revenue and free advertising.
Here are just some of the benefi ts of hand-tossing your dough:
❖ Artisanship. By tossing pizzas, this shows your customers that your dough is made fresh daily and is not frozen.
❖ Ambiance. If you do have an open kitchen, this sheds a new light on entertainment and supports customer satisfaction — especially if you have long lines.
❖ Team-building events. Have pizza-tossing parties or team-building events. This can bring in a lot of volume and can be done before hours of operation, such as between 10 a.m. and 12 noon.
❖ Employee morale. Sanction your own employee competition. Find out who is the fastest pizza maker, who can make it the biggest, who is the best pizza acrobat. Give away prizes. Make it a fun competition to bring up the morale.
❖ Cooking badges. Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and children’s organizations have events for kids where they can earn special badges for cooking. Approach your local organization and group rate. This can be a continuous
revenue stream.
❖ Compete at International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. I can’t tell you how many operators have come up to me at Pizza Expo to say that having someone from their restaurant compete and represent their city has generated so much excitement and free advertising. Just remember: you don’t have to win to gain press. All you have to do is create a story for local media to bite on.
❖ Free marketing. All of the above could lead to some sort of free marketing for you, but you are going to have to form your own press releases and market it yourself.
So, how do you get started? First, consider your hand placement. Using your hands or a rolling pin, stretch your dough into a 10-inch circle. Place the dough in the palm of your right hand (if you are right handed) or your left hand if you are left handed. Make a fi st with your opposite hand and support the rest of your dough with it (so it stays level to the fl oor and doesn’t fl op).
Now you’re ready to toss. Rotate your hand toward your stomach while rotating your wrist inward. Then quickly push your dough up and fl ing your hand out. The dough will fl y into the air. Get ready to catch it! Close both hands into fi sts, with your knuckles facing each other, and catch the dough with your knuckles. Continue to toss using the same motions. The bigger your pizza gets, the farther apart your knuckles should be for both the toss and the catch.
Always catch wide and start your toss at stomach level, releasing it as you are going up past your head. Catch your dough at chest level — never above your head. Most importantly, have fun! 09.09.09
In This Issue
My mother made pizza once a week, usually on Saturday. In all those weeks and years of watching her make pizza, I never once saw her toss pizza dough. Stretched, not tossed (I believe that would be how James Bond would do it) was how that ball of pizza dough took shape. In fact, we stretched dough the “Italian way,” which means on the work surface. I still do it that way. Sometimes I will lightly oil a flat pizza pan and stretch the dough right on the pan, pushing out and away from me with fingers and palm. Other times I might sprinkle (lightly) cornmeal on the pan (if I am going for that cornmeal crunch) and stretch the dough the same method as with the oil. Or I will sprinkle flour on a pizza peel and stretch the dough right on the peel, ready to top and go in the oven.
Let’s take a closer look, however, at the art of tossing dough. Dough tossing, as in spinning it in the air is more for show than go, but when you have some young tikes watching, their noses pressed to the glass divider that separates the open kitchen from the dough area, the idea of the “show” has great merit.
There are several factors to take into consideration to make your dough tossing go smoothly and effortlessly, so let’s start from the beginning.
We begin with a proofing tray filled with dough balls that have been properly conditioned, meaning the dough had one rise overnight in the cooler, and now it has been out of the cooler for around two hours. Properly conditioned dough will be somewhat soft, almost puffy in texture, and almost to the point where it really looks and feels like it is ready to be stretched. Do not –– I repeat, do not –– punch down or flatten the dough ball. Using a dough scraper (or your hands), lift the ball of dough out of the tray and set it on a lightly floured work surface.
Relative to the moisture in the dough (if it feels moist), lightly sprinkle the top of the dough ball with flour. Now you can push down and flatten the ball of dough, pressing into the dough with the tips of your fingers (this is called “finger docking”), starting at the center and working outward. As you press the dough with your fingers it will start to spread and flatten. Rotate the dough a quarter turn as you go through this step. If you are in sync with the dough, it will keep its round shape throughout.
Keep pressing and docking with your fingers until the dough has almost doubled in diameter. Now, and only now, should you pick the dough up and begin the process of tossing. In fact at this point, the dough should be almost the size that you are going for. But keep on keeping on.
Make a fist. Drape the dough over one hand, then slide the other hand underneath the dough. Using the knuckles of both hands (fingers tucked close to your palm), begin to pull and stretch the dough, moving your hands farther and farther apart as the dough begins to stretch. As you rotate your hands, often the very weight of the dough enables the stretching process.
With the dough now being somewhat larger, and with both hands underneath the dough and in the center, twist your hands, so that one hand crosses over the other while at the same time you are throwing your hands upwards (almost as if an expression of disgust). At first do not go for height; start the tossing process slowly until you get used to the toss. Remember, it’s easy to throw the dough in the air; catching it is another problem entirely.
Repeat Step 5 as often as necessary until you arrive at the size you are going for. At any point throughout the tossing, if the dough feels sticky or is not stretching the way you expect it to, dust the dough with a little more flour. The flour actually does aid in the tossing process.
If you punch a hole in the dough with your finger you can probably repair it by pinching the dough to close up the hole. If you really screw up at first, and the dough becomes a scraggly mess, either discard it and start over or re-ball it. You will really struggle to stretch it at this point, because all of the gluten in the dough have regrouped and will fight you off, so just put it aside for another time, or until it rises again and is supple and soft.
As you get more experience in the feel of the dough, and the tossing into the air, you can go for more height (if it’s the show you are after). I have seen some pizza places where the workers will toss the dough to each other. At one Chicago restaurant, the workers would toss the stretched dough half way across the room, hitting the wall opposite, the stretched dough dropping onto an enclosed shelf just above the prep table, where it sat until ready to be used. Customers loved the show.
OK, so let’s say you use a dough sheeter in your operation. No problem. Sheet the dough in your normal fashion. Now take the pizza shell and do some tossing in the air (if for no other reason than to get the hang of it).
If you really want to see expert, world-famous dough tossing, catch the World Pizza Games Trials at Pizza Today’s Northeast Pizza Show in Atlantic City this month. You will probably not use any of the routines that you will see, but it will surely give you an up close and personal look at dough tossing as done by experts in the art.
By maintaining regularity in paying the monthly installments regularly. The longer you keep the money, but it is really a brief phrase, brief payoff period of time.
Feel free to visit my page:loan consolidation
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To celebrate Pizza Margherita Day –– June 11, 2013, the 124th anniversary of the naming of the Pizza Margherita in a letter accompanying a pizza from the Italian “Department of the Mouth” on behalf of Queen Margherita on June 11, 1889 –– we asked pizzerias to send in their versions of the famed pizza. Here are some different spins on this classic Neapolitan offering straight from the pizzerias themselves:
NEW ADDITION: Gusto Wood Fired Pizza in Bellingham, Washington
NEW ADDITION: Pizza Luca in New York City, New York
Melo’s Pizza in Livermore, California
Dante Pizzeria in Omaha, Nebraska
bufala! PIZZA NAPOLETANA in Charlottesville, Virginia
Esposito's Pizza & Pasta in Matawan, New Jersey
Parkers’ Restaurant & Bar in Downer’s Grove, Illinois
Nonno’s Pizza in Berwyn, Illinois
New York Pizza Dept. II in Lake Worth, Florida
i Fratelli Pizza in Dallas, Texas
Nick's New Haven-Style Pizzeria & Bar in Boca Raton, Florida
MozzaPi in Louisville, Kentucky
Mike's Pizzeria Italian Restaurant in Effort/Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania
Nicodino's Pizza Co. & Cafe in Bartlett, Illinois
Amore Pizzeria & Café in Pleasant Valley, New York
To have your picture added to our gallery, email dgreer@pizzatoday.com (and make sure the picture is clear, bright and at least 300 dpi). Don’t forget to include the name and location of your pizzeria!
More Related Articles
You may have heard this story before (and surely from me at one time or another, either at International Pizza Expo or in the pages of this magazine), but it bears retelling. When pizza Margherita came along, it was a seminal moment in the history of the very business we are in. And here, one more time, is the story.
As the 19th century was coming to a close, pizza –– pizza baked in coal-fired ovens that reached temperatures upward of 750 F –– became as important to Naples as Sophia Loren was some 60 years later. Pizza was being sold from stalls and eaten on the street with great relish from midday until the wee hours of the morning.
Pizza ascended to another plateau in 1889, when King Umberto I made a visit to Naples. At his side was Queen Margherita, who immediately wanted to try this food she had heard so much about. The story goes that, of course, the queen wasn’t going to a humble pizzeria, so the pizza was brought to the palazzo where the royal couple was staying (probably the first record of a pizza delivery).
The pizza was delivered by Raffaele Esposito, owner of the famous pizzeria Pietro il Pizzaiolo. Esposito went with his wife, Donna Rosa, who was, in fact, the pizza maker. They brought enough ingredients to make three kinds of pizza, and after sampling all three, Queen Margherita selected as her favorite the pizza made with tomatoes, fresh bufala mozzarella and fresh basil. To this day the Margherita remains one of the most popular pizzas sold in the United States as well as Italy.
At first glance, with but three basic ingredients, putting together a fabulous pizza Margherita is simple.
Maybe.
What we are going for here is the perfect pizza Margherita. After all, we have over a hundred years of tradition to honor and respect. Here’s the question: Can you use one type of dough for the perfect pizza Margherita, no matter what kind of oven you have? Yes. I am not here to change your whole dough-making procedures for the sake of one style of pizza.
It’s true, however, that a pizza dough made with a softer flour, such as bread flour or 00 flour, has a better chance for perfection in most ovens (wood burning, particularly) than say, a harder (higher protein) flour. However, that’s assuming that the pizza is going to be eaten on the premises (not taken out, not delivered), because a pizza made with softer flour is at its best when served within minutes of coming out of the oven.
So now we need to look for a happy medium that covers all the bases, and that leads me to an unbleached all-purpose flour. In some applications, however, I choose to use a blend of flours: combining 70 percent low protein flour (bread flour or 00 flour) with 30 percent high-protein flour. I know the idea of blending flour is getting a bit out there, but when striving for perfection we have to go the extra mile.
Now about the tomatoes. Here’s the scoop. The tomatoes that go on a classic Margherita pizza should be plum (canned, crushed and drained) or fresh (skinned and pureed) or an unseasoned light, ground, all-purpose tomato. Regardless of which type of tomato you go with, put it on lightly –– just a smear, half of what you might ordinarily use.
When it comes to the cheese, you have two choices: Fresh bufala mozzarella DOP, or fresh mozzarella (fior de latte). Dice it, slice it, whatever works best for you. Again, use a light hand. The key is balance.
Remember to use fresh basil, and it is to go on the pizza only after it comes out of the oven. In fact, a classic pizza Margherita comes to the table (in most places) with but one leaf of fresh basil stuck in the very center. However, use your good judgment as to how much basil you will add. One pizza place in Chicago serves a chiffonade of fresh basil on a separate plate with a pizza Margherita, which allows the customer to put on as much or as little as they please.
That’s it. Nothing else, I repeat, nothing else, goes on a classic pizza Margherita.
Pizza Margherita
Test recipe for dough. Makes 2 13- to 14-inch pizza shells
1/4 ounce active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-110 F)
3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour or 00 flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Blend the yeast with the water to combine. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Divide the dough in half. Cover and let rise overnight in the cooler.
The next day take the dough out of the cooler and give it a minimum of 2 hours bench or proof time before making the pizza (do not punch it down). Stretch each piece of dough to about 13-inches in diameter.
Brush each shell with olive oil. Top each shell with about 6 ounces (3/4 cup) of tomato puree, followed by 5 ounces of fresh mozzarella, sliced thin or chopped coarse. Bake the pizza.
Shortly after the pizza comes out of the oven add the leaves of fresh basil. Serve.
Today is the 124th anniversary of the naming of the Pizza Margherita — in a letter from the Italian “Department of the Mouth” on behalf of Queen Margherita on June 11, 1889, presented the pie that bears her name.
Look no further than Pizza Today’s Man on the Street Scott Weiner to commemorate the occasion with a blog post. Check out Scott’s Pizza Journal by clicking here. For Pizza Margherita's full history, click here.
Click here to get a great Pizza Margherita recipe.
To explore more pizza recipes from PizzaToday.com, click here.
More Related Articles
You may have heard this story before (and surely from me at one time or another, either at International Pizza Expo or in the pages of this magazine), but it bears retelling. When pizza Margherita came along, it was a seminal moment in the history of the very business we are in. And here, one more time, is the story.
As the 19th century was coming to a close, pizza –– pizza baked in coal-fired ovens that reached temperatures upward of 750 F –– became as important to Naples as Sophia Loren was some 60 years later. Pizza was being sold from stalls and eaten on the street with great relish from midday until the wee hours of the morning.
Pizza ascended to another plateau in 1889, when King Umberto I made a visit to Naples. At his side was Queen Margherita, who immediately wanted to try this food she had heard so much about. The story goes that, of course, the queen wasn’t going to a humble pizzeria, so the pizza was brought to the palazzo where the royal couple was staying (probably the first record of a pizza delivery).
The pizza was delivered by Raffaele Esposito, owner of the famous pizzeria Pietro il Pizzaiolo. Esposito went with his wife, Donna Rosa, who was, in fact, the pizza maker. They brought enough ingredients to make three kinds of pizza, and after sampling all three, Queen Margherita selected as her favorite the pizza made with tomatoes, fresh bufala mozzarella and fresh basil. To this day the Margherita remains one of the most popular pizzas sold in the United States as well as Italy.
At first glance, with but three basic ingredients, putting together a fabulous pizza Margherita is simple.
Maybe.
What we are going for here is the perfect pizza Margherita. After all, we have over a hundred years of tradition to honor and respect. Here’s the question: Can you use one type of dough for the perfect pizza Margherita, no matter what kind of oven you have? Yes. I am not here to change your whole dough-making procedures for the sake of one style of pizza.
It’s true, however, that a pizza dough made with a softer flour, such as bread flour or 00 flour, has a better chance for perfection in most ovens (wood burning, particularly) than say, a harder (higher protein) flour. However, that’s assuming that the pizza is going to be eaten on the premises (not taken out, not delivered), because a pizza made with softer flour is at its best when served within minutes of coming out of the oven.
So now we need to look for a happy medium that covers all the bases, and that leads me to an unbleached all-purpose flour. In some applications, however, I choose to use a blend of flours: combining 70 percent low protein flour (bread flour or 00 flour) with 30 percent high-protein flour. I know the idea of blending flour is getting a bit out there, but when striving for perfection we have to go the extra mile.
Now about the tomatoes. Here’s the scoop. The tomatoes that go on a classic Margherita pizza should be plum (canned, crushed and drained) or fresh (skinned and pureed) or an unseasoned light, ground, all-purpose tomato. Regardless of which type of tomato you go with, put it on lightly –– just a smear, half of what you might ordinarily use.
When it comes to the cheese, you have two choices: Fresh bufala mozzarella DOP, or fresh mozzarella (fior de latte). Dice it, slice it, whatever works best for you. Again, use a light hand. The key is balance.
Remember to use fresh basil, and it is to go on the pizza only after it comes out of the oven. In fact, a classic pizza Margherita comes to the table (in most places) with but one leaf of fresh basil stuck in the very center. However, use your good judgment as to how much basil you will add. One pizza place in Chicago serves a chiffonade of fresh basil on a separate plate with a pizza Margherita, which allows the customer to put on as much or as little as they please.
That’s it. Nothing else, I repeat, nothing else, goes on a classic pizza Margherita.
Pizza Margherita
Test recipe for dough. Makes 2 13- to 14-inch pizza shells
1/4 ounce active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-110 F)
3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour or 00 flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Blend the yeast with the water to combine. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Divide the dough in half. Cover and let rise overnight in the cooler.
The next day take the dough out of the cooler and give it a minimum of 2 hours bench or proof time before making the pizza (do not punch it down). Stretch each piece of dough to about 13-inches in diameter.
Brush each shell with olive oil. Top each shell with about 6 ounces (3/4 cup) of tomato puree, followed by 5 ounces of fresh mozzarella, sliced thin or chopped coarse. Bake the pizza.
Shortly after the pizza comes out of the oven add the leaves of fresh basil. Serve.
Margherita: I’ve seen lots of Margherita pizzas lately. Some have red onions, others have garlic and one even used parsley. These variations might be delicious, but they ignore the original use of the term, which emerged in the late 19th century. Long before the pizza with mozzarella and tomato was named for the queen in 1889, nobody ate this dish but the poor. Mozzarella was very expensive and garlic extremely cheap, so the two were never combined or the strong garlic would have trampled the delicate creaminess of mozzarella. The original pizza Margherita, still served all over Naples today, consists of crushed tomatoes, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella. You can achieve plenty of variation within those borders, but anything additional deserves a different name.
Deep Dish: I may not be from Chicago, but I get riled up whenever I see a pizza falsely described as deep dish. Although it falls under the category of ‘pan pizza,’ a deep-dish designation requires more than a mere baking vessel. It starts with a dense, crumbly base and continues with a layer of low-moisture mozzarella. Toppings come next and the pie gets finished with a crowning layer of rich tomato sauce. I see lots of thick, bready pizzas labeled as deep dish, but the truth is that this style’s crust is more biscuit than bread. Just because your pizza is thick, it doesn’t necessarily make it a deep dish.
Grandma: This one’s new to the pizzeria scene, but it seems to be spreading from its origins on Long Island. Before the days of pizza stones for every pair of newlyweds, homemade pizza consisted of rectangular pies baked in cookie sheets. The dough is stretched into the pan and immediately topped and baked, unlike a Sicilian pizza, which is typically proofed, baked, topped and re-baked. The name comes from the fact that Italian grandmothers often baked this pie, topping it with light portions of cheese, sauce and garlic. The common error with this one is that it’s often used as a synonym for pizza Margherita. Stop the madness and give Grandma some respect!
Fresh Mozzarella: There’s a big difference between mozzarella that just came in from the distributor and cheese that was pulled recently from curd. One is not necessarily better than the other, but they are certainly two different products on a physical level. The FDA defines mozzarella as having 45 percent milkfat content and at least 52 percent moisture content. Low-moisture mozzarella has similar milkfat content, but ranges from 45 – 51 percent moisture content. Because of its higher moisture content, fresh mozzarella tends to respond better to high heat ovens whereas low moisture works better on a deck. I’ve seen the term “fresh mozzarella” used on menus and signage when the cheese was clearly not what the FDA defines as such.
I don’t expect you to immediately change the wording on your menu, but as food media continues to expose your customers to deeper culinary vocabulary, you might want to act now to prevent customer confusion.
Scott Wiener owns and operates Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City.
In This Issue
By maintaining regularity in paying the monthly installments regularly. The longer you keep the money, but it is really a brief phrase, brief payoff period of time.
Feel free to visit my page:loan consolidation
Comment
By maintaining regularity in paying the monthly installments regularly. The longer you keep the money, but it is really a brief phrase, brief payoff period of time.
Feel free to visit my page:loan consolidation
Comment
Today is the 124th anniversary of the naming of the Pizza Margherita — in a letter from the Italian “Department of the Mouth” on behalf of Queen Margherita on June 11, 1889, presented the pie that bears her name.
Look no further than Pizza Today’s Man on the Street Scott Weiner to commemorate the occasion with a blog post. Check out Scott’s Pizza Journal by clicking here. For Pizza Margherita's full history, click here.
Click here to get a great Pizza Margherita recipe.
To explore more pizza recipes from PizzaToday.com, click here.
More Related Articles
You may have heard this story before (and surely from me at one time or another, either at International Pizza Expo or in the pages of this magazine), but it bears retelling. When pizza Margherita came along, it was a seminal moment in the history of the very business we are in. And here, one more time, is the story.
As the 19th century was coming to a close, pizza –– pizza baked in coal-fired ovens that reached temperatures upward of 750 F –– became as important to Naples as Sophia Loren was some 60 years later. Pizza was being sold from stalls and eaten on the street with great relish from midday until the wee hours of the morning.
Pizza ascended to another plateau in 1889, when King Umberto I made a visit to Naples. At his side was Queen Margherita, who immediately wanted to try this food she had heard so much about. The story goes that, of course, the queen wasn’t going to a humble pizzeria, so the pizza was brought to the palazzo where the royal couple was staying (probably the first record of a pizza delivery).
The pizza was delivered by Raffaele Esposito, owner of the famous pizzeria Pietro il Pizzaiolo. Esposito went with his wife, Donna Rosa, who was, in fact, the pizza maker. They brought enough ingredients to make three kinds of pizza, and after sampling all three, Queen Margherita selected as her favorite the pizza made with tomatoes, fresh bufala mozzarella and fresh basil. To this day the Margherita remains one of the most popular pizzas sold in the United States as well as Italy.
At first glance, with but three basic ingredients, putting together a fabulous pizza Margherita is simple.
Maybe.
What we are going for here is the perfect pizza Margherita. After all, we have over a hundred years of tradition to honor and respect. Here’s the question: Can you use one type of dough for the perfect pizza Margherita, no matter what kind of oven you have? Yes. I am not here to change your whole dough-making procedures for the sake of one style of pizza.
It’s true, however, that a pizza dough made with a softer flour, such as bread flour or 00 flour, has a better chance for perfection in most ovens (wood burning, particularly) than say, a harder (higher protein) flour. However, that’s assuming that the pizza is going to be eaten on the premises (not taken out, not delivered), because a pizza made with softer flour is at its best when served within minutes of coming out of the oven.
So now we need to look for a happy medium that covers all the bases, and that leads me to an unbleached all-purpose flour. In some applications, however, I choose to use a blend of flours: combining 70 percent low protein flour (bread flour or 00 flour) with 30 percent high-protein flour. I know the idea of blending flour is getting a bit out there, but when striving for perfection we have to go the extra mile.
Now about the tomatoes. Here’s the scoop. The tomatoes that go on a classic Margherita pizza should be plum (canned, crushed and drained) or fresh (skinned and pureed) or an unseasoned light, ground, all-purpose tomato. Regardless of which type of tomato you go with, put it on lightly –– just a smear, half of what you might ordinarily use.
When it comes to the cheese, you have two choices: Fresh bufala mozzarella DOP, or fresh mozzarella (fior de latte). Dice it, slice it, whatever works best for you. Again, use a light hand. The key is balance.
Remember to use fresh basil, and it is to go on the pizza only after it comes out of the oven. In fact, a classic pizza Margherita comes to the table (in most places) with but one leaf of fresh basil stuck in the very center. However, use your good judgment as to how much basil you will add. One pizza place in Chicago serves a chiffonade of fresh basil on a separate plate with a pizza Margherita, which allows the customer to put on as much or as little as they please.
That’s it. Nothing else, I repeat, nothing else, goes on a classic pizza Margherita.
Pizza Margherita
Test recipe for dough. Makes 2 13- to 14-inch pizza shells
1/4 ounce active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-110 F)
3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour or 00 flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Blend the yeast with the water to combine. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Divide the dough in half. Cover and let rise overnight in the cooler.
The next day take the dough out of the cooler and give it a minimum of 2 hours bench or proof time before making the pizza (do not punch it down). Stretch each piece of dough to about 13-inches in diameter.
Brush each shell with olive oil. Top each shell with about 6 ounces (3/4 cup) of tomato puree, followed by 5 ounces of fresh mozzarella, sliced thin or chopped coarse. Bake the pizza.
Shortly after the pizza comes out of the oven add the leaves of fresh basil. Serve.
Margherita: I’ve seen lots of Margherita pizzas lately. Some have red onions, others have garlic and one even used parsley. These variations might be delicious, but they ignore the original use of the term, which emerged in the late 19th century. Long before the pizza with mozzarella and tomato was named for the queen in 1889, nobody ate this dish but the poor. Mozzarella was very expensive and garlic extremely cheap, so the two were never combined or the strong garlic would have trampled the delicate creaminess of mozzarella. The original pizza Margherita, still served all over Naples today, consists of crushed tomatoes, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella. You can achieve plenty of variation within those borders, but anything additional deserves a different name.
Deep Dish: I may not be from Chicago, but I get riled up whenever I see a pizza falsely described as deep dish. Although it falls under the category of ‘pan pizza,’ a deep-dish designation requires more than a mere baking vessel. It starts with a dense, crumbly base and continues with a layer of low-moisture mozzarella. Toppings come next and the pie gets finished with a crowning layer of rich tomato sauce. I see lots of thick, bready pizzas labeled as deep dish, but the truth is that this style’s crust is more biscuit than bread. Just because your pizza is thick, it doesn’t necessarily make it a deep dish.
Grandma: This one’s new to the pizzeria scene, but it seems to be spreading from its origins on Long Island. Before the days of pizza stones for every pair of newlyweds, homemade pizza consisted of rectangular pies baked in cookie sheets. The dough is stretched into the pan and immediately topped and baked, unlike a Sicilian pizza, which is typically proofed, baked, topped and re-baked. The name comes from the fact that Italian grandmothers often baked this pie, topping it with light portions of cheese, sauce and garlic. The common error with this one is that it’s often used as a synonym for pizza Margherita. Stop the madness and give Grandma some respect!
Fresh Mozzarella: There’s a big difference between mozzarella that just came in from the distributor and cheese that was pulled recently from curd. One is not necessarily better than the other, but they are certainly two different products on a physical level. The FDA defines mozzarella as having 45 percent milkfat content and at least 52 percent moisture content. Low-moisture mozzarella has similar milkfat content, but ranges from 45 – 51 percent moisture content. Because of its higher moisture content, fresh mozzarella tends to respond better to high heat ovens whereas low moisture works better on a deck. I’ve seen the term “fresh mozzarella” used on menus and signage when the cheese was clearly not what the FDA defines as such.
I don’t expect you to immediately change the wording on your menu, but as food media continues to expose your customers to deeper culinary vocabulary, you might want to act now to prevent customer confusion.
Scott Wiener owns and operates Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City.
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The secret’s out: Detroit style pizza is delicious. It’s not news to people in the Motor City, but the rest of us are only now being introduced to the burnt cheese goodness over 60 years after its first appearance. This year’s Pizza Expo saw more Detroit style pies than ever before and they even earned some of the highest scores in the International Pizza Challenge. As if that wasn’t enough, Little Caesar’s recently launched a Detroit style pizza on their menu. It’s clear that this very specific pizza species has entered the mainstream and I couldn’t be more excited — not just because I enjoy eating it, but because of what it signifies for other geographically-determined pizza styles.
Slice, a Web site that bills itself as “America’s Favorite Pizza Weblog,” lists 30 different regional pizza variations. The usual suspects are there: New York Style; Chicago Deep Dish; Neapolitan; Old Forge and, of course, Detroit style. Each of these represents a mutation that occurred in a particular locality because of ingredient availability, economics and cultural influence. There was never a reason for them to exist in other parts of the country unless a New Yorker decided to bring his pizza to South Carolina or a Chicagoan decided to introduce deep dish to the West Coast. The sudden drive toward offering regional variations offers the customer a culinary vacation without having to buy a plane ticket. Until recently, one had to travel to New Haven, Connecticut, just to get a New Haven-style pizza. Now you can pick up a pie at Chicago’s Piece Pizza or Metro Pizza in Las Vegas.
I still live in the area in which I grew up so my experience with regional pizza styles has been one of removal from my comfort zone, but so many pizza lovers look for ways to access their favorite hometown pie as a way of reconnecting with the past. My friend Mark used to bring carefully wrapped frozen slices from New York to Chicago so he’d have a steady supply throughout a semester in college. Some companies make it easier on their fans by offering flash-frozen pizzas for shipping throughout the country. It’s a great solution for all the pizzerias whose refugee clientele have begged for a location in whatever city they have settled.
Foreign pizza variations can be great additions to your menu, but be sure to do your homework first. I’ve had plenty of pizza that misrepresented itself as the real deal when in reality the operator had only made a superficial copy based on an article or photograph. A deep-dish pizza is not defined solely by thickness just as the presence of a wood-burning oven alone does not indicate Neapolitan. Try to understand the context in which each format evolved and your finished product will be more likely to project authenticity.
I will travel any distance for great pizza but I’m happy to save money on airfare as regional pizza styles become more widely available across the globe.
Scott Wiener owns and operates Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City.
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Photograph By Josh Keown
<< Pizza Siciliana
I sell an amazing amount of these thick crusted, pan pizzas. Even though the magic is in the dough made fragrant by a long, cold fermentation, the beauty is in those long curvy pear tomatoes that sit like kings on this Sicilian pizza throne. This variant can be made in any square pizza pan. For this recipe, I use a long 7- x 18-inch pan for an impressive presentation with dough that is almost two inches thick but you can vary according to your pan.
45 ounces of your proprietary dough with 70 to 80 percent hydration.
5 ounces of grated Parmesan or Asiago pressata
20 ounces shredded mozzarella/ provolone blend
5 to 6 ounces fresh basil leaves
12 to 14 pear tomatoes, split and drained
4 ounces of cubed, fresh mozzarella
Course sea salt and extra virgin olive oil
Take the dough ball and stretch into a pan that has been oiled with extra virgin olive oil. Using both hands, spread the dough to the ends and corners. Let the dough rest at room temperature for fifteen minutes. Stretch again using your fingertips to work the middle of the pan first and out toward the ends. Oil the top of the dough and let rest near your pizza oven at 80 F for one hour visiting two more times to push the dough into corners.
After the pizza has proofed for an hour, take your fingertips and dimple the dough, starting with the middle first and down the pizza dough. Place in a 485 F oven until just barely golden (5 to 7 minutes). Pull out, remove from the pan and cool.
When cool, place the Parmesan, mozzarella-provolone mix, fresh basil and pear tomatoes on the pizza. Place the fresh mozzarella dice along the pie and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until all the cheese has melted. Remove and let cool somewhat before serving or boxing.
My first lessons in the art of tomato fanaticism came from an Italian chef and restaurateur named Bimbo. He looked like a tall George Clooney and I was just 14 years old when he hired me to wash dishes at his restaurant in Palatine, Illinois. Because of my work ethic, the cooks called me “Weasel” as I tried to keep up with piles of dishes to wash in a three-compartment sink in this hot, steamy kitchen that was always slammed.
Some nights, Bimbo would turn his sweating head over his shoulder and say, “Clear-a-da-sink, Donnola!” (Donnola is ‘weasel’ in Italian). I would drain and clean the sink just as he arrived with three to four cans of tomatoes and a huge colander. Silently, almost religiously, Chef Bimbo would drive his thumb into the side of each tomato, slit it down the sides and let the seeds run out with the juice. He’d then set it aside in the colander and every once in a while he’d hold up a huge plum tomato and say, “Look at dat!” It was the only time I saw Bimbo do anything slowly all night and I couldn’t understand why a grown man was so infatuated with a tomato.
Now, 38 years later, I know why: it was his life and livelihood. Now it’s mine because I use at least 20 types of tomatoes, from the elegant San Marzanos from the slopes of Vesuvius to the large plum and pear tomatoes from California’s big valley and others grown locally with names like Big Bertha, Cows Teet, Tula, Bonny’s Best, Mortgage Lifter and German Pink. But not all tomatoes are created equal.
After comparing tomatoes on both retail and wholesale levels, I’ve come to the conclusion that the old adage “You get what you pay for” is very true. As a small pizzeria owner, I’ve also found that the most honest taste-testers when deciding for sauce is my gang of 25 employees.
Here are some considerations when looking for canned tomatoes:
- For what are you using them? Packers regularly use calcium chloride to “harden” up the flesh of tomatoes so they are more manageable and have a pronounced textural mouth-feel when eaten. These tomatoes are known as “filets” or even whole tomatoes. They are very good on top of a sauceless pizza as in my Pizza Romana recipe that follows.
- Where they are grown? Just like wine, provenance is everything because of one word: consistency. u
- Who packed them? Is it a proud family-owned company who watches over every aspect of the operation or a large conglomerate, (and) does that matter to you? u
- What difference does it make? I usually stay away from taking sides on any pizza subject but I cannot go on without saying this; the best canned tomatoes that I have tasted are the ones that are vine-ripened and packed just hours after being picked. I am a tomato NUT and there is no mistaking the fresh sweetness of these beauties when I taste them side-by-side with tomatoes that are not fresh packed! Fresh packed tomatoes have a more pronounced back-of-the-throat, (umami) sensation as you breathe out through your nose along with the pleasant balance of acidity and sweetness not found in what I call “dead packed tomatoes.” u
- Consider creative labeling. Don’t assume that a can of “Imported Italian Tomatoes” are automatically the San Marzano variety grown in the loamy soils near Mt. Vesuvius and made famous by the oldest pizzerias in Naples. The San Marzano is designated with a DOP insignia or stamp on every can of their certified tomatoes. San Marzano tomatoes are not as sweet as the California variety but have a deep tomato bang that lingers on the palate with heightened acid that succumbs to a finishing hint of sublime sweetness.
- Organic tomatoes. I use only tomatoes that are certified organic for my day-to-day pizza sauce recipe for the simple fact that I want a fruit that isn’t sprayed with chemicals. (Spraying is so old-school). I pay $12 a case more than the leading brand (or $2 a can), but my market includes a very progressive clientele with kids like mine and they now know who to trust with their health.
Tomato season is my favorite time of year, and I wait with baited breath for the best of the best. Consider:
- Hydration. All really great fresh tomatoes get soggy on a pie. You have to either slice them thin or put them on top of a cheesed pie. Try to find tomatoes that hold their flavor in meaty flesh instead of juice.
- Best of the best. My personal favorite has a great depth of intensity and is called the Cherokee Purple and, like its name, the brilliant green-to-purple color is spectacular. Add to that the benefit that this tomato hides a lot of its flavor in the flesh instead of the seedy gonads. Mr. Stripey is also a great tomato as well as the green zebra. For small tomatoes, try the Italian varieties like ciliegino cherry or datterino and there is a great green cherry that is super sweet called “Doctors Green” that I love to intersperse with yellow and red cherries.
Top Secret Cherry Tomato Prep
Do you hate spending all day cutting cherry or grape tomatoes? This is my full-proof way to cut cherry tomatoes … don’t tell anyone!
1. Take two equal five-inch lids from ricotta or sour cream.
2. Place the tomatoes shoulder to shoulder on the bottom lid.
3. Place the other lid on top.
4. Cut horizontally through the small gap with a sharp non-serrated knife. (although a serrated one will work.)
To intensify a cherry tomato, I use an old secret that I’ve seen the Italians sneak by with while competing at the International Pizza Expo. Take a bunch of cherry or grape tomatoes in a sauté pan and sauté on medium heat with olive oil and sugar. The skins caramelize and the juices intensify into a wondrous sweet tomato bomb!
Upside Down Tomato Pizza
This is a delicious pizza when you are bombarded by those millions of cherry tomatoes in July and August. It is guaranteed to test your culinary flexibility because it is wet by nature and the dough is steamed instead of dry-heated. You will need a high-sided steel or aluminum pan for this pie. (I dare you to try this!)
Ingredients:
One 9-ounce of your signature pizza dough formed into an eight-inch disc
40 to 60 grape or small cherry tomatoes (enough to cover a 8- or 10-inch round pan)
10 to 14 fresh basil leaves, enough to cover the tomatoes
2 ounces of thinly sliced Parmesan
3 to 5 ounces thinly shaved fresh mozzarella from a log (fresh mozzarella in brine will not work here as it exudes too much moisture.)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
The Bottom: Brush ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of an 8- or 10-inch deep sided pie pan. Place cherry or grape tomatoes in the bottom of the pan. (Small cherry tomatoes work best for this recipe as they produce fewer gaps where the mozzarella can seep down when baking. Leave enough space for the dough to be tucked into the sides.) Place large leaves of basil (lettuce leaf basil is great) on top of the tomatoes to create a carpet so the mozzarella will not melt out.
Place thin sheets of shaved Parmesan atop the basil leaves. This melts harder than the mozzarella and halts the water-like flow of melting mozzarella. Place thin sheets of mozzarella atop the Parmesan.
Without disturbing the ingredients, place the dough over the ingredients. Brush 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil (less for 8-inch pan) on top of the dough. Gently push dough down into the sides of the pan while you spin the pan around. This will create the crust. Some tomatoes will pop up under the dough; make sure you haven’t crowded the pan too much. If not, push them back down. (Note: poke seven small pin holes in the dough around the edges, this will let some steam escape. Do not make them too big.)
Proof the pizza in the pan for 30 minutes at 80 F.
The Bake: Place the pan in a 475 F oven for seven minutes and check the progress. If the dough is puffing up, take another pan and press the dough ceiling down. Place back in the oven for another seven minutes.
Pull the upside down pizza out of the oven and check the dough by placing a knife down the side. The dough around the edges and at the top should be golden now but the steamed dough inside may still need cooking. It’s time to flip.
The Flip: Place a large pizza peel or cookie sheet on top of the pan and flip. The pizza should pop out and you may lose a few tomatoes that are easily replaceable. Sprinkle the tomatoes with sea salt then place the pizza on a hard-bottomed pan to cook the top of the tomatoes and the upper crust for approximately five to ten more minutes. Cool somewhat, present and enjoy!
John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio. He is speaker at International Pizza Expo and a member of the World Pizza Champions.
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Photo by Josh Keown
I have been involved in a complicated relationship for 14 years. My partner is fickle, moody, unstable and inconsistent, but I can’t get rid of her. Because of her voracious greed, she takes all my money, squanders it and I never see it again. Unfortunately, my customers adore her and cannot get enough of her, but they don’t understand the cost I bear to keep her around.
Her name is cheese.
My usual mozzarella/provolone cheese mix costs me from 60 to 70 percent of every single pizza and because I use more than 1,000 pounds each week, I am at the whim of the volatile cheese market. To put it bluntly, cheese affects the money I feed and clothe my kids with. I wanted to cut back on the halfpound I place on each large pie, but instead I decided to do the opposite of what any sane person would do. I added Artisan cheese to my menu mix! By embracing these cheeses, my menu-mix has exploded and my customers can get real gourmet pizzas and I get more sales. Before we get started, here are a few tips when starting an artisan cheese program:
- Price. Just because a wonderful cheese is expensive by weight doesn’t mean it’s too expensive to use. Strong cheeses are perfect to use with your existing cheese profile and it doesn’t take much!
- Preparation. Most purveyors have ready-shredded cheeses and American-made variants of European cheeses. If you get cheese by the block, buy a professional cheese shredder and grate it yourself — it doesn’t take much time!
- Marketing. With the increased sophistication of diners these days, your customers will be wowed by these new and intense flavors. They see these cheeses on cooking shows every day and, from my personal experience, they may not be able to pronounce these cheeses right but are usually bowled over by the taste!
Here is a list of cheeses that I have marketed on pizzas in my pizzeria. I have used all of these cheeses on top of a smaller amount of my existing cheese mix:
- Ricotta. Too awesome to describe! Chef Jeff Freehof did a wonderful article on this at www.pizzatoday.com. This versatile cheese is relatively easy to make yourself — and if you do, you should be marketing that fact.
- Asiago. This Italian cheddar named after the town in Italy comes shredded at 27 cents an ounce and adds a great pungent compliment to chicken, basil pesto, bacon, onions, ham and is even strong enough to complete a killer taste profile with pepperoni.
- Feta. The Greek Pizza will always be a fab seller in any pizza joint. I get the cow’s milk feta crumbled in two- or five-pound bags for 27 cents per ounce and pair it with a béchamel sauce for feta cream or with spinach, tomato and black olive. Our Avalanche “Godzilla” Pizza that won “Best Pizza in the USA” at the World Pizza Championships in Italy features feta with sun-dried tomato, spinach and chicken. I also use local feta paired with applesauce, mint, honey, grapes, nuts, local paw-paw or zucchini.
- Goat Cheese (Chevre). This creamy goat cheese is less aggressive than feta but the nuanced sour taste is perfect for dolloping on fruit pizza with cherry, apple, apricot and strawberry. I sometimes stretch this expensive cheese folding it into ricotta for use with basil, bell peppers, fennel, garlic and broccoli. This cheese does burn if you have a high-heat conveyor oven, so watch out!
- Manchego. All my Spanish dreams come true with this cheddar-like cheese. Great with cilantro pesto, roasted red peppers and anchovies, I serve it with homemade chorizo meatballs, provolone and Valorosso tomatoes for a psycho- delicious pie. Manchego with quince paste and Marcona almonds is a favorite.
- Yellow Cheddar. A stalwart on my menu with a Hawaiian pizza or rock the house pairing it with ham or bacon. Cheddar comes in 20-pound cases for 13 cents an ounce for regular or up to 20 cents for aged cheddar. Beware — the cheap stuff burns, especially in a conveyor oven.
- Gorgonzola. Never underestimate the public’s appetite for stinky cheese! Just like anchovies, this major taste sensation is very economical — between 15 and 22 cents an ounce — and melts you right to the bank with traditional “agra dolce” (Agra-DOLchEE- meaning sweet and sour) effect with fresh pear or apple, figs, honey, walnuts and prosciutto. Mint, nuts, cream and mushrooms and balsamic are also great with gorgonzola. (I use Stilton also. It is a British version of the killer, creamy blue taste.)
- Fresh Mozzarella. I’ve learned to transform any pizza using a base of my cheese mix and small chunks of fresh mozzarella for a cool look. Most fresh mozzarella in brine can be had for close to 20 cents per ounce. I like the mozz logs because they don’t leach that white water all over a pie.
- Burrata. This pricy mozzarella ball filled with fresh sticky cream can be obtained for 90 cents to $1.12 an ounce and is now made in Wisconsin. At that price, it’s imperative that you broadcast this as Burrata. It’s perfect for dolloping on any Italian pizza after the oven with garlic, basil, tomato, vin cotto or balsamic.
- Gruyere: This is my new best friend, even at 70 to 93 cents per ounce. The outstanding strong taste pairs with onion, fresh spinach, ham, chicken, apples, garlic and arugula. (This is the cheese of fondue.)
- Fontina. At 28 cents per ounce, fontina is best used sparingly or with another cheese. It is great with salami, fruit, ham or with truffle oil. Fontinella, which is a younger, less expensive cheese, melts great but doesn’t have that grassy, fruity quality of aged fontina.
- Brie. Excellent name recognition! Only a few slices after the pie exits the oven will sell like gangbusters.
- Mascarpone. Mix with a grainier ricotta to dollop and tastes like creamy heaven.
- Other cheeses like Finlandia Swiss, Emmental, Colby, Pepper jack, Gouda, Muenster, Pecorino, Piave Vecchio and Tellegio are also great sellers.
So, if you’re tired of the same old cheese run-around, go rogue and create havoc using artisan cheeses to spice up your menu mix and your bank account.
John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio. He is speaker at International Pizza Expo and a member of the World Pizza Champions.
In This Issue
Photos By Josh Keown
The streets of New York are in the midst of an epic battle. In one corner, the classic slice weighs in with its thin-yet-yielding crust topped with tomato sauce and low moisture mozzarella cheese. In the opposite corner waits a smaller, more delicate pizza baked in a showpiece oven and topped with hand-crushed tomatoes under a sprinkling of cheese whose name your customers have only heard on TV. The prior evolved on the streets of the city over the past hundred years and the latter arrived recently despite its roots in the origin of pizza itself. Who will emerge victorious?
To be quite honest, the New York slice has been going out of style for quite some time. Rising commodity prices and nationwide economic issues have forced many small pizzerias to make decisions to keep themselves afloat at the cost of reducing product quality. Thanks to the influx of Neapolitan and other artisan pizza styles, some savvy slice shop operators are taking a page from the artisanal handbook by using premium ingredients to craft their offerings instead of the old standbys.
The resulting slice is a welcome upgrade from the monotonous greasy wedge and fetches a higher price. Pizzerias like South Brooklyn Pizza, Best Pizza and La Margarita (their spelling) are proof positive that consumers are willing to pay more for quality. These slice shops use fresh mozzarella and the best tomatoes to elevate their slices from the white noise created by common slicerias.
On the other hand, I also see artisan pizza evolving to meet the demands of a slice-hungry culture. Roman pizza al taglio’s success in New York is a positive response to artisan pizza’s exposure to the New York slice. It successfully combines quick service and elevated ingredient quality in a by-the-slice format. Even pizzerias that don’t sell slices are altering their recipes to make more portable products. Madison Avenue’s Pizza Da Solo, billed as a Neapolitan pizzeria, uses oil in their dough. Even though it’s a major departure from Neapolitan pizza tradition, added oil results in a product that holds up better during transportation. The pizzeria offers only takeout and utilized an American pizza making method to solve its logistical dilemma.
Contrary to what New York “traditionalists” may believe, artisan pizza is more ally than adversary when it comes to slice culture. It elevates pizza’s public image from quick-service snack food to respectable meal and even provides opportunity for further development when it comes to ingredient options. At the same time, New York’s propensity for pizza-by-the-slice has influenced artisan pizza in a positive way that makes it more accessible than some initially perceive it to be. After all, this is not the kind of battle that culminates with a victor; it’s more like a sparring match in which both parties walk out of the ring in better shape than when they went in.
Scott Wiener owns and operates Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City.
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Photos by Josh Keown
Today’s pizzeria customers are savvier than ever thanks in part to a growing trend in upscale options. Sure, pepperoni and cheese are still king in this industry, but customers looking for fresh, organic and locally grown toppings now have more choices than ever. Add in the rise of Neapolitan and artisan focuses, and the pizza scene has grown into a competitive landscape. We talked to 10 pizzeria operators across the country to find out the hottest new toppings for 2013 –– and how to use them.
Ingredient: Quail eggs
Pairs with: crispy soppressata, roasted potatoes, arugula
“They are perfect for Neapolitan pizza ovens because you can crack them on the pizza going in and they cook to a perfect over easy in 75 seconds.”
-Jay Jerrier, owner of Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum, Texas
Ingredient: Sweet Piquanté Peppers
Pairs with: goat cheese, pancetta, escarole, mozzarella
“The flavor and usage of peppadews is like no other topping. They are sweet, spicy, sour and tart. These peppers can pair with almost anything and can be applied fresh, whole, halved, stuffed, quartered, sautéed and come in different colors. It’s one of the most flavorful universal toppings I have ever used.”
- Tony Gemignani, owner of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco, California, and Pizza Rock in Sacramento, California
Ingredient: Kimchi
Pairs with: provolone, onions, peppers, teriyaki, cashews, chicken, sausage
“We have captured the Asian market in this college town with this ingredient. It’s also funny to see some of the country folk around here order ‘that Kill-chee...Mim-chee...dag gum...just put some of dat spicy Chinese stuff on my pizza!’ ” Har har … it’s Korean!”
- John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio
Ingredient: Hot soppressata
Pairs with: Grana Padano cheese, cherry tomatoes
“It’s the new upscale pepperoni. It has a little bit of kick to it and it offsets the freshness of the cherry tomatoes. The customers have really been taken aback by it and just love it.”
- Chris Lombardi, partner at New Jersey-based Tommy’s Coal Fired Pizza & Bar
Ingredient: fried chicken livers
Pairs with: super thin sliced lemon, Calabrian chili, olive oil, garlic & mozzarella
“Chicken livers have always been a favorite for me –– along with pizza. I love the texture and the mineral-ity of livers. We use livers from Plum Creek Farm in Burchard, Nebraska. The chickens are free range, antibiotic free, all natural, etc., which makes for super delicious livers!”
- Nick Stawhecker, chef/owner of Dante Ristorante Pizzeria in Omaha, Nebraska
Ingredient: roast pumpkin
Pairs with: salty ingredients, especially prosciutto, feta cheese or spicy sausage
“Our two most popular pizzas both contain roast pumpkin. ... We have a vegetarian pizza, which we use roast pumpkin, roasted garlic, spinach, feta zucchini and roasted bell pepper. The combination of flavors is perfect and people love it. It also looks amazing with the array of colors.”
- Adam Borich, owner of Lucifer’s Pizza in Los Angeles, California
Ingredient: Pistachio cream; walnut & pine nut cream
Pairs with: Pistachios go well with sweet Italian sausage & fresh mozzarella, while walnut and pine nut cream pairs well with coal-roasted zucchini and bufala mozzarella
“These flavors are one of our most popular new additions to our menu. They are delicate, yet flavorful. (They are) versatile and are not limited to traditional uses. Nuts make an exceptional and unexpected base for pizzas!”
-Mark Dym, owner of Marco’s Coal Fired Pizza in Denver, Colorado
Ingredient: smoked duck breast
Pairs with: gorgonzola, figs, walnuts, pistachios, red onion and pear
“We have a little smoker to house-smoke the duck breast in the wood oven. We then slice it paper thin.”
- Dave Brackett, owner of Pizzeria Rustica in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Ingredient: Conciato Romano
Pairs with: sugna, crushed black pepper, fresh basil, fresh oregano, extra virgin olive oil and fresh figs
“I was introduced to this cheese by the Lombardi family of the Agriturismo Le Campestre in Castel di Sasso, Italy. The cheese itself is considered one of the oldest cheeses in Europe dating 2,000 years to the time of the Roman Legions. It’s an aged sheep’s milk pecorino (six months to two years), and the pie itself (the Schiacciatta di Cinque Cento) is the creation of Franco Pepe of the pizzeria Pepe in Grani in Caiazzo, Italy. I love this cheese because it honors tradition and the artisinal process.”
- Jonathan Goldsmith, owner of Spacca Napoli Pizzeria in Chicago, Illinois
Ingredient: D’Anjou Pears >>>>
Pairs with: French brie, arugula, prosciutto, apricot-chili drizzle
“After 22 years in business we have a new No. 1 selling pizza: pear and Brie. Times have changed since the days of pepperoni and mushroom!”
- Peter Danis, owner of Figlio Wood Fired Pizza in Columbus, Ohio
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
At an old used restaurant warehouse in West Virginia, I stared into a dark corner at several three-foot stacks of blue-steel pizza pans piled like greasy towers. Their thick, bumpy sides indicated that they were at least 15 years old, probably older. With much effort, I pulled one from the middle of each stack and saw that even in this dingy restaurant purgatory, the pans reflected their respective pizza makers in a way no one could fake.
Some pans were beaten, bent, scratched and rusted while other stacks were still shiny, well seasoned and free of debris. The pans’ former owners may have moved on or even died, their secrets lost forever. But, their pans still distinguished the great pizza makers from the mediocre. The well-kept pans had a much thicker patina on the outside, indicating that they were used longer — no doubt that a legacy of commitment, passion and craftsmanship kept their businesses alive longer.
It was then that I knew that I didn’t know jack about pan pizza. So I looked up a few friends, the best of the best pan pizza makers in the world. Here are their secrets. It’s amazing to see that regionality plays absolutely no role in these great pizza recipes because this is the evolution of pizza.
Pizza Teglia
Luigi Vianello
Jungle Pizza, Favaro Veneto, Italy
The pan Luigi uses is a 22-by-14 inch, lightly olive-oiled aluminum square. He uses a direct method with a poolish, (wet pre-ferment) for a 26- to 28-ounce dough featuring red-bag, 5 Stagione flour, salt and water. The dough is always given at least 48 hours of maturation with 36 hours in a refrigerator at 39 degrees and 12 hours at 55 degrees. Luigi rests the dough in the pan for three hours at 68 to 72 degrees along with olive oil on top of the dough. He par-cooks the dough in an electric oven at 536 degrees for five minutes and then lets it rest. He tops the dough with fresh buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and with either Greci canned tomatoes or fresh ciliegino cherry or datterino, small plum fresh tomatoes. Then he finishes it for another four minutes at that same temperature.
“I have no secrets for a good pizza — just water, flour, yeast, salt, oil and a natural passion for this job,” Vianello says. He sure had passion enough to win the best pizza at the International Pizza Challenge in 2011, so I believe him!
Detroit-Style Pan Pizza
Jeff Smokevitch
Brown Dog Pizza, Telluride, Colorado
Telluride, Colorado, is a long way from Detroit. But thanks to Jeff “Smoke” Smokevitch, owner of Brown Dog Pizza, folks in this tourist town have been enjoying an amazing amount of Detroit-style pizza for almost three years. Identified by the soft, airy interior and crisp exterior, the aged white cheddar, Wisconsin brick cheese and whole milk mozzarella create the famous thin carbonized bark that crunches its way around these square beauties. At Brown Dog, Smokevitch uses a high-gluten milled from northern hard red spring wheat. His dough is made with a starter and mixed to a sticky, 70-percent hydration, even though he says a lot of Detroit guys use lower hydration. “We use 8-by-10-inch and 10-by-17-inch pans ... All are blue steel pans that were cast-offs from the auto industry and some of them are 20 years old and seasoned so well they produce a great crispy crust with just a thin coat of vegetable oil.” Smokevitch says. He is quick to point out that the altitude is always a factor in proofing dough.
After proofing, Brown Dog par-bakes the pizza with the aged white cheddar around the edge of the pizza. “This sounds strange but the cheese acts like a glue against the wall of the pan so the dough doesn’t shrink when par-baked which, in-turn, enables me to get a fabulous blackened crust,” Smokevitch says.
The Detroit-style pizza is also different from other pan pizzas in that the toppings are put on the pizza under the layer of more cheese, usually a mozzarella and brick cheese blend. This is to keep flavors in the pizza and avoid charring when the pizza hits the 550 to 650 F oven for the final bake. Brown Dog puts the sauce on last that has been kept hot on a steam table so the pizza arrives at the table hot, for a finishing finale.
Pizza Romana
Bruno di Fabio
Re Napoli, Old Greenwich, Connecticut
Bruno di Fabio is the best pan pizza maker I know and he has the awards to back it up. His Pizza Romana is a specialty at Re Napoli and starts with a 20-year-old seasoned Sicilian pan made with a double-gauge steel measuring 17 inches by 11 inches.
His dough method is a very intricate “four-phase” rise. Bruno first uses flour with 14 percent protein and mixes a poolish with 100 percent hydration into a soupy consistency and then lets it sit at room temperature for 12 to 15 hours before adding 25 percent more flour to the poolish with yeast for a secondary rise at 80 F. Bruno then mixes in the rest of the flour (he wouldn’t tell me how much) with sugar, salt and Frantoio olive oil to a soft 55 percent hydration. It goes into his walk-in for a 48-degree cold-rise (he wouldn’t tell me how long). Now is time for the final phase that Bruno calls the “pan proof.” Using lots of Frantoio again in the pan, he pushes the dough into it gently and lets it sit atop his gas deck oven at 110 degrees for three hours, using another pan as a buffer to keep the dough from cooking. This pizza treatment, which he won with at the French World Pizza Championships, starts with a quick cook in his deck oven at 500 to 550 degrees until the dough just starts coloring. It is then taken out and topped
John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio. He is speaker at International Pizza Expo and a member of the World Pizza Champions.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
Sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens once said: “What garlic is to food, insanity is to art.” I’m so crazy about garlic that you can’t go three feet in my pizzeria without bumping into it.
Brown bags filled with local organic garlic hang in my walk-in waiting to be infused in bread or garlic pudding (read on — trust me).
I keep garlic scape pesto made from the springtime trimmings of the plants for use in my freezer. Five-pound tubs of raw, skinned garlic from California that costs approximately 12 cents an ounce sit chilling in my walk-in for roasting and eventual topping on pizzas. Our garlic butter is bought in one-gallon tubs for nine cents an ounce and the garlic powder we store at room temperature can be obtained in seven-pound tubs for 32 cents an ounce. This powder is used in almost all of our sauces, sausage, meatballs and even dipping sauces.
Last year I prepped and sold 1,695 pounds of purveyor-bought garlic for my specialty pies, single topping pizzas and calzones. I also used 184 pounds of local, organic garlic for my infused breads and artisan pizzas. But still, my ignorance of garlic reared its ugly head when I recently visited Rich Tomsu at his organic garlic farm in Shade, Ohio. I followed Rich through the woods before we came to a large field overgrown with waist-high weeds. Rich stopped in the tangle of high sharp brambles as the thorn stabbed at me. “So, how far is your garlic field?” I asked impatiently, slapping at a mosquito.
“Are you kidding me, John?” Rich chuckled in reply as he stopped. “We’ve been walking in it since the forest!” He started to guffaw loudly and doubled over in laugh-pain. After a few more minutes, he straightened and asked: “Dude, how long have you been familiar with garlic?”
“Ah, like 36 years.” I said meekly. “But I’ve never seen it grown in weeds.” Rich straightened and said: “John, we farm organically and don’t spray toxic chemicals.” Then he reached down and grasped a three-foot sugarcane-like weed stem from the earth. He pulled with very little effort and shoved it in my face. It was the largest garlic bulb I’d ever seen. “Elephant garlic?” I stated ignorantly. “No, this is called German Hardy,” he said proudly. “You won’t find this in any grocery store. The best garlic in the world only grows without chemicals.” That afternoon was an eye opening experience for me. Now I try to obtain organic garlic locally, but when I cannot, I try to at least buy from American growers.
There are so many ways to prepare garlic and, like the onion, this simple clove can be rendered into many forms, one recipe atop another. This is what I call “the mushroom cloud effect” or a compilation of ever-expanding recipes starting with one item and stepping it up a culinary ladder to Mount Scrumptious!
“Gnudi Patooties”
Yes, this is a real dork of a name but my customers love these at catered events. Don’t get frustrated if you mess the first one up, they get faster to make as you go. (Add one pepperoni for a more complex flavor profile if you want.)
1 9-ounce dough ball
1 cup shredded mozzarella/provolone-mix
½ cup pizza sauce
20 gnudi from recipe on page 38
1 cup egg wash (70 percent whipped eggs with 30 percent water)
Take a full sheet pan and place parchment on it. Roll out the dough ball thinly into as much of a square as possible. Cut 10 to 20 small 2½ x 2½ inch squares with a pizza cutter. Place five strands of cheese in the middle of each square. Dab a small dollop of pizza sauce the size of a dime on the cheese. Place the cooked gnudi on the pizza and top with five more strands of cheese.
Grab two corners from polar opposite sides and fold one atop the other. Repeat with the final two corners and press the dough on top to stick the corners together.
Eggwash the dough and place on the parchment. Cook at 475 F for six or seven minutes to a golden brown.
Roasted Garlic Cloves and Garlic-infused Oil
Let’s start our first date with you, some garlic cloves, oil, an old pizza pan and your oven ... and maybe a Barry White song for ambiance.
2 cups (14 ounces or about 135 cloves) raw, skinned garlic cloves (If they are small, use less time to cook.)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil or canola-olive oil blend
Pour garlic cloves into a pan and toss with half the oil. Cook in your conveyor or deck oven for 7 minutes at 475 degrees. Take out and toss the garlic again. It will start to color but still be hard. Pour the rest of the oil in the pan. Set aside for the garlic to cool.
After 15 minutes, toss again and cook for another 4 to 7 minutes. The garlic will now be golden brown and soft to the touch.
Separate the oil from the garlic using a colander with a bowl below it to catch the oil.
Uses: Reserve the garlic for bread dough, toppings or the garlic pudding, (recipe on page 39). Cool the oil to infuse any liquids, pizzas or breads with that great garlic taste.
The Garligula
This Tuscan gnudi and sausage pizza layers all the garlic recipes in this article together.
Form your own pizza dough and top with a thin sheen of your proprietary pizza sauce. Over the sauce, spread fresh spinach then dollop quartershaped splotches of garlic pudding (recipe on page 39) around the pie.
Place just enough mozzarella/provolone mix to barely cover. Place Italian sausage chunks, roasted red pepper strips and black olives around the pizza then place one gnudi (recipe on page 38) in the middle of what will become each slice in a spokewheel effect.
Before serving, drizzle with a little garlic oil. Enjoy warm but don’t talk to anyone too closely the rest of the day!
Garlic Pudding and Spinach Gnudi
In Tuscany, the love affair with pasta is more sublime than the rest of Italy. That’s probably why they came up with a pasta-less, or nude ravioli- “gnudi” (NU-dee). The classic gnudi is a combination of fresh, wilted spinach, ricotta, egg and breadcrumbs and formed into an egg or small disc shape. This is poached and then sautéed in brown butter with truffles and Parmesan. Our garlic pudding (recipe on page 39) will be the star in our gnudi today and we’ll take an unnoticeable shortcut by using thawed, frozen spinach.
3 cups garlic pudding (from recipe on page 39)
3 cups frozen spinach, thawed and pressed of all moisture
2½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons flour
½ tablespoon salt
¼ tablespoon pepper
4 whole eggs
Bring a pot of water to a boil. While the water heats, place garlic pudding, spinach, Parmesan, salt, pepper and flour in a large bowl. Add whipped eggs and mix. This should have the consistency of loose dough. Pull a tennis ball-sized dollop out and gently roll in flour into a cigar-shaped log measuring a quarter inch in diameter. Using a dough knife, cut into half-inch long pieces then dust with more flour. Each piece should weigh about one ounce. Form each into a football shape making sure they are firm.
Working in batches, load the gnudi into the boiling water with a slotted spoon and boil for three to four minutes or until they float. Remove and set aside to cool.
Uses: These can be held in your walk-in for up to a week and sautéed in butter with truffles or flavored oil. We’ve used them in two other recipes in this article!
Avalanche Garlic Pudding
2 cups roasted garlic cloves from recipe on page 35
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
Put all ingredients into a large, straight sided measuring bucket and blend with an immersion blender or food processor. Blend to make a pudding-like texture. No salt needed.
Uses: Use this pudding with stuffed breads topped with aged white cheddar or in calzones in place of ricotta. Dollop on pizza or as the garlic and spinach gnudi (recipe on page 38).
John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio. He is also a speaker at International Pizza Expo and a member of the World Pizza Champions.
In This Issue
Fox News recently counted down the world’s top five, biggest pizzas that are commercially available. Three U.S. pizzerias made the list.
The top five are:
1. Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria
Los Angeles, CA
54-inch x 54-inch
2. Il Colosseo
Sydney, Australia
70-inch x 70-inch pizza
3. The Pizza Machine
Gallatin, TN
60-inch pizza
4. Big Lou’s Pizza
San Antonio, TX
42-inch pizza
5. El Buono
Quezon City, Phillippines
65-inch pizza
To read the full article, click here.
Get PIZZA NEWS, visit PizzaToday.com
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Photos by Josh Keown
Imagine your customers ordering their pizza not by the inch –– but by the pound. And the goal? Getting them to polish it off in-house for a chance at t-shirts and cash but best of all, glory.
Such is the idea behind eating challenges popping up in restaurants across the country. Televised events, such as the Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food” and Nathan’s Famous July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest have made competitive eating a sport, and it’s one that our industry can –– and should be –– cashing in on.
At The Original Graziano’s Pizza in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Monster Pizza Challenge features two-and-a-half pounds of dough, one-and-a-half pounds of sauce, and two pounds each of mozzarella, meat and vegetables. That’s a whopping 10 pounds of pizza, and if two people conquer it in 45 minutes, they win the cost of the pizza, two free pizzas and t-shirts. The pizza is priced at $48 and runs a food cost of about 30 percent.
Owner Paul Otto says he came up with the idea about three-and-a-half years ago as a conversation topic for his guests “and something that would be sort of a ‘wow’ factor when people came in the restaurant,” Otto says. “We already had started serving this 24-inch extra-large, giant pizza on our menu, so we just thought, ‘Why don’t we double the size and make it over 10 pounds and make it a contest?’
“It has been a huge topic of interest and we have huge display on our wall of people who have tried it –– we have the Wall of Shame and the Wall of Fame.” Graziano’s created a logo and had signs made advertising the Monster Pizza Challenge and “anyone who comes in or out of the restaurant sees it,” Otto adds. “People just immediately got to that wall and say, ‘Wow! I can’t believe how big that pizza is! I can’t believe anyone can possibly eat it.’”
Only two teams out of more than 60 have been able to finish the challenge. “We encourage people to let us know in advance, especially if it’s going to be on a busy night, but if people want to just come in off the street, we’ll take care of them then and there,” Otto says –– including setting up a table and signs at the center of the restaurant, making an announcement and taking before and after photos. “We try to make a big deal out of it.”
Christopher Palmeri has owned The Naked City Pizza Shop in Las Vegas for less than a year and has been advertising the Frickin’ Huge Pizza Challenge for the last couple of months. Two competitors have just 30 minutes to devour one of the company’s signature Buffalo-style sheet 18½ by 24-inch sheet pans of pizza topped with at least four ingredients. He created the challenge, which he recently added to his Web site, as a result of customer demand.
“They’ve got a little disclaimer they have to sign and it’s got a list of toppings they can choose from,” Palmeri says. “Basically, everything when it’s laid out –– before its cooked –– weighs 10 pounds.” The pizza is priced at $37.50 and runs a 20- to 25-percent food cost, but winners receive commemorative shirt, recognition on an awards wall and the pizza for free. Only one team has completed the challenge at press time. “They completed it in 16 minutes,” Palmeri says. “It was pretty horrifying to watch.”
David Walton’s Fox’s Pizza Den in Athens, Georgia, sits in a college town, and Walton’s has had 11 teams try to best Fox’s The Big One Challenge, but to no avail. The 30-inch, three-topping hoss is cut into 52 slices and priced at $50 (without the challenge, it’s $39.99 for a cheese with $5 per additional topping). Depending on toppings added, the food cost is around $15. “Three people have up to 52 minutes to complete the entire pizza,” Walton says. “They have to eat everything, and they can’t take breaks.”
Winners receive t-shirts and spots on the “Wall of Fame.” Although no one has yet to finish, a couple of teams have gotten within five pieces of completion. Walton plans to take his competition one step further –– the first team to complete it will become the score to beat until there’s an eventual grand champion.
To market their contest, Graziano’s adds it to their fliers, boxtoppers and print materials. “That’s kind of our tagline –– ‘Home of the Monster Pizza Challenge.’ Says Otto: “We have a nice little logo drawn up, and we’ll put that on all of our advertisements, whether it’s print or e-mail. Most of the advertising is through word-of-mouth.” In April, Naked City’s Pizza Shop’s traffic began picking up thanks in part to additional information on its Web site and “I’m big into all the social media,” Palmeri says. “We use Twitter and Facebook a lot and we’re going to start using YouTube to start taking small videos of it.”
Fox’s has offered the 30-inch pizza since it opened, but the challenge was only added in the last few months. “We’ve added a Facebook page, and we’re marketing it as the biggest pizza in town,” Walton says. The pizza is available without undertaking the challenge, and Walton has done deal-of-the-day Web site offers to advertise the pizza. “That started creating some awareness for it.”
If you’re considering creating a challenge for your own operation, consider these tips:
Draft a waiver that releases you from liability. Create a list of rules and stick to them. “The biggest rule is that no one can get sick,” Otto says. “If you’re sick, you forfeit the challenge. It’s not supposed to be a gross-out fest!” Create a press release and submit it to Web sites that follow competitive eating as a sport. Otto says there are three or four Web sites that list eating contests in cities across the country.
Contact local news outlets, including television stations, newspapers and alternative magazines. “If you have the tools to do it, then do it,” Palmeri says. “It’s just another tool to get your pizzeria’s name out there, and that’s the struggle for any business.”
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is managing editor at Pizza Today.
In This Issue
Randy Hueffmeier started Randy’s Premier Pizza in 1986 and has been making some gargantuan pies ever since. He has also earned a handful of national and international pizza-making and spinning honors in the 25 years since opening his pizza shop.
Q: What is the Randy’s Pizza Challenge?
A: We actually have a total of nine challenges. The main three are: a 30-inch challenge (four people have 30 minutes to eat a two-topping pizza, one of which needs to be a meat — and if they eat it in 30 minutes or less, they receive free t-shirts and the pizza is free); a 36-inch challenge that is the same thing, but with five people; and a 48-inch pizza challenge is nine people … With each of those, there are money challenges, as well. So for the 30-inch, (the) standard is four people … if two people eat it, it’s $500; if one person eats it, it’s $1,000. With the 36 and the 48, there are two money challenges, as well.
Q: How much product is used for the 48-inch pizza, and what are its food costs?
A: It starts with about a 12-pound dough ball. There is about three-quarters of a gallon of sauce, 70 ounces of sausage, 16 and a half pounds of cheese, and I would venture to say about 1,000 pepperonis. The food cost … I suggest, at least, you need to get the same price as you are getting for your regular pizzas — so my food cost runs right around 25 percent.
Q: What are your most successful ways to market the challenge?
A: If you get this out there to birthday parties, to anywhere people are, the pizza will market itself. It will take on a life all of its own. You just have to get it out there in front of people. On the radio stations, try to set something up just like little events in your local community and get your paper involved.
Q: Modifications were made to your deck oven. How did you accommodate such large pizzas?
A: I can get two 30-inches in my pizza oven at one time. The 36-inch isn’t bad because it’s the size of my oven. For the 48-inch, I had to make an extension for it to be able to accommodate the larger size. It’s an extension that comes out to cover the door.
Q: How do you hand toss a 12-pound dough ball?
A: You know, very carefully. I can toss the 30-inch up in the air and flip that. The 36-inch, I can do that as well. The 48-inch, I can only toss it so far. It’s a lot of weight and then I have to work it on the table to hand stretch the edges. I just keep working it until I get it big enough.
In This Issue
By maintaining regularity in paying the monthly installments regularly. The longer you keep the money, but it is really a brief phrase, brief payoff period of time.
Feel free to visit my page:loan consolidation
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People love bacon, right? What’s not to love? Let’s give them what they want. Here are five bacon pizza recipes to test in your pizzeria:
California BLTTo explore more pizza recipes from PizzaToday.com, click here.
A popular sandwich made pizza style with an Alfredo base, bacon, mozzarella and white cheddar cheese, California tomatoes, romaine lettuce, Italian vinaigrette and Parmesan.
Click here for the full recipe.
British Bacon Potato, Onion & Gorgonzola Pizza
A comfort food delight topped with bacon, roasted potato slices, onions, Gorgonzola and mozzarella, apples, toasted walnuts, spinach and a sweet vinaigrette.
Click here for the full recipe.
Bacon & Spinach Pizza
A simple pie featuring bacon, mozzarella and provolone cheese, plum tomatoes, baby spinach leaves, olive oil, garlic and pine nuts
Click here for the full recipe.
All Meat Pizza
This meat lovers dream combines bacon with ham, pepperoni, Italian sausage, red sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan
Click here for the full recipe.
Chicken Bacon Ranch
A potential top seller is made with bacon, breaded chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella and buttermilk ranch dressing
Click here for the full recipe.
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Bacon is back. In the past few months I have come across no fewer than seven food articles in which bacon played either a main role or a supporting role in various dishes. Talk about pigging out. Did you know that there was a “Bacon of the Month Club?” Now you do.
And have you heard about the “Bacon Explosion?” Two pounds of bacon get woven through and around two pounds of Italian sausage, the whole of which is slathered in barbecue sauce. Talk about going whole hog.
Bacon is loaded with flavor (“everything tastes better with bacon” is pushing the envelope, but there is some truth there), so it does have a place in many dishes and styles of food. And to expand the possibilities, consider using pancetta. The Italian version of bacon, pancetta is a cured — but not smoked — pork product that should be considered when working up dishes where the idea of pork has merit. One example would be a PLT, or pancetta, lettuce and tomato panini. Buy baby pancetta (it is sold rolled and has the shape of, say, capicolla or salami). Slice it thin, crisp it in a saute pan and use the whole round slices to make a great panini.
I am also in favor of using bacon (or pancetta) in pasta dishes. For example, one of the tastiest pasta dishes around is spaghetti carbonara. Spaghetti carbonara uses just a few ingredients – cooked bacon (or pancetta), grated Parmesan, eggs, black pepper –that when tossed with the cooked pasta makes quite an amazing and delicious dish.
And don’t forget that bacon can be used quite effectively in a salad. For example, combine fresh spinach with crisp bacon, tomatoes, and slices of hard-boiled eggs. A balsamic vinaigrette dressing completes this delicious salad.
Cooking bacon is a no-brainer, but the simplest and easiest method is to microwave it. You can prep a whole lot of bacon in a short amount of time this way. If you do that, be sure to keep the cooked bacon in the cooler or prep table (covered). Even though it is cooked, bacon can go over the hill real fast, so I recommend you not cook more than you need for, say, four days.
On the other hand, if you need the fat that is rendered from the cooking of the bacon, use a saute pan and fry away. Or lay the bacon on a sheet pan and cook it in the deck oven (conveyor oven works too, but the grease splatters really do a number on the oven). There is also the possibility of deep-frying the bacon, should you want it extra crisp to use, say, as crumbles on a salad. The deep-frying does take most of the fat out, which you can take two ways: healthier, but with a loss of flavor.
So there’s an idea, thinking about that “Pork Explosion.” What about the possibility of using bacon and Italian sausage together as a pizza topping. Got a name for it? No. I do. “Pork Pie.”
Pork (Pizza) Pie
I have to admit right up front that this pizza is not low on calories or fat, but when it comes to flavor there is nothing quite like it.
Makes one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
10 ounces ground pork
2 teaspoons ground fennel
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
6 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, then chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces ground tomatoes or tomato puree
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
Spread the mozzarella over the crust up to 1/2-inch of the edge.
Mix the ground pork with the fennel, salt, pepper and press into a patty that is about 12-inches in diameter (in other words, very thin). Put the pork patty on top of the cheese.
Sprinkle the cooked and chopped bacon over the pork. Ladle on the tomatoes. Sprinkle the Romano cheese evenly over the tomatoes. Bake.
Bacon and Spinach Pizza
You will note that in this recipe I use the half-and-half cheese method – half the cheese directly on the crust, then add the toppings and finish with the remaining cheese. No tomatoes are used on this pizza. This method gives the pizza a lot more eye appeal since the toppings are visible. This pizza falls into the “Signature” category of pizzas. In other words, because it is made with premium ingredients you can charge a bit more. Your customers will agree, once they have had a slice or two, that this pizza is worth an extra buck or two.
Makes one 12-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 12-inch pizza shell
1/4 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and broken into pieces
8 ounces 50/50 blend mozzarella and provolone
½ pound (about) fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, sliced
10-12 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Spread half the cheese blend over the rolled out crust. Sprinkle the cooked bacon over the cheese.
Lay the sliced fresh tomatoes evenly over the cheese.
Spread the spinach leaves evenly over the bacon and tomatoes.
Drizzle the olive oil over the spinach, followed by the chopped fresh garlic.
Sprinkle on the remaining 4 ounces of cheese, followed by the toasted pine nuts.
Bake.
Canadian bacon is not bacon at all –– it is ham. Canadian bacon is made from the ribeye of the pork loin (eye of the loin). In the United States, pork belly becomes the cut most often used to make Canadian bacon. In Canada, Canadian bacon is known as "back bacon."
I am aware of the fact that a number of pizzerias list Canadian bacon as an optional topping, but, unfortunately, that is where it comes to a screeching halt, and it shouldn't. There are many ways to use Canadian bacon, as you will see from the recipes that follow. So if you are already using Canadian bacon in your operation, explore using it even more.
The basic idea behind all of this is that you can and should use Canadian bacon as you would ham. When I was doing work in Spain and Mexico, one of the best selling pizzas was a Hawaiian pizza. The combination of ham and pineapple is highly favored in Latin countries: smoky meets tangy sweet, and that result equals real enjoyment.
At first, the idea of pineapple in conjunction with a tomato-based pizza sauce seems a bit strange, but it works quite nicely. However, if you are not tuned into the Hawaiian pizza (ham and pineapple) idea, try the recipes that follow where Canadian bacon is used in a number of delicious ways.
A few thoughts:
• When using pineapple to make a Hawaiian pizza, use pineapple chunks, not slices. Slices might look better on the pizza, but normal slicing of the baked pizza poses problems (the pineapple slices tends to slide hither and yon, and some slices might end up with a big portion of pineapple, while other slices get short shrift).
• When using Canadian bacon as a topping, slices (depending on size) can be put on whole. However, by dicing the bacon, or cutting the slices into quarters, you will get more coverage overall.
• Hawaiian pizza made with a 14-inch pizza shell will require about 6 to 8 ounces of Canadian bacon, and 8 to 10 ounces of pineapple chunks. Try the following recipe. The idea here is put the pineapple chunks on top of the cheese, not buried underneath the cheese. This allows the heat of the oven to give the pineapple a slightly charred look, which enhances the flavor tremendously. It is not that we want the pineapple to glaze, since that would require it being basted (or sautéed) with sugar; instead, we want the pineapple to be heated through to enhance its sweet and smoky flavors. Experiment with different size pineapple chunks until you get to where you want to be.
Hawaiian Pizza
14-inch pizza shell
6 ounces seasoned pizza sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
6 ounces Canadian bacon, diced or sliced
8 ounces pineapple chunk
Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella. Add the Canadian bacon followed by the pineapple chunks. Bake.
Canadian Bacon Pizza with Spinach & Mushrooms
14-inch pizza shell
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces coarsely chopped Canadian bacon
8 ounces domestic mushrooms, sliced about 1/8-inch thick
4 ounces fresh baby spinach
6 ounces seasoned pizza sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
2 ounces grated Parmesan
Basic Prep (can be held one day): In a sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and sauté only until the bacon begins to take on a light crisp.
Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms lose most of their moisture and begin to firm up.
Add the spinach leaves and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the leaves just begin to wilt.
• Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the crust. Add the reserved spinach and Canadian bacon mixture. Add the mozzarella and the Parmesan. Bake.
CB& Frittata Panini
Yield: 4 large panini
This tasty panini is easy to make and quite delicious. Once the frittata has been made, it can be held for 2-3 hours at room temperature. To order, the panini is assembled and put in the panini press. Also, the frittata part can be made ahead and put in the cooler and stored covered for up to 3 days.
To make the frittata
8 extra-large eggs
4 tablespoons skim milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 ounces diced Canadian bacon
1/2 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
1/2 cup diced Roma or plum tomatoes
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella and provolone blend
8 slices panini-style bread*
In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, skim milk, and mustard. Whisk to blend. Add the Canadian bacon, bell peppers, tomatoes and cheese blend. Stir well to combine the ingredients.
Pour the egg mixture into a lightly greased (or sprayed) baking pan that measures about 9 inches x 9 inches. Bake in a 375 F oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the eggs are set and there is firmness to the frittata when pressed with your finger.
Allow the frittata to cool for about 20 minutes. Turn it out of the pan and cut into 4 equal squares. Place each square between two slices of panini-style bread. Put the sandwich into a panini press to toast the bread. If you don't have a panini press, toast the bread in the oven.
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Chicago Weekly recently reported that a debate has stirred on the south side over which is better — thin or deep dish? One south side chef has even referred to the Chicago deep-dish as a pizza for tourists.
In actuality, Chicago stakes claim to three styles:
CHICAGO THICK
Essentially a casserole of delicious ingredients, Chicago-style pies are hearty and filling.CHICAGO THIN
Also called tavern-style pizza, these pies typically feature a crispy crust. Also, they’re quite often cut into squares.
DISH DEEP
It’s a close cousin to the Chicago stuffed pie, the obvious difference being that all the toppings are placed on the top and there is only one layer of dough. Deep-dish pizza is sometimes cut into wedges, sometimes cut into square slices.
In the end, the battle over favorites all boils down to which hungry diners enjoy. Chicago thick, thin and deep-dish have all demonstrated staying power with long histories of serving greater Chicago and reaching far beyond its city limits.
To read the Chicago Weekly story, click here.
More Related Articles
Photos By Josh Keown
Nothing says Chicago like deep-dish pizza. This unique pie stands out with a crisp, biscuit-like crust that comes up the sides of a three- inch pan. it’s thick with cheese and other ingredients, and then topped with a chunky tomato sauce and baked for 30 to 45 minutes. Chicago is heavy with pizzerias that offer this iconic pie with both locals and tour- ists proclaiming loyalty to their favorites. but does it play outside of the windy City? The answer is yes, but in this global market of savvy customers, authenticity is the name of the game.
In 1943, Ike Sewell created Chicago-style deep-dish pizza and opened Pizzeria Uno in down- town Chicago. The concept later morphed into Uno Chicago grill, and now, 69 years later, boasts 136 domestic units in 24 states. “Customer expectations are high with deep dish,” says Chris Gatto, vice president of food and beverage and corporate executive chef for this boston-based chain. “They have an expectation of what Chicago-style pizza tastes like, and they expect a consistently great product every time they order it. we invented this pizza and we take a lot of pride in its authenticity.”
Authentic Chicago-style pizza dough contains quite a bit of oil, says Gatto. “you need that oil because the dough bakes for such a long time in the oven,” he says. “it almost fries, giving you that crispy, buttery texture that you want. remember, it’s not being baked on the oven deck. it’s in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, so it needs that fat to get crisp.” Gatto also says oiling the deep-dish pan is important. The pie cooks in a 400 to 450 F oven.
The popular Number ono build at Uno’s Chicago grill sees mozzarella topped with sausage, peppers, onion, mushrooms and pepperoni, then finished with a bit of mozzarella and romano. Another best-selling pie is the Chicago Classic, which features crumbled sausage, mozzarella and romano. “our pizzas are hand-craft- ed. we shred our own mozzarella. we do everything in the back of house,” says gatto.
Although classic pies still rule, Uno’s has innovated within the Chicago-style pizza category,featuring such pizzas as its Farmers Market Pie, which stars caramelized onion, spin- ach, sun-dried tomato, plum tomato, roasted eggplant, pesto, and a blend of feta, mozzarella and romano. And in October 2011, the chain rolled out a nine-grain deep-dish pizza crust as a more wholesome option for diners. “Deep dish crust is sacred,” says Gatto. “how do we make it better-for-you and still taste really good? we think we answered that with this crust.” The whole wheat/ brown-rice flour dough boasts: rye flakes, sunflower kernels, yellow- corn grits, barley flakes, flax seeds, soy grits, tritcale flakes, millet seed and oak flakes. it makes up 10 to 15 percent of pizza orders.
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria boasts a rich tradition in Chicago, too. The first one opened in 1973 and it now has 34 throughout the Chicagoland area. “Authentic Chicago-style deep dish is meant to be a meal, not a snack. it’s almost like a casserole with all the flavors melding together,” says Jim D’Angelo, chief operating officer of Lou’s. “The crust has to be firm enough to hold everything, but flaky and crisp. And when we add meat to the pizza, it’s not dotted on the pizza. it’s a heavy amount of meat. Finally, the sauce has to be a chunky tomato sauce.” Lou’s offers both a regular crust and its signature buttercrust.™ “sausage is king in Chicago, but the Lou does really well, too,” he says. That vegetarian pie features fresh spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and a blend of mozzarella, romano and cheddar.
Operational challenges shouldn’t be overlooked, he advises. “we’re in a microwave-minute kind of a world,” says D’Angelo. “The biggest challenge is getting your customer to understand that these pizzas take at least 30 minutes to bake. we try to train them to pre-order, so they’re only wait- ing 10 minutes instead of 30.” baking a pie for that long requires a level of artistry, says D’Angelo. indeed, working the oven is reserved only for experienced cooks at Lou’s. “The human element is a big part of Chicago-style pizzas,” he says. “you need to know when to rotate or move the pizza to get it to cook evenly and cook off some of the moisture from the ingredients.” Fresh vegetables on pizzas, which cook for a long time in the ovens, throw off a lot of moisture that needs to evaporate. “our oven guys need skill and experi- ence to know how to bake these so they turn out beautifully every time,” says D’Angelo.
Tony Manzella, owner of Tony’s Little italy in Placentia, California, includes Chicago-style pizza in his repertoire. in fact, Tony’s was located in Chicago back in the 70’s, but he transported the busi-ness to the west Coast, lured by sunnier weather. “i have customers who fly in from Chicago to get my Chicago-style pizza,” he says. “i’ve been making pizza since i was 14 years old. i take a lot of pride in my pizza.” The best-selling pie at this 27-seat shop is the Tony special, featuring sausage, green pepper, mush- room and onion. Toppings include the traditional pepperoni and mushrooms, but perhaps influenced by location, diners can also choose from artichokes, chicken and jalapeño. “The secret to authentic Chicago-style pizza is in the dough, in the sauce,” Manzella says.
“but i can’t give away my secrets.”
CHICAGO'S OTHER LEGACY: STUFFED PIZZA
Stuffed pizza is deep-dish pizza’s much younger sister. While deep-dish was invented in the 1940s, stuffed pizza made its debut in the early 1970s. Based loosely on the traditional Scarciedda, or Easter pie, made in Turin, Italy, it sports a flakier, milder crust than deep dish. It also stuffs even more cheese into the pan than a deep-dish pie and then adds a thin crust over the cheese, sandwiching it, essentially, then finishes with tomato sauce. Chicago stuffed pizza has its own loyal following, with locals debating over which stuffed pie reins supreme. Chicago contenders include Nancy’s Pizza, Giorda- no’s Famous Stuffed Pizza and Edwardo’s Natural Pizza.
Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. she’s based in Naperville, Illinois.
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Photos by Josh Keown & Rick Daugherty
NEAPOLITAN PIZZA
The original. The standard by which all other pizzas are judged.
A Neapolitan pizza is defined by the ingredients used to make it and the way it is cooked. Special flour, tomatoes and cheeses must be used to qualify as Neapolitan. Additionally, these pizzas must be cooked in wood-burning ovens.
The hallmarks of a Neapolitan pie are easy to see: charred crust, sparse topping application, a raised border.
SICILIAN
Photo by Rick Daugherty
Many similar styles exist throughout the country. In the Midwest, for
example, deep-dish pizza is prominent. The differences between a pan pizza and a Sicilian pie can be subtle.
The trademark of a Sicilian is that it is baked in a rectangular pan and cut into squares. Some places throughout the U.S. serve Sicilian-style pizza by the slice, but it’s more common to see these offered only as whole pies.
ROMAN
Photo by Josh Keown
Its thin crust and oblong shape immediately distinguishes a Roman pizza from other styles. Sometimes these pizzas are sold by weight or by the meter, which is certainly unique (and rare) here in the U.S.
NEW YORK
Photo by Josh Keown
The most imitated style of pizza in the United States.
New York-style pizzas feature oversized, foldable slices that can be eaten on the go.
A raised border and thin center are indentifying markers that prove New York pizza evolved from its Neapolitan forerunner.
The first licensed pizzeria in the U.S., Lombardi’s, opened in New York City in 1905. Pizza has been a national hit ever since.
NEW HAVEN
Photo by Rick Daugherty
Another pizza style that evolved from Neapolitan and New York roots, with noticeable variations.
New Haven-style pizzas are thin, crispy and oval shaped. Since they are always hand formed, no two are ever quite alike, and that’s the beauty of it.
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria owner Bill Jacobs, our 2011 Independent of the Year, does a nice job of breaking down New Haven “apizza” in his article that begins on page 12.
TOMATO TRENTON
Photo by Josh Keown
In Trenton, New Jersey, folks don’t go out for pizza. They go out for “tomato pies.”
The obvious hallmark of this style is that the sauce goes on top of the cheese (some customers prefer the pies with no cheese at all, as seen in this photo).
While not a common style throughout the U.S., tomato pies certainly have a rabid fan base in Jersey.
CHICAGO THICK
Photo by Josh Keown
Chicago is home to many styles of pizza, but none is as well known as the deep-dish, stuffed variety.
Essentially a casserole of delicious ingredients, Chicago-style pies are hearty and filling. It’s no wonder plenty of Windy City tourists don’t leave town without trying an authentic version for themselves.
CHICAGO THIN
Photo by Josh Keown
While most people think of deep, stuffed pizzas when Chicago-style pies are mentioned, the fact of the matter is that there are plenty of pizzerias in the Windy City that only serve thin-crust pizza.
Also called tavern-style pizza, these pies typically feature a crispy crust. Also, they’re quite often cut into squares.
DETROIT
Photo by Rick Daugherty
Deep, oiled squarish pans are used to bake these beauties, which are closely related to Sicilian and “Italian bakery” style pizzas.
Though not always, Detroit-style pizzas sometimes are twice baked to achieve a crispy finished texture.
TRADITIONAL AMERICAN
(no image)
Photo by Josh Keown
The most common style of pizza in the U.S. Though based on New York-style pizza, these pies can be hand-tossed, hand formed on the make line or even put through a pizza press.
They feature the raised border reminiscent of New York pizza, but are typically just a little thicker throughout and often utilize more cheese.
DISH DEEP
Photo by Josh Keown
Particularly popular in the Midwest, this style of pizza speaks for itself. It’s a close cousin to the Chicago stuffed pie, the obvious difference being that all the toppings are placed on the top and there is only one layer of dough.
Deep-dish pizza is sometimes cut into wedges, sometimes cut into square slices.
CALIFORNIA ARTISAN
Photo by Rick Daugherty
Typically, these pizzas have either a Neapolitan or New York-style crust as the foundation. The focus on these pizzas? Freshness and creativity.
California artisan or gourmet pizzas utilize a range of ingredients and toppings. Nothing is off limits as establishments that serve this style continue to push the envelope and experiment with
local produce, exotic meats or alternative sauces.
GRANDMA — These pizzas originated on Long Island and really haven’t spread outside of New York. Think of a thin crust version of a Sicilian pie.
Here are a handful of other styles that you may or may not have heard of:
Grilled Pizza — A specialty of Providence, Rhode Island, and a newfound favorite of adventerous home cooks everywhere. This thin-crusted pizza is cooked exactly as its name implies — on the grill.
Old Forge — A cousin of the Sicilian style, albeit a little thinner. Like Sicilian, cut into squares.
St. Louis — What makes this pizza unique is the cheese blend: provolone, swiss, white cheddar. That’s right, no mozz! Beyond that, this is essentially a Midwest thin-crust pizza.
To view videos on how to make many of the pizzas featured in this special issue, visit The Video Gallery at PizzaToday.com
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What's your take on Chicago-style?
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Photo by Josh Keown
Two decades ago, America was largely intimidated by wine. Snobs drank it. Even worse, they swished it around, spit it into a bucket and then talked about it in unappealing and difficult-to-understand terms like “flinty” or “grassy.” What normal, everyday Joe wanted to drink grass?
Since wine was an unknown and perceived as expensive, it was feared. Forget that it is grape juice at its heart — it was just too, well, sophisticated for the pizza crowd.
Times changed, however, as times always do. A number of factors worked in unison to broaden wine’s appeal: the industry’s marketers, for example, realized the need to make the product more accessible; food-centric shows on television encouraged people to expand their palates and restaurants identified the value in the additional revenue stream.
Fast forward to today and there are tens-of-thousands of pizzerias across the country that menu wine. In fact, our most recent research shows that 38 percent of American pizzerias — more than 26,000 pizza restaurants — serve vino. How can they all be wrong when it comes to wine’s appeal? They can’t, says Taylor McNeely, a pizzeria bar manager in Indianapolis.
"Wine is a profit driver for us,” she says. “We sell a lot of it and it is one of our biggest money-maker items.”
McNeely offers wine by the bottle and by the glass, but also has found success with flights.
“They’re good because it encourages people to try new things. It helps them branch out a little,” she explains. “A customer may come in with a pre-conceived notion that, ‘I don’t like chardonnay or I don’t like big, bold reds. But just because you may not like Chianti does not mean you won’t like another red, like a Barbera or something else. One red might be spicy, while another might be fruity. There are just so many variances from each variety and even within the same variety from different labels. You have to open yourself up to trying new things, and the flights help that out a little bit. You’re not putting all your eggs into one basket, so to speak. You aren’t spending $18 on a bottle or $7 on a glass of something only to discover that you don’t like it. It’s a very non-commital way of learning, of discovering what you might like.”
At Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria in Seattle, a well-established wine program is one of the hallmark’s of the company’s success. Tutta Bella was named our 2010 Independent of the year. Owner Joe Fugere likes to keep offerings fresh and examines the wine list with a critical eye at least twice a year. Typically, the company’s wine offerings experience a facelift every six months. With wine representing close to 20 percent of overall sales at Tutta Bella, Fugere must be on to something.
Jenny Fleece, a longtime spirits manager who is working to open her first pizzeria in Bethesda, Maryland this summer, says she plans to follow a similar strategy.
“I like to turn wines over in late spring, just before summer, and again in late autumn, just before winter,” she says. “Sometimes, like during the hot months, people may gravitate to some lighter, more refreshing whites. They tend to opt for some heavier reds later in the year. While you seek balance, you want to turn the list over when necessary to make sure you’re offering what will sell the best at any given time.”
Often, what sells is largely dependent on the service staff. A knowledgeable crew that has been well-trained on wine and food pairings can make helpful suggestions to customers, translating into better wine sales. It doesn’t take a full-time sommelier, either. Today’s educational opportunities are abundant. Jason Crum, a bartender at Joey’s in Houston, says vendors can be excellent resources.
“Your wine reps are more than just sales people,” he says. “A good one cares about your business, because your success is his success. A good one is knowledgeable about the products he sells and can be a great point of contact when it comes to learning more about wines and how to best pair them with pizza or Italian food.”
Crum says his wine distributor makes it a point to keep him up to date on the latest trends and pairings.
“He comes in periodically and gives the bar staff and wait staff crash courses on the different wine options we carry,” explains Crum. “He talks about the grapes, the region they’re grown in, what the climate and soil is like. He talks about the process and how that relates to what you taste when you lift the glass and the juice hits your taste buds.”
Sometimes, it’s about story telling. The details of the story enrich the customer experience and make the customer-server connection a more meaningful one.
“After you tell the story,” says Crum, “the sale is easier. It’s not a transaction; it’s an experience.”
If you are looking for some good wine and pizza pairings, let us help you get started. While many people think Chianti when they think of Italian food, there’s no reason to paint yourself into a corner. Let’s face it, a bottle of Chianti in a wicker basket next to a plate of spaghetti and meatballs is about as cliché as it gets. Don’t limit your selection to Italian labels. Quality wines from America, France, Australia and South America, to name a few, will get the job done as well.
Take a German Riesling, for instance: its sweetness and mellow attitude makes an excellent accompaniment to a spicy sausage and pepper pizza. If you’re looking for an across-the-board all-star to pair with red-sauce pizza in general, then look to a Barbera. A Moscato can be tapped for desserts, while the properly balanced Red Zinfindel is exquisite with a meatlover’s pie.
“A wine list should express some diversity,” says McNeely. “Variety is the spice of life.”
Jeremy White is Editor-in-Chief at Pizza Today.
In This Issue
Photo by Josh Keown
Depending on how you look at it, this is either a horrible or a fantastic time in the pizza industry — the entire restaurant industry, really.
Just like our nation has divided into political polar opposites, the pizza segment has separated into two basic categories: cheap pizza and fantastic pizza. No-limit $5 medium pies or $15 personal-size artisan pies. Gut fillers and “Wow!” experiences.
Where does your pizza fit in?
Every day I hear of new pizzerias opening all over America with the simple mission of making great pizza the Old World way: with wood, coal or standard gas-fired deck ovens. The foundation starts with delicious dough, simple, fresh ingredients and real skill.
Despite the largest portion of the pizza segment dedicating itself to selling the least expensive product, newcomers to pizza are pursuing their passion to create the perfect pie and backing it with blood, sweat and bank notes.
What once was old is new again, and customers are catching on. Not only do they “get it” when they taste a well-made pizza, they understand the passion put into it by dedicated pizza makers. They appreciate seeing someone put so much time, energy and effort into their meal, and they don’t mind paying a steep price for it.
And yet, amid what seems to be a never-ending recovery from the recession, I see more operators than ever giving into the temptation of catering to bargain hunters. I call it the “creep toward cheap.” Despite getting into this business because they wanted to make pizza, they’re focused more on making dollars than dough. Truly great pizza is a matter of the heart and hands. Making money is a byproduct — albeit a very good one if you’ve done the first part correctly.
Trust me, I understand what drives operators to switch from quality to cheap in hopes of raising sales. I’ve got six kids — two out of the house, four coming and going depending on where they are in their education and what favors they need from me and my wife. I know the stress and strain of putting food on the table, and I know how that consumes your mind when you’re fighting to keep your business in the black.
But what’s inarguable is the opportunity you’re missing if you just “go cheap” in an effort to survive. The restaurant segment is finally waking up to the fact that customers love not only really good food, they love the experience that should come with it. If they get both, not only are they willing to pay a little more for it — sometimes substantially more — they’ll even wait for it without fussing.
An example: Anybody notice how many “better burger” places have popped up over the last 10 years? The epitome of this explosion is Five Guys Burgers and Fries, which has more than 700 units and is adding another 100 every year. Working from a minimalist menu and selling the most ubiquitous sandwich in America, this simple concept posts annual per-store sales averages of $1.2 million.
The story of the company’s founders is similar to many others who have figured out that our business should be about really good food first. They knew customers were tired of generic, tasteless, dollar-menu burgers that spent more time in a microwave than on a grill that actually caramelizes meat. They knew customers wanted burgers cooked to order and served with fresh toppings and that they’d not mind waiting a few minutes to get it. They knew they didn’t have to reinvent the wheel to do it — they only had to go back and look at the original wheel (any of a thousand mom-and-pop diners that have always made good burgers) and build on that.
Of course, the same thing is happening in pizza. Nearly daily I hear of a new wood- or coal-fired pizzeria opening up somewhere in America. Maybe it’s a call from a friend who knows the guy or gal starting out, and they usually say about the same thing: “She’d gone to Italy, had that kind of pizza and wanted to do it here,” or “He spent a week in New York, wondered where such good pizza had been all his life, and now he wants to do it himself.”
Notice those two statements contain nothing about money. You don’t hear, “He saw this guy in Dallas selling pizzas for $16 apiece and thought, ‘Hell, I can do that and make some cash!’” What’s motivating these people to open pizzerias is the pursuit of great pizza.
The best example of this I’ve encountered is Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco. Two of its three owners are pizza makers: Tony Gemignani and Bruno Di Fabio. Both got their start in the business making high-quality pizzas, but after traveling to Italy for various competitions, both got hooked on Old World pies and set out to open a spot in 2009 that uses four completely different ovens to make five different crust types.
When I first heard they were planning this, I thought it so audacious I wondered if it were ego translating into overkill. But after enrolling as a student at their place last year, I recognized it as pure genius. Both men not only understand their customers’ desire for a pizza experience centered on handmade food, but they also very wisely meet modern desires for variety by creating pizzas for wood-fired ovens and American and Italian stone deck ovens. (By the way, last I checked, Tony’s weekly average sales were in the $80,000 range … and the shop is open just five days a week!)
After returning from that visit to Tony’s last year, I had a bit of an epiphany: many pizza makers could do something similar in their own shops. In the months since, I’ve helped some clients add a deck oven to their conveyor oven configuration — just stacked it right on top like you would another conveyor — to allow them to add more traditional deck-baked crust(s) to their menu. With that simple change, as well as a reformulated dough recipe for the deck, you can change an ordinary shop from a pizza production facility to a place where pizza is baked by humans.
Mind you, I have no objections to using conveyor ovens. I love them. They’re fantastic, consistent and arguably the key to why pizza chains exploded throughout the U.S. in the first place. But the difference between a crust baked directly on a screaming hot hearth and a crust browned on a screen over forced hot air is profound, not to mention delectable.
The simple addition of a deck oven to an operation presents incredible opportunities for menu expansion, not to mention the furthering of a pizza maker’s skill. Except for wood- or coal-fired styles, a deck oven presents multiple opportunities to bake and sell several different crust styles that add that crucial variety customers want.
Is it more labor intensive to do this? Yes. It will require new dough and new skills. (Not only do Gemignani and Di Fabio operate the International School of Pizza at their San Francisco shop, Gemignani teaches special dough making sessions every year at International Pizza Expo.) But let’s be honest, good pizza takes work; cheap pizza … not so much. And that’s why it’s hardly worth the $5.99 customers are paying for it.
A change like this means raising the bar on your pizza and pushing yourself to do something new by reaching back to the pizza traditions of old. It likely means getting out of your shop and finding out what good pizza really is and relying on your pizza peers for information on how to do it.
It also could require you to stop merely making a living in order to revisit the joy of making pizza for a living. In the past two decades, too many people got into the business looking solely for ROI. But in the past several years, a new group has joined the ranks out of a passion to make great food and create an experience for their patrons. If you can create both in your shop, you’ll forever lose the temptation to “compete cheap” — because your sales will show you it’s not necessary.
Big Dave Ostrander owned a highly successful independent pizzeria before becoming a consultant, speaker and internationally sought-after trainer. He is a monthly contributor to Pizza Today and leads seminars on operational topics for International Pizza Expo.
In This Issue
While pepperoni and sausage will always remain top sellers, operators have a wide variety of gourmet Italian meats to beef up their menus. Serving capocollo will differentiate your operation from the competition. Similar to ham and prosciutto, capocollo is a traditional dry-cured Italian salami made from pork shoulder or neck. (Ham and prosciutto are derived from different pig parts.) To prepare, capocollo is seasoned, soaked in brine and then salted and stuffed into a casing, where it is hung up to cure. It is usually sliced thin and used as a pizza topping or in sandwiches such as muffulettas and panini. Capocollo comes in hot and sweet versions and is beloved for its distinct flavor and tender, fatty texture.
The decision to add capocollo to Tulio’s pizzas came easy to Pisano. “I loved it growing up; it’s my favorite Italian meat –– especially the spicy one –– and I knew putting it on a pizza was an easy way to incorporate it into my menu,” he says.
Pisano’s favorite capocollo usage is paired with agro dolce (sweet and sour) onions, Bel Paese cheese and black pepper. In addition, he has baked up pizzas with capocollo, balsamic braised radicchio and fontina; and capocollo, asparagus and buffalo mozzarella. He’s even grilled pizza topped with capocollo, melon, Parmesan, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
He says the food cost ranges anywhere from $9.24 to $15 per pound, which is not much different than the cost for ham or prosciutto. “The nice thing is that a little goes a long way,” says Pisano. “Flavor wise, it’s a fattier meat, so there’s a great taste in every bite. Plus the texture is different than a pepperoni or sausage and that adds to the flavor and quality of the pizza too.”
Paul Hamilton, proprietor of PW Pizza in St. Louis, Missouri, also choose capocollo for its rich flavor and high-quality reputation. He places locally produced Volpi capocollo on the Yo Pauly pizza, which is topped with red sauce, hard salami, capocollo, sundried tomatoes, pepperoncini, roasted garlic and mozzarella. Capocollo is also included as a “Build Your Own” pizza ingredient and placed in the hot Italian sandwich.
Hamilton finds the cost of capocollo slightly less than prosciutto and significantly more than ham (which they do not offer). The “Yo Pauly” has a 32-percent food cost, which is the highest cost pizza sold. Hamilton says it’s worth it. “We keep a very careful eye on portion control,” he says.
The only downside, Hamilton believes, is that capocollo can be oily. “We make sure that the guest knows this ahead of time,” he says. “In the end, it really enhances pizza with its robust spicy flavor.”
Capocollo also fits well on the menu at ESTATE in Sonoma, California. “First, it is housemade and represents our goal to be involved with production of as many ingredients as possible. Two, it is delicious. Three, its versatility makes it a rare ingredient that can be used in so many fashions or simply on its own,” explains John Toulze, managing partner/executive chef.
Toulze’s favorite capocollo pizza pairings includes a simple Quattro fromagio pizza with roasted pears where he places thinly sliced capocollo on the pizza immediately after baking. The other is a red sauce-based pizza with chiles, broccoli rabe and capocollo that is cooked with the other toppings.
“On the first pizza the capocollo provides a fatty and salty back drop to the rich cheeses and sweet pears. It helps round out the flavors and takes the pears towards a more savory
application,” he says. “On the second pizza it actually crisps up and some of the fat will leach out. So it provides both texture and seasoning along with an amazing aroma.
Toulze estimates his capocollo costs about $7 per pound. “Because the capocollo cut we use comes from the shoulder of the animal it is very cost effective item. For housemade salumi it is one of the easier recipes to produce and master,” he says. “It’s just an amazing ingredient that is simple and complex at the same time.”
His customers agree. In February, Touzle went through almost 55 pounds of it.
Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman is a freelance writer in Louisville, Kentucky. She covers food, business and lifestyle trends.
Yield: one 12-inch pizza
12-inch hand tossed dough
4 ounces tomato sauce
½ Tablespoon Romano cheese
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
2 ½ ounces capocollo, sliced
2 ounces hard salami, sliced
1½ ounces sundried tomatoes (rinse with water, drain, then lightly soak with olive oil and julienne)
1½ ounces pepperoncini, sliced
1½ ounces garlic (roasted with extra virgin olive oil for 45 minutes in a 550 F oven)
Lay sauce on top of dough. Layer
in order Romano, mozzarella,
capocollo, salami, sundried tomato, pepperoncini and garlic and bake.
Baste pizza crust with extra virgin
olive oil that cooked with garlic
and serve.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown & Rick Daugherty
NEAPOLITAN PIZZA
The original. The standard by which all other pizzas are judged.
A Neapolitan pizza is defined by the ingredients used to make it and the way it is cooked. Special flour, tomatoes and cheeses must be used to qualify as Neapolitan. Additionally, these pizzas must be cooked in wood-burning ovens.
The hallmarks of a Neapolitan pie are easy to see: charred crust, sparse topping application, a raised border.
SICILIAN
Photo by Rick Daugherty
Many similar styles exist throughout the country. In the Midwest, for
example, deep-dish pizza is prominent. The differences between a pan pizza and a Sicilian pie can be subtle.
The trademark of a Sicilian is that it is baked in a rectangular pan and cut into squares. Some places throughout the U.S. serve Sicilian-style pizza by the slice, but it’s more common to see these offered only as whole pies.
ROMAN
Photo by Josh Keown
Its thin crust and oblong shape immediately distinguishes a Roman pizza from other styles. Sometimes these pizzas are sold by weight or by the meter, which is certainly unique (and rare) here in the U.S.
NEW YORK
Photo by Josh Keown
The most imitated style of pizza in the United States.
New York-style pizzas feature oversized, foldable slices that can be eaten on the go.
A raised border and thin center are indentifying markers that prove New York pizza evolved from its Neapolitan forerunner.
The first licensed pizzeria in the U.S., Lombardi’s, opened in New York City in 1905. Pizza has been a national hit ever since.
NEW HAVEN
Photo by Rick Daugherty
Another pizza style that evolved from Neapolitan and New York roots, with noticeable variations.
New Haven-style pizzas are thin, crispy and oval shaped. Since they are always hand formed, no two are ever quite alike, and that’s the beauty of it.
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria owner Bill Jacobs, our 2011 Independent of the Year, does a nice job of breaking down New Haven “apizza” in his article that begins on page 12.
TOMATO TRENTON
Photo by Josh Keown
In Trenton, New Jersey, folks don’t go out for pizza. They go out for “tomato pies.”
The obvious hallmark of this style is that the sauce goes on top of the cheese (some customers prefer the pies with no cheese at all, as seen in this photo).
While not a common style throughout the U.S., tomato pies certainly have a rabid fan base in Jersey.
CHICAGO THICK
Photo by Josh Keown
Chicago is home to many styles of pizza, but none is as well known as the deep-dish, stuffed variety.
Essentially a casserole of delicious ingredients, Chicago-style pies are hearty and filling. It’s no wonder plenty of Windy City tourists don’t leave town without trying an authentic version for themselves.
CHICAGO THIN
Photo by Josh Keown
While most people think of deep, stuffed pizzas when Chicago-style pies are mentioned, the fact of the matter is that there are plenty of pizzerias in the Windy City that only serve thin-crust pizza.
Also called tavern-style pizza, these pies typically feature a crispy crust. Also, they’re quite often cut into squares.
DETROIT
Photo by Rick Daugherty
Deep, oiled squarish pans are used to bake these beauties, which are closely related to Sicilian and “Italian bakery” style pizzas.
Though not always, Detroit-style pizzas sometimes are twice baked to achieve a crispy finished texture.
TRADITIONAL AMERICAN
(no image)
Photo by Josh Keown
The most common style of pizza in the U.S. Though based on New York-style pizza, these pies can be hand-tossed, hand formed on the make line or even put through a pizza press.
They feature the raised border reminiscent of New York pizza, but are typically just a little thicker throughout and often utilize more cheese.
DISH DEEP
Photo by Josh Keown
Particularly popular in the Midwest, this style of pizza speaks for itself. It’s a close cousin to the Chicago stuffed pie, the obvious difference being that all the toppings are placed on the top and there is only one layer of dough.
Deep-dish pizza is sometimes cut into wedges, sometimes cut into square slices.
CALIFORNIA ARTISAN
Photo by Rick Daugherty
Typically, these pizzas have either a Neapolitan or New York-style crust as the foundation. The focus on these pizzas? Freshness and creativity.
California artisan or gourmet pizzas utilize a range of ingredients and toppings. Nothing is off limits as establishments that serve this style continue to push the envelope and experiment with
local produce, exotic meats or alternative sauces.
GRANDMA — These pizzas originated on Long Island and really haven’t spread outside of New York. Think of a thin crust version of a Sicilian pie.
Here are a handful of other styles that you may or may not have heard of:
Grilled Pizza — A specialty of Providence, Rhode Island, and a newfound favorite of adventerous home cooks everywhere. This thin-crusted pizza is cooked exactly as its name implies — on the grill.
Old Forge — A cousin of the Sicilian style, albeit a little thinner. Like Sicilian, cut into squares.
St. Louis — What makes this pizza unique is the cheese blend: provolone, swiss, white cheddar. That’s right, no mozz! Beyond that, this is essentially a Midwest thin-crust pizza.
To view videos on how to make many of the pizzas featured in this special issue, visit The Video Gallery at PizzaToday.com
In This Issue
Photo by Josh Keown
Meatballs, which have been around for hundreds of years and were once considered peasant goods, have gone mainstream. In fact, one Chicago restaurateur has opened a restaurant called “The Ball Room.” Yes, meatballs of various style (and shape) served every which way are the mainstays of the menu.
Let me put it this way: who doesn’t like a meatball? And this way: who doesn’t like pizza? Ah, the light bulb just went on. Meatball pizza.
Of course there are many suppliers jumping to sell you ready-made meatballs, so you should sample those out to see which works best for you. On the other hand, I’m offering two basic recipes for making meatballs in-house. The first recipe, “Mamma’s Magnificent Meatballs,” is a big batch deal. But once made and cooked, they can be frozen and kept for later use. The second recipe is similar in style, but it is more or less a test recipe so that you can get the hang of the process.
Just to keep the ball rolling, I am giving you a couple of tweaks that will allow you to offer something a bit different — lamb meatballs and turkey meatballs. The best way to market your meatball pizza is to draw attention to it. Come up with a clever slogan like “We are having a ball!” (groan) or “Try one of our specialty meatball pizzas.” You can also play up the idea that a turkey meatball pizza would be a healthier option. Let’s get rolling.
Mamma’s Magnificent
Meatballs
Yield: about 100 2-ounce meatballs
8 pounds lean ground beef
2 pounds ground pork
¼ cup finely chopped or crushed garlic
2 medium-size onions, finely chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup grated Romano cheese
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
5 cups bread torn from day-old Italian or French bread, soaked in milk then squeezed dry
7 eggs, lightly beaten
3 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons black pepper
4 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
Combine all the ingredients in the order listed. Mix by hand thoroughly.
Form the meatballs — a bit larger than a golf ball — by rolling the meat between the palms of your hand.
Lay a thin film of vegetable oil in a large skillet. Sauté the meatballs over medium-high heat in batches until they are cooked through, turning them frequently to brown evenly.
Once cooled, the meatballs can be used at once or frozen for later use
Cook’s Notes: Vary the size of the meatballs for the application — sandwich, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs can be baked in the oven (450 F) instead of sautéed. Set a pizza screen on top of a pizza pan. Spray the screen with vegetable oil. Arrange the meatballs on the screen and bake until cooked through. Cooking time will vary relative to the type of oven being used.
Basic Meatball Recipe
Yield: 18 meatballs, each about 2 inches in diameter
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup cubed day-old Italian bread
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon each dried oregano and dried basil, crumbled
¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork and beef. In another bowl, soak the bread in the milk until it is saturated. Squeeze the bread and drain off excessive milk. Tear the bread into small pieces and add it to the meat. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and form into meatballs.
Arrange the meatballs on a sheet pan fitted out with a drain tray (or use a spray-coated pizza screen). Bake the meatballs until cooked through. Set aside. (Can be prepped ahead and held, covered, refrigerated, for up to four days. Or frozen.)
Now, on to the meatball pizza. Take note of these suggestions:
Do not try to use a large meatball. The crust may not carry the weight, and your food costs will be too much to deal with.
You can use smaller meatballs as they are but, again, don’t load the crust down.
A better option is to slice the meatballs in half horizontally. Put the flat side of the meatball down, the domed side up.
Another option is to slice the meatballs (the larger size) into “coins” and use those on the pizza in the same manner as, say, pepperoni.
How many meatballs to use is relative to the pizza size. Use common sense. Not too many, not too little.
Spread pizza sauce over the crust. Sprinkle some grated Romano cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle on some grated mozzarella (or other grated cheese). Arrange the halved meatballs over the cheese. Sprinkle on additional cheese. For example, a 14-inch pizza would take about 8 ounces of grated mozzarella. Use 4 ounces for the first layer of cheese; 4 ounces for the second layer of cheese. Bake.
Three Great Variations
Lamb meatballs. In the “Basic Meatball” recipe, replace the pork with ground lamb. Replace the oregano with ½ teaspoon ground cumin. Replace the basil with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Turkey meatballs. In the “Basic Meatball” recipe, replace the pork AND the beef with ground lean turkey, and add 1 teaspoon ground or crushed fennel seeds to the recipe.
Great Balls of Fire. Spice up a meatball pizza by adding cayenne pepper, to taste, to the basic meatball recipe. If you take this route, after mixing all the ingredients, test fry some of the meat and adjust the spicy-heat accordingly.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
Jalapeños bring heat to pizza while keeping the flavor profile of the pie firmly rooted in the Western Hemisphere. That still leaves an open ethnic range to play in — from Mexican to the broader Latin and from Southwest to Cajun. Although chipotles (dried and smoked jalapeños) may be hogging most of the media limelight, jalapeños still have a coveted place on pizzeria menus nationwide. They’re available fresh and canned, and carry anywhere from medium to high heat (between 2,500 and 5,000 Scoville heat units). Favored by prep cooks for their ease of deseeding, jalapeños are used in a myriad of applications — including the quick add-on as a topping when a customer wants to spice up their order. But Pizza Today wanted to look at how operators are using this pepper on pizza — beyond a singular topping. The findings? Hot.
Jalapeños are on at least six of The Wedge Pizzeria’s 32 specialty pies, which offers by-the-slice and whole pizzas at its two locations in the college town of Iowa City, Iowa. The Wedge favors fresh jalapeños over canned. “The fresh has more spice and a better vegetable flavor,” says manager Luther Nash, who sources them from farmers’ markets and employees’ gardens in the summer and distributors in the cooler months.
On the Chicken Fajita Pizza, jalapeños show up in both the sauce and the topping. Black-bean salsa, studded with jalapeños, is spread over the dough. Cubed chicken breast, white cheddar and Monterey Jack are sprinkled over the salsa. Fajita peppers (cooked green and red pepper, yellow onion, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, jalapeños and proprietary spices) are spread over the pizza, which is then finished with more Monterey Jack cheese and garlic. Housemade salsa, also sporting jalapeños, accompanies the pizza.
“This one is among our top-fi ve best selling specialty pizzas,” says Nash. “Cooking the jalapeños mellows the flavor a bit, but you still get that great, fresh heat that you’re looking for with the pepper.”
In the Western Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza, jalapeño adds to the decidedly all-American profile. Housemade tomato sauce covers the dough. Mozzarella and white cheddar are sprinkled atop, then bacon, ground beef, red onions and jalapeños are added. The pizza is finished with a crisscross of a local smokehouse’s BBQ sauce.
Jalapeños jazz up the veggie pizza in the cleverly named Wedgetable Garden Pizza, which sports tomato sauce, mozzarella, red onion, broccoli, green olives, tomato, mushrooms and garlic. For contrasting flavor that brings depth to the pizza, pineapple and jalapeños are added. “The hot and sweet are a pretty tasty combination,” says Nash. “But we do get requests to take them off the pizza once in a while. Some folks just like the traditional, but for those that appreciate the flavor depth — they love it.”
At Flying Pie Pizzaria in Boise, Idaho, fresh jalapeños make their way onto several different pizzas on the once-a-week Gourmet Night menu. Canned are used on the regular menu’s specialty pizza, the Zambini. “Fresh adds a certain zing that we can’t get from canned,” says Lesley Juel, marketing director of this two-unit concept. “On Gourmet Night, we try to feature the freshest ingredients, offering premium when we can.”
But canned jalapeños work well on the Zambini, she says, because they lend the pizza a suitably more mellow heat level. The sourdough is spread with pesto, then topped with mozzarella and provolone, Roma tomatoes, jalapeños, white onion, fresh Italian sausage and garlic.
The Southwest Chicken Pizza starts with a green sauce as the base (blended green-chili peppers, cumin, cornmeal, salt and cayenne). It’s topped with mozzarella and cheddar, black beans, yellow onion, fresh jalapeño, tomato, cilantro and chili-powder dusted chicken.
Flying Pie rotates six out of its 60 gourmet pies on any given Gourmet Night, and this particular pizza is “always one of the more popular chicken ones,” says Juel.
The restaurant’s riff on that deep-fried appetizer darling, jalapeño poppers, is the Jalapeño Popper Pizza. Thin-crust dough is brushed with olive oil, then dusted with cornmeal. Cheddar, black olives, fresh jalapeño and dollops of cream cheese top the pie. “You get these wonderful bites of hot cream cheese that cool down the palate after you bite into a jalapeño,” she says.
Victoria’s New York Pizzeria in San Francisco prefers the flavor of canned jalapeños on its pizzas. “They’ve got a nice, medium heat to them,” says Antoine Nacouzi, owner. “If customers want super-hot, then I pull out the habañero! For most though, the jalapeño offers just the right amount.”
Jalapeños are featured on three of its specialty pies, including La Pizza, which sports Mexican chorizo, yellow onion, green pepper, Italian sausage and jalapeños. “This one sells really well, particularly to my Latino customers. They seem to like the combination of chorizo and jalapeño,” says Nacouzi.
Southwest Pie
Pizza dough, rolled to ½-inch thickness
Proprietary tomato sauce with 1 teaspoon cumin added
1 tablespoon fresh jalapeño pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 red onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons Asiago cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 avocado, pitted, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro
Sour cream as accompaniment
Ladle tomato sauce over pizza dough, then top with jalapeño peppers, red onion and garlic. Sprinkle with cheeses; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake the pizza until golden brown. Top with avocado slices and fresh cilantro. Serve with a side of sour cream.
Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
Bacon is back. In the past few months I have come across no fewer than seven food articles in which bacon played either a main role or a supporting role in various dishes. Talk about pigging out. Did you know that there was a “Bacon of the Month Club?” Now you do. And have you heard about the “Bacon Explosion?” Two pounds of bacon get woven through and around two pounds of Italian sausage, the whole of which is slathered in barbecue sauce. Talk about going whole hog!
Bacon is loaded with fl avor (“everything tastes better with bacon” is pushing the envelope, but there is some truth there), so it does have a place in many dishes and styles of food. And to expand the possibilities, consider using pancetta. The Italian version of bacon, pancetta is a cured — but not smoked — pork product that should be considered when working up dishes where the idea of pork has merit. One example would be a PLT, or pancetta, lettuce and tomato panini. Buy baby pancetta (it is sold rolled and has the shape of, say, capicolla or salami). Slice it thin, crisp it in a sauté pan and use the whole round slices to make a great panini.
I am also in favor of using bacon (or pancetta) in pasta dishes. For example, one of the tastiest pasta dishes around is spaghetti carbonara. Spaghetti carbonara uses just a few ingredients — cooked bacon (or pancetta), grated Parmesan, eggs, black pepper — that when tossed with the cooked pasta makes quite an amazing and delicious dish. And don’t forget that bacon can be used quite effectively in a salad. For example, combine fresh spinach with crisp bacon, tomatoes, and slices of hard-boiled eggs. A balsamic vinaigrette dressing completes this delicious salad.
Cooking bacon is a no-brainer, but the simplest and easiest method is to microwave it. You can prep a whole lot of bacon in a short amount of time this way. If you do that, be sure to keep the cooked bacon in the cooler or prep table (covered). Even though it is cooked, bacon can go over the hill fast, so I recommend you not cook more than you need for, say, four days.
On the other hand, if you need the fat that is rendered from the cooking of the bacon, use a sauté pan and fry away. Or lay the bacon on a sheet pan and cook it in the deck oven (conveyor oven works too, but the grease splatters really do a number on the oven). There is also the possibility of deep-frying the bacon, should you want it extra crisp to use, say, as crumbles on a salad. The deep-frying does take most of the fat out, which you can take two ways: healthier, but with a loss of flavor.
So there’s an idea, thinking about that “Pork Explosion.” What about the possibility of using bacon and Italian sausage together as a pizza topping. Got a name for it? No? I do. “Pork Pie.”
Pork (Pizza) Pie
I have to admit right up front that this pizza is not low on calories or fat, but when it comes to flavor, there is nothing quite like it.
Makes one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
10 ounces ground pork
2 teaspoons ground fennel
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
6 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, then chopped into ½-inch pieces
8 ounces ground tomatoes or tomato puree
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
Spread the mozzarella over the crust up to ½-inch of the edge.
Mix the ground pork with the fennel, salt, pepper and press into a patty that is about 12-inches in diameter (in other words, very thin). Put the pork patty on top of the cheese.
Sprinkle the cooked and chopped bacon over the pork. Ladle on the tomatoes. Sprinkle the Romano cheese evenly over the tomatoes. Bake.
Bacon and Spinach Pizza
You will note that in this recipe I use the half-and-half cheese method — half the cheese directly on the crust, then add the toppings and finish with the remaining cheese. No tomatoes are used on this pizza. This method gives the pizza a lot more eye appeal since the toppings are visible. This pizza falls into the “Signature” category of pizzas. In other words, because it is made with premium ingredients, you can charge a bit more. Your customers will agree, once they have had a slice or two, that this pizza is worth an extra buck or two.
Makes one 12-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 12-inch pizza shell
¼ pound bacon, cooked until crisp and broken into pieces
8 ounces 50/50 blend mozzarella and provolone
½ pound (about) fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, sliced
10-12 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Spread half the cheese blend over the rolled out crust. Sprinkle the cooked bacon over the cheese.
Lay the sliced fresh tomatoes evenly over the cheese.
Spread the spinach leaves evenly over the bacon and tomatoes.
Drizzle the olive oil over the spinach, followed by the chopped fresh garlic.
Sprinkle on the remaining 4 ounces of cheese, followed by the toasted pine nuts. Bake.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
Love it or hate it, ricotta just may be the most versatile cheese found in pizzerias today. Not only is it used in pasta dishes, but it can also be found atop pizzas and in rich, delightful sauces and desserts. It’s important to understand what ricotta comes from and how it’s made. Ricotta is Italian for “recooked” — it is made by “cooking” whey. It makes delicious lasagna, ravioli stuffing, gnocchi, cannoli, cheese-stuffed shells and even a great treat that both of my grandmothers used to make me called cheese blintzes (cheese filled crepes). Naturally, I’d be a fool if I didn’t mention how great pizza is with dollops of ricotta baked on it.
Many of us who have been blessed to learn how to make our own homemade fresh mozzarella at International Pizza Expo have learned that fresh milk has an enzyme added to it to separate the curds and whey. It’s that curd that we can buy to then make our own mozzarella. So, what about the whey? Well, it is then cooked to make ricotta.
Like types and styles of pizza crust and sauce, there are many different kinds of ricotta. There’s whole milk and part skim, with an obvious difference in the fat content. But there are also different textures you can find in ricotta cheese. Many ricottas can be a little bit grainy, and they are suitable for making lasagna, ravioli, manicotti or stuffed shells. Personally, I prefer a whipped, smooth ricotta cheese. It’s more versatile and has a much better mouth feel.
In order to use your ricotta cheese for both pasta dishes and desserts, it makes more sense to buy just one type. Ask your vendor to provide you with samples of the various ricottas they carry so that you can try them out for yourself.
For lasagna, manicotti, stuffed shells and ravioli, I like to season my ricotta with salt, pepper, garlic and Italian seasonings. I call my lasagna “Four- Cheese Lasagna” and find it much easier to assemble with all the cheeses in the filling instead of layering each cheese as I’m making the lasagna. For that reason, I add Parmesan, diced or shredded mozzarella and provolone cheeses to my ricotta filling. I fi nd it important to add a few eggs to this mixture to bind it together once it’s cooked.
There is superfine ricotta cheese available with very low moisture designed for use in desserts. This cheese is designed to hold powdered or confectionary sugar well without getting too moist and loose. Mixing three pounds of this ricotta with one pound of powdered sugar and a couple of tablespoons of almond extract makes a perfect cannoli filling. With a pastry bag, I fi ll my cannoli shells and then dip the ends in mini chocolate chips.
I even attempted tiramisu with this smooth ricotta as a replacement for the traditional Mascarpone cheese — and it came out perfect. I like to make a big batch and freeze it. First, I whip four quarts of heavy cream. When it’s almost whipped all the way, I add two pounds of powdered sugar and three small boxes of instant white chocolate pudding powder mix (which acts as a stabilizer).
Next, I fold in six pounds of smooth ricotta. This completes my cream filling. Once that is ready, I brew a double strength pot of coffee and sweeten it with 3 pounds of sugar. I line two full two inch hotel pans with plastic wrap and assemble the tiramisu.
I start by lining each pan with ladyfinger cookies. I drizzle the sweet coffee mixture over the cookies. Next, I layer in some of the cream. I repeat the process until I have three layers of soaked cookies with three layers of the cream. This will fi ll two hotel pans. Then I freeze it all.
In order to get a clean cut on the tiramisu, pop it out of the pan while it’s still frozen and cut each yield into 28 squares. Wrap each piece individually and keep them frozen. Pull a few out per shift. Thaw them in the refrigerator. Serve each piece with a sprinkling of cocoa on top.❖
A Unique Twist
Gnocchi is a little dumpling that is usually made with potato. I find it so much easier to make with ricotta cheese, which yields a light dumpling. Simply add a few ingredients together to make a soft gnocchi dough. Here’s a recipe that’s quick and easy.
Ricotta Gnocchi
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup fl our
1 teaspoon salt
Mix the ingredients together to form a soft dough. If it’s too sticky, add a little more fl our — a little at a time — until you can roll the dough out on the counter.
Roll it out into a rope form and cut even pieces. You can press them with your thumb, roll them over the back of a fork with your finger or roll them over a gnocchi board that puts lines on them. Boil them in salted water for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain them and immediately toss them in your favorite sauce and serve.
There are virtually hundreds of sauce options. Garlic butter would be great, but if you really wanted to stick with a ricotta theme, you could mix some ricotta with marinara to make a tomato cream sauce. You can even make an untraditional Alfredo sauce by draining the gnocchi, tossing it with some melted garlic butter, a cup of ricotta, ½ cup of Parmesan and ½ cup of cream.
Jeffrey Freehof owns The Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia, and is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today and the Pizza Expo trade show family.
In This Issue
Photos by Rick Daugherty
Love it or hate it, spinach has the potential to be a big hit on your menu and can be utilized in appetizers, pizza, pasta and entrées. I have loved spinach since I was a kid. In sixth grade, at recess, when most kids went across the street with their pocket full of change to buy candy, I would cross with them but then go to the bakery next to the candy store to buy a spinach pie. Yes, it’s the truth ... that’s how much I love spinach.
And, I love my spinach pies as well. They’re like a mini calzone made with bread dough. Here’s the awesome thing: my kids love them, too. I just made them 24 spinach pies to enjoy during their week off from school and they gobbled them up. To prove even more that I’m a true spinach geek, when I got my first car, a ’72 Ford Pinto and then got a CB radio, my handle (radio name) was actually “Spinach Man”. While cooking in an upscale restaurant when I was a junior and senior in high school, I’d look forward to going out after work at one in the morning, sharing a spinach pizza with my buddy, Sean. Yep, spinach is the life for me!
I get so happy when I can convert others who claim to hate spinach but then love one of my spinach creations, like a sampling of my Spanikopita. Spinach is like artichoke hearts in a sense that it doesn’t have a pile of flavor on its own, but really becomes a wonderful ingredient when it’s seasoned well or mixed with other ingredients. I’ll tell you right now that spinach and garlic is a match made in heaven. They belong together with a pinch of salt (of course). Now, keep one thing in mind. Don’t ever, ever use canned spinach for anything. I need you to promise! Canned spinach has no value to me whatsoever. It’s brown and mushy and doesn’t do spinach any justice. The people who claim to hate spinach, I’m convinced, are the same people whose parents tried to force canned spinach on them as a child. The two ways that I would suggest you buy spinach is either fresh or frozen. I prefer fresh, and for the last couple of years I’ve been buying the baby spinach. I like the baby fl at leaf for two reasons: it’s already washed and because the stems are so small the spinach is totally ready to use. I used to use washed spinach that was leafier, but there were lots of places for dirt and sand to hide and it usually needed extra washing.
Most people don’t realize what high water content spinach has. So, if you’re going to use fresh spinach in cooked dishes like pasta and pizza, understand that it really cooks down, wilting in volume about 80 percent. Frozen chopped spinach is a good alternative, especially if you’re going to offer hearty spinach pizzas. I’ve ordered a spinach pizza before and it looked like a sprinkling of parsley. Know that if a spinach lover orders it on their pizza, they really want some spinach.
Here’s the best way to handle and prepare frozen chopped spinach to top pizza or to add to an Alfredo dish: First, thaw the spinach under refrigeration, and then drain it very well by squeezing the excess water out. It’s important to add a little bit of vegetable oil or olive oil to the spinach to make it easier to work with. I like to add some salt and either fresh chopped or granulated garlic. For a two-pound box of thawed and drained spinach, I’d add ½ cup of oil, 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of garlic. This mixture can also be used perfectly well in calzones and the spinach pies that I love so much. If you really want to use fresh uncooked spinach on a pizza, you need to make sure it is placed on the pizza before the cheese. If you add fresh spinach on the top of a pizza, it will first wilt and then burn.
If you order fresh spinach, you want to check it to make sure none of it is wilted or slimy. If it is, refuse it. Even a little bit of slimy spinach in the corner of the bag can contaminate the rest of the spinach very quickly. If your spinach comes in real fresh and your refrigeration is working properly, your spinach should last a week. As I’ve shared when talking about menu development, if you’re going to bring in a new ingredient, make sure you use it in more than just one dish. I use spinach on my menu in five different dishes. ❖
Roman Vegetarian Pizza
1 16-inch pizza dough
6 ounces of Alfredo sauce (hot or cold)
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
2 plum tomatoes sliced
2 ounces sliced black or Kalamata olives
8-10 pieces of artichoke heart quarters 1½ tablespoons of chopped garlic
8 ounces of your favorite pizza cheese blend
Stretch your dough, spread the Alfredo sauce. Mix the spinach, oil, garlic and salt, then kind of dollop the spinach onto the pizza, spreading it out as much as you can for the best coverage. Spread the sliced tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Sprinkle the olives and chopped garlic with the pizza cheese on top. Bake (the average deck oven at 550 F will take approximately 8-12 minutes).
Jeffrey Freehof, owner of The Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia, is Pizza Today’s resident expert.
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Photo by Josh Keown
Herbs and spices, when used correctly, will give a flavor kick to any style of pizza, pasta dish or salad. When using fresh herbs in a pasta sauce, add them near the end of the cooking time — just long enough for their flavor to “bloom.” Conversely, if you are using dried herbs in the sauce, put them in at the very beginning. Dried herbs need time (and heat) to re-hydrate and round out their flavor. And, please, do not use dried herbs that are over the hill. They have no real flavor left. You might as well throw in dried weeds.
Generally, you will need to add three times as much fresh herbs as dried herbs in a recipe. When using dried herbs, crush or rub them between your thumb and forefinger as you add them to the sauce. This releases the essential, inner flavor of the herb.
Without further adieu, here are the 10 herbs and spices every pizzeria should have on hand at all times for use on pizza or in a variety of pasta dishes:
Oregano and basil. These are two of the most important herbs used in a tomato-based sauce. Both are aromatics. Oregano adds a piquant flavor, while basil adds a fragrance and sweetness to the sauce. In combination, they are the ideal tomato sauce –– pizza or pasta –– enhancer.
Marjoram. This is a sweet-scented herb that is quite important in Mediterranean cooking. Sweet marjoram has a decidedly delicate flavor. Often, chefs will use oregano and marjoram interchangeably.
Garlic. This is another great sauce enhancer. Whether used fresh, sautéed, crushed or chopped, garlic adds its own unique flavor interest. Once again, though, use only garlic that is firm, not soft or going bad (if you see a green shoot in the middle of the clove, it means that the garlic is starting to age, but you can still use it, just remove that sliver of green first.) I rarely use garlic powder; it imparts a bitter, heavy aftertaste to a sauce.
Bay leaf. This works well with tomatoes but should be used with considerable care because of its intense flavor. Too much bay leaf may overpower the other flavors in the sauce.
Parsley. This is definitely an unsung herb, but it must be the fl at-leaf or Italian type. Curly parsley is fi ne as a garnish, but that’s about as far as it goes in my flavor book.
Red pepper flakes (crushed chilies). This is the sauce enhancer to use when a spicy heat effect is desired. Use according to taste to spice up a pizza or pasta sauce (linguine with clam sauce, for example).
Black pepper. Here again it’s all about freshness. Ground black pepper that has been sitting in a can for months and months is, well, black — but it’s not pepper (a lot of what it did have for flavor went south). Grinding peppercorns into a sauce or on a salad is the right way to go.
Capers. Capers packed in brine are the best kind to use, but rinse them under cold water before adding them to a sauce or dish of any kind. Capers are practically indispensable to a spicy red sauce.
Thyme. This is an interesting all purpose herb. It has a strong, pungent flavor, so use with restraint (a little goes a long way). I find that thyme adds a lot of interest to certain pasta dishes like linguine with clam sauce (red or white). Also, if you are doing a clam pizza, try using thyme to round out the flavor profile.
The Sauce is Boss
I adapted this sauce from the basic flavor toppings used in the making of a classic Margherita sauce. The end result is an eminently flavorful pasta dish that also just happens to sport the colors –– green, white, and red –– of the Italian fl ag. This sauce works great with a shorter cut of pasta — penne, rigatoni, farfalle –– and is enough for about 6 servings.
Margherita Sauce
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups canned plum tomatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 pound fresh mozzarella, chopped coarse
Enough cooked pasta for 6 servings (figuring 2-3 ounces uncooked per serving)
In a large heavy sauté pan, sauté the garlic in the oil over moderate heat for two minutes. Put the tomatoes and their juices into a mixing bowl and crush them with your hands. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan. Add salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the sauce at a steady simmer, stirring occasionally for 20-25 minutes (keep crushing the tomatoes with a fork or heavy spoon to form pulp) or until the sauce has reduced to about 2½ cups.
Add the basil to the sauce and stir to combine. Divide the pasta among heated pasta serving bowls. Ladle some of the sauce over each serving. Sprinkle an equal amount of fresh mozzarella over the sauce. Serve at once. Pass grated Parmesan cheese separately for additional flavor.
The Secret Weapon
If I have any secret sauce ingredient to speak of, it would be olive oil. I like to swirl a tablespoon or two into a sauce about 10 minutes before the sauce is ready to come off the heat. Extra-virgin is always my fi rst choice, as it adds a fruitiness to the sauce that is very appealing. Ditto for a drizzle of olive oil over a pizza (especially if the pizza is topped with arugula or other greens).
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
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Photos by Rick Daugherty
No member of pizza’s holy trinity — dough, sauce and cheese — should be overlooked. Without hitting all three out of the park, your pizza easily gets lost in the crowded foodservice landscape. So why do so many operations simply open a can of tomato sauce and roll with it? In my opinion, giving your customers the very best sauce should be a top priority. And one way to do that when working from a canned sauce base is to take matters into your own hands with a little “sauce doctoring.”
With that said, here’s my advice to you: do some research to find out what people like in your area. What I served in Massachusetts helped put me in the top 100 independent pizzerias in the country about a decade ago. But I needed to tweak that recipe a little bit to please the diners here in Georgia, where I now live. Lesson: we must be willing to understand what our customers want if we plan to succeed.
In my years of working in foodservice, I have met more than my fair share of arrogant chefs and operators who insist that their way and their recipe is the best. Regardless of what kind of feedback they receive, they aren’t willing to alter their recipes for anyone. While that approach actually does work for a select few, I can promise you that the demise of many a restaurant has come about as a result of this stubbornness.
That’s why it’s important to learn the most loved flavor profiles in your area. Some regions tend to favor sweeter sauces, while others spring for spicy, chunky, zesty, herbladen, etc. There’s an audience out there for each type … which audience lives in your town?
In my restaurant, I take a centrist approach and go for the middle ground when it comes to the flavor profile of my sauce. My sauce is mildly sweet, but with a rich and fresh tomato flavor that isn’t overpowered with herbs. I find this has an appeal to a wide audience. Those looking for a zestier sauce or something with more herbs can shake on some crushed red pepper and oregano or basil at the table.
Knowing that the quality and flavor of your pizza sauce should be amongst the highest priority in your business, it’s crucial to understand some important principles. Let’s start at the beginning. I can’t stress this enough, so listen up: it is nearly impossible to take an inexpensive, inferior product and make something superior out of it. Let that sink in. Reread the sentence again if you have to. If you are starting with a substandard sauce, you are already losing.
Let me share an anecdote with you. Recently, I went to a pizzeria and was excited to see Veal Parmesan with spaghetti on the menu. Much to my surprise, the sauce that smothered this dish was so horrible that I couldn’t eat it. It had to have taken great effort to make any sauce taste that bad. The operator obviously started with a cheap, inferior sauce and tried to doctor it up. But, like I said, you can’t make a superior end product if you start with inferior beginnings.
If you aren’t pleased with the sauce you’re using for your base, start by getting samples from your vendors so that you can experiment with different brands. Or if you’ve heard of a company or have seen sauce ads that appeal to you in Pizza Today, call that company directly and ask for a sample and who you can purchase their product from.
Once you have a base and are ready to alter it to your specific needs, there are several options. Let’s say, for example, that you are using an extra-heavy pizza sauce, but you want to cut the heaviness a little. You can do this by adding some ground tomatoes and puree, but that will dilute the flavor. So you’ll have to compensate by adding ingredients such as sugar, salt, garlic and Italian seasonings. Treat this process like the Colonel did with his 11 herbs and spices for his secret recipe chicken. You need to first measure precisely. Secondly, make sure your employees understand the importance of following the recipe and do not alter it.
If your sauce is too acidic, add just a little bit of sugar to cut the acidity. If your sauce is too thin, add either some extra heavy pizza sauce or even a little tomato paste to thicken it.
Some people get confused about whether or not to cook pizza sauce like we do when we’re making a marinara. The short answer: don’t do it! It is not necessary to cook pizza sauce during its preparation. In fact, cooking it can be highly detrimental.
Just keep in mind that basic is better when it comes to your pizza sauce. Keeping it simple will result in a better sauce and fewer operational headaches for you. ❖
Jeffrey Freehof owns the Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia, and is a frequent speaker at the Pizza Expo family of tradeshows.
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(Asparagus is great grilled
and used in pasta and on pizza.)
Photos by Josh Keown
More and more I am seeing a bumper crop of vegetables showing up on restaurant menus –– and I am not talking salads here. From asparagus to zucchini and everything in between (arugula is the hottest green being used as a pizza topping right now), vegetables of every shape and color have become the go-to ingredients that add pizzazz to pizzas (and pumps up that pasta dish to pleasing perfection).
(Broccoli rabe –– also known as rapini –– is a distant cousin to the cabbage and turnip. )
I am seeing rapini (also known as broccoli rabe) and radicchio being used in pasta dishes with delicious effect. as simple as blanching the rapini until it is tender, followed by a quick sauté olive oil and garlic. That’s the prep. toss the cooked and drained pasta (short pasta such as penne, ziti orrecchiette or rigatoni) into the rapini, combine serve.
(This might look like red cabbage, but it’s actually radicchio. This colorful offering can be used in salads, but we have a recipe using it on pizza. )
Another vegetable that works in pasta dishes and as a pizza topping is asparagus. Trim and clean the asparagus, then toss brush with olive oil. Grill the aparagus roast it in the oven). Now cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Use as is for a pizza topping or toss with cooked pasta.
Since the dog days of August are upon us, here’s a great dish to consider for a late summer special now through the end of September. I make this dish more than a few times during late summer when I have access to fresh, dead-ripe tomatoes and arugula. The dish comes out more or less like a pasta salad. Served with crusty Italian bread, it becomes an entree salad.
(Arugula has a tendency to be gritty, so rinse well before using. )
After you check out my fresh tomatoes and arugula recipe, I have a couple more for you to try as well.
(For the best flavor, choose smaller zucchini. It is younger and boasts more flavor. )
Rigatoni with Fresh Tomatoes and Arugula
Yield: 4-6 servings
(scale up in direct proportion)
3⁄4 pound rigatoni, cooked until al dente, drained, cooled slightly
3⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
½ cup chopped red onion
8 ripe Roma tomatoes (about 3 pounds), cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups, tightly packed chopped arugula
1 cup grated Parmesan
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar and olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, tomatoes and arugula, then toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked pasta to the bowl. Toss to combine. Sprinkle on the Parmesan. Toss again. Divide into serving portions.
Arugula, Prosciutto and Fresh Mozzarella Pizza
Yield: One 14-inch pizza
(scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
2 cups fresh arugula leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 very thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces), shredded
6 ounces pizza sauce
2 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or cubed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Toss the arugula with the olive oil and prosciutto. Set aside. Spread the pizza sauce over the pizza crust. Put the fresh mozzarella over the sauce, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the mozzarella. Bake the pizza until the crust is brown and the cheese has melted. Let the pizza cool for a few minutes, then slice. Just before sending the pizza out, arrange the arugula/prosciutto mixture over the top.
Pizza with Sauteéd Radicchio
Yield: One14-inch pizza
(scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
1⁄4 cup olive oil
5 cups coarsely chopped radicchio*
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella
In a large sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the chopped radicchio and the garlic. Cook and stir for about 10 minutes or until the radicchio is soft and wilted. Remove from heat. Set aside. Spread the sauteéd radicchio evenly over the pizza crust. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the radicchio. Bake. ❖
You can substitute escarole for the radicchio if the cost of the radicchio is too high. ❖
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
Photo by Josh Keown
Giving a pizza a Mediterranean spin is as easy as saying “tomatoes, olives and anchovies.” But, then that would be giving short shrift to so many other flavors that make up the colorful portfolio of delicious Mediterranean ingredients. For example, we could paint the pizza crust with a pesto sauce and that would bring various regions of Italy into the pizza. We could next add chopped Kalamata olives and crumbled feta, so now we have added a few flavors of Greece to the pizza. And if we were to add anchovies, Spain has taken its place on the pizza. You can even add herbs –– oregano, basil, fennel — to the dough to up the flavor ante even more. I am not suggesting that those ingredients would make the best pie around, but you get where I am going here: The possibilities are endless.
So as I thought it over, I came up with a compromise –– a Sicilian Pizza, a pizza in the style of Sicily to represent the very idea of a Mediterranean pizza. Why Sicilian? Considering the fact that Sicily has seen many countries and cultures come and go over the centuries: Arab, French, Greek, Spanish — Mediterranean countries, all. And all of those countries, in one fashion or another, had an influence on the cuisine of Sicily.
Sicilian Pizza
Sicilian Pizza
This pizza might require a bit more prep work than usual, but the end result is worth it 10 times over. As you will see from the method part of this recipe, the combining and cooking of the main ingredients –– eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, etc. –– can be done well ahead and kept at room temperature (or refrigerated for later use). And then to order, it’s simply a matter of adding the rest of the toppings, with a final touch being an optional shower of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
Yield: Two 14-inch pizzas (scale up in direct proportion)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed or minced
2 cups pizza sauce or all-purpose crushed tomatoes
¼ cup Kalamata or other Greek black olive, pitted
2 tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 14-inch pizza shells
½ pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Optional grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
In a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the eggplant and garlic. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers and oregano. Simmer the sauce until it is reduced slightly, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Allow the sauce to cool for at least 20 minutes (can be prepped well ahead and held).
Stretch or press the two pizza shells to suggested size. Ladle half the sauce over each shell. Divide the cheese equally between the two pizzas. Sprinkle some Parmesan over each pizza. Bake. Cool slightly before cutting.
Alternatively, the dough can be pressed into a rectangular pan and then cut into squares after baking.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
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Photo by Josh Keown
White pizza is the hot new trend in fi ne dining Italian restaurants. For example, a fi ne-dining restaurant here in Chicago recently switched cuisines mid-bite –– it went from contemporary American to Italian –– and one of its featured dishes is a white pizza. The trend toward white pizza seems to grow a bit year by year. A couple of the more well known white pizzas include the clam pie served at Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana and the potato pie served at Sally’s Apizza, both in New Haven, Connecticut.
Simply put, a white pizza is a pizza without a pizza sauce, or at least that smear of red that tops 99 percent of the pizzas made around the world. Is a white pizza for you? I say, quite emphatically, yes! Unless you try something new you will come across as being old and tired. You can even add some drama to your menu by using white pizzas as signature pies. Yes, I know that sausage and pepperoni with sauce and mozzarella will always be the customers’ No. 1 choice, but if you introduce a couple of white pies, you just might be surprised at how eager your customers are to give one a try.
White Pizza
When it comes to white pizza, really sock the fl avor to it. For example, even though you might not be buying fresh herbs, consider bringing in a couple. The two I am thinking about are thyme and rosemary. These two fresh herbs will add a ton of fl avor to a potato pizza (recipe follows).
Use extra-virgin olive oil (a little goes a long way) instead of virgin olive oil. The fruity and up-flavor of extra virgin olive oil provides an elegant final touch to a white pizza.
If you’re using garlic, make sure it’s good and fresh. Old garlic tastes, well, old, and has a musty, off taste that can ruin not only a white pizza, but any other dish in which you use garlic. (Note: if you see a green “thread” in the center of a garlic clove, this means that the garlic is actually trying to root and that the clove is getting old. You can still use that clove, but take out the green root.)
Pancetta and Potato Pizza Pie
Yield: one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
¼ pound lean pancetta (aka baby pancetta), chopped*
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large redskin potato (about ¾ pound), peeled and sliced almost paper-thin
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
In a small sauté pan over medium high heat, cook the pancetta until it starts to render its fat. Add the garlic. Stir and cook until the pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes. Reserve in the pan.
Brush the crust with some of the oil from the sauté pan. Arrange the potatoes over the crust, up to the border, overlapping them if necessary. Sprinkle on the rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
Pour the reserved pancetta, including the fat in the pan, evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle on the Parmesan. Bake.
* If pancetta is not available, use bacon.
Chef’s Note: You can create a white clam pie by simply replacing the potatoes with chopped canned clams, using some clam juice to enhance the flavor.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
Photo by Josh Keown
To say blue cheese is an assertive cheese is to put it mildly. At its best, blue cheese is creamy, pungent, acidic and complex. It works well with other strong flavors, like fiery barbecue sauce, garlic, onion and bold spices. One of blue cheese’s many dimensions is sweetness, which plays well against tart ingredients, such as green apple and dried cranberries. The question is: which blue cheese works best on a menu?
A natural fit on an Italian-themed restaurant or pizzeria is Gorgonzola, a cow’s milk cheese named for its place of origin, Gorgonzola, Italy. Prized for its creaminess and savory, slightly pungent flavor, Gorgonzola is generally considered a milder blue cheese that still brings a lot of body to the plate. Both domestic and imported varieties are available for foodservice.
Roquefort is a French blue cheese made from sheep’s milk exposed to a mold known as “Penicillum roqueforti,” and aged for three months in limestone caverns near a village in Roquefort, France. Like Champagne, only blue cheese from this area can be labeled Roquefort and is prized for its salty, pungent, rich flavor. Its price point makes it a rarer-seen cheese on menus.
Stilton is an English blue cheese, and gets its name from an eponymous village that first sold the cheese … but the village never produced the cheese. Made throughout England, Stilton cheese is a cow’s milk cheese renown for its rich, creamy and somewhat crumbly texture and its deep, pungent profile. Because of its texture, Stilton is mostly seen on cheese boards, often paired with a glass of Port.
The U.S. makes some wonderful blue cheeses, including the famous Maytag Blue Cheese, out of Newton, Iowa. Wisconsin, California and Vermont cheese purveyors also make blues that rival those from Europe.
Opportunities for blue cheese exist on the menu beyond bluecheese dressing or blue-cheese dipping sauce for wings. Some operators are taking advantage of blue’s strong personality, adding the cheese to pizzas and salads with great result. At Mezza Lunna Pizzeria in Eugene, Oregon, Gorgonzola is the pungent cheese of choice, found in three dishes and also listed as a pizza topping.
“We go with a domestic Gorgonzola,” says Sandy Little, co-owner of this 45- seat shop that specializes in New York, gourmet-style pizzas. “It’s got a great profile for pizza — it’s milder than most blues without that back-of-the-throat sharpness.” He goes through a five pound bag of crumbled Gorgonzola (divided into one-pound allotments) about once a week. “It’s really consistent, and ordering it crumbled makes using it very easy,” he says.
The Boot is their specialty pizza featuring house-made Italian sausage, Gorgonzola, roasted red and yellow peppers, onion, roasted garlic and tomato sauce. It consistently performs in the top five out of 16 specialty pies.
“The Gorgonzola works really well with the sausage, and stands up to the roasted flavors of the peppers and garlic,” says Little. He also features Gorgonzola on the Spin Chicken Pizza, a pizza that also boasts fresh spinach, chicken sausage, roasted red and yellow pepper, garlic, mozzarella and tomato sauce. “The chicken sausage has a sweeter, milder flavor than our other sausage, but the spinach has some tooth, which helps bridge the flavors between the sausage and the Gorgonzola. The Spin Chicken falls in the top 10 in sales.
“We use the Gorgonzola on both of these pizzas as a finishing cheese,” he says. “It doesn’t melt like mozzarella; it’s a bit chunkier, but people who like blue cheese like that.”
Mezza Lunna’s salad called “Fruits and Nuts” relies on Gorgonzola to complete the overall desired profile. Leaf lettuce, dried cranberries, candied pecans, Gorgonzola and balsamic vinaigrette play together, balancing flavors of sweet, tart and creamy. “The blending of flavors is what works here,” says Little.
The Bristolian Pizzeria in the college town of Bristol, Rhode Island, sources a domestic Gorgonzola for The Swoop Pizza and Gonzo Salad. The Swoop ranks in the top fi ve out of 12 gourmet selections at this 14-seat shop, which does most of its business through take out and delivery. The pizza stars a house-made Buffalo sauce, shredded chicken, red onion, mozzarella and Gorgonzola. A large sells for $14.25 and runs a $7 food cost.
“The Buffalo sauce is spicy, and the cheese just stands up to it really well and adds a whole other layer of flavor,” says owner Rob Shaheen.
For the Gonzo Salad, fresh spinach shares space with chopped walnuts, slices of green apple, crumbled Gorgonzola and sliced red onion, and is finished with a balsamic vinaigrette.
“The balsamic vinaigrette balances the sharpness of the Gorgonzola,” says Shaheen.
He sources a five-pound bag and portions out the blue cheese into sealed one-pound. bags that he stores in the walk-in cooler.
“It’s better to portion it out, so you’re not opening and closing the large bag all of the time,” he says. “We go through about five pounds in 10 days. The cheese is really fresh and has a great creaminess when melted. It’s just a fantastic cheese to work with.” ❖
Sweet Onion/Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pizza
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
1½ cups thinly sliced button mushrooms
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
1 prepared pizza crust
1 ¼ cup grated mozzarella
2 tablespoons pine nuts
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until soft. Add sugar and vinegar; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat; season with salt. Let cool.
Place pizza crust on sheet pan; brush with oil. Spread mozzarella, then sweet onions and mushrooms over top; sprinkle with pine nuts and Gorgonzola cheese. Bake in 400 F oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.
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Photos by Josh Keown
Whether topping an inventive pizza, used in pasta dishes or on sandwiches, sweet peppers are a fresh, healthy and delicious hit with customers. While bell peppers are widely used in the pizza industry, banana peppers, cherry peppers and other varieties are great options for operators looking to expand their selections.
I love to reminisce about days of old and think it’s funny how certain things we see or old friends we talk to take us back to a different time and place. What amazes me even more is when the taste or smell of food brings me back to my childhood. There’s nothing like the aroma of grilled fresh pepper mixed with onion. Doesn’t that bring you back to every fair or carnival you ever went to?
One of my all-time favorites is fi re-roasted peppers. Roasted red peppers make the top of my list. There are so many different things you can do with them for just about every segment of your menu. In the same way when caramelizing onions, fire-roasting peppers bring out more of their natural sugars giving them a nice sweet characteristic. Peppers are grown in so many different colors now that adding orange, red, yellow, purple and green peppers will make any dish visually stimulating.
Whether you use your peppers raw, sautéed, fire-grilled, on skewers or cut into a mince, chop, chunk or strip, they can really bring your menu to life. Let me give you several successful ways that I have used a variety of sweet peppers on my menus and on catered events:
❖ Cherry peppers are great simply added to salads or even your salad bar, but why not take these delightful small peppers and stuff them? The sky is the limit, but prosciutto with provolone, mozzarella or even feta cheese makes a great start! Cutting cherry peppers in half and stuffing them instead of mushroom caps adds a whole different dimension to hot or cold appetizers.
❖ Banana pepper rings are sweet in comparison to a jalapeño or even a pepperoncini, but still offer a tiny bite to them. Again, on salads and salad bars these delicious peppers are irresistible. Don’t stop there, however. When you take your fried calamari rings out of the hot oil, add a dozen or so banana pepper rings to them and toss them together with shredded Parmesan to really enhance your presentation and munchability. I serve Italian nachos in my restaurant, and besides diced tomatoes and sliced black olives, banana pepper rings proudly sit atop of this amazing appetizer, along with Alfredo, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese.
❖ You can create a beautiful Fra Diavlo sauce by using any blend of your favorite peppers cut into chunks and sautéed with garlic and crushed red pepper, then simmered with a great marinara. This sauce can be used for many different pasta dishes. Penne and sausage Fra Diavlo or a Seafood Fra Diavlo with shrimp, scallops and mussels are just two amazing choices.
I know I shared with you that fire roasted red peppers are my favorite, so let me tell you how to fire roast a pepper. First of all, this should be done in a restaurant under an exhaust hood or outside, but not in a household kitchen. I like to rub my peppers very lightly with a little bit of vegetable oil. This will help them burn easier. You then want to place your peppers over an open fi re. You want to burn the outside of your peppers just until they are black. You’ll need to turn them to achieve this consistently over the whole pepper. Don’t be fooled by its outside appearance. Simply set them aside for about 10 minutes until they cool just enough to handle them. Placing the burnt pepper in a bag will help steam the outside of the skin, which will help it peal easier. I then peel the black skin off of the pepper under cool running water. Next pop the core and seeds out and you’re left with a beautiful roasted red pepper that can probably be used in a hundred different ways. Use them on an Antipasto salad or any other variety of salads.
How about chopping that roasted red pepper up finely and mixing it with a cup of ricotta cheese and 3 ounces of gorgonzola cheese to make a ravioli filling? Wow –– now that would be an awesome appetizer or entrée tossed with your guest’s favorite sauce. I’d suggest a nice Alfredo or perhaps a garlic and sage butter with fresh chives.
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
1 roasted red pepper
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pesto
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend.
To make a roasted red pepper mayo, take ¼ cup of your new red pepper pesto and add it to ½ cup of mayonnaise. One great wrap that I created several years ago using that very spread was called a Tuscan Club wrap. I used a tomato basil wrap with the roasted red pepper pesto, sliced turkey, ham, Genoa salami, provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato. Give it try, because it was a huge hit with my customers.
Don’t forget to be creative with blending an array of sweet pepper throughout your menu. If you want to start with something simple, try a Pepper Palooza Pizza: using your traditional crust, sauce and cheese, add an array of different colored peppers. The look of this pizza alone will invoke others to try this treasure of a pie. So go ahead, pepper things up a bit! ❖
Jeffrey Freehof, owner of The Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia, is Pizza Today’s resident expert.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown & Rick Daugherty
Good, old-fashioned hamburger has adorned pizza across America for decades now. Using ground beef is simple, but bear in mind that there are different levels of leanness to consider when purchasing the ingredient. The leaner you go, the more expensive it gets.
It’s important to figure out how to cross-utilize all the ingredients on your menu. For example, would it make sense to add hamburgers to your sandwich section? Could you use the ground beef in a marinara meat sauce? These are just options to keep in mind. But for this story, let’s focus on ground beef as a pizza topping.
Regardless of the lean-to-fat ratio you use, make sure you buy real ground beef. There is no need to use beef that has fillers. Trust me, that inferior product won’t really save you a buck in the long run because it will cost you customers.
Once you’ve decided on the ground beef that you’re going to purchase, you need to cook it off in a big skillet. I prefer to season my ground beef slightly with a little salt and pepper while I’m cooking it to give it some flavor. Once it’s cooked, drain well and then cool it as quickly as you can for safety reasons. Laying it out on sheet pans and cooling it in the refrigerator or freezer is a great way to achieve this. Next, you want to portion the ground beef in appropriate size containers or bags. If you want to prepare plenty in advance, you may freeze this product and thaw it as you need it.
If you want to spice things up a little, no problem! Just like we take plain wings and toss them in different sauces, we can do the same thing with our ground beef to create new masterpieces on a pizza crust for our guests. Consider the following options:
Mexican pizza: Right after you drain your beef, set some aside and add taco seasoning. Use this both for an amazing taco salad and a Mexican pizza. To create the latter, use salsa on crust instead of pizza sauce. Top with peppers, onions, tomatoes, black olives and taco beef, and blend some cheddar cheese with your pizza cheese for extra oomph. Also, garnishing with a little bit of shredded Romaine makes for a great finishing touch.
BBQ beef pizza: Mix a little BBQ sauce in with your ground beef. Top your dough with BBQ sauce, bacon, ham, BBQ beef, onions, cheese and bake to perfection. BBQ lovers will praise you for this one.
Buffalo beef pizza: Buffalo chicken has been popular, but there’s no reason not to season some cooked ground beef with spicy Buffalo sauce. Use this as a topping, along with peppers, onions and cheese. Serve this with celery sticks and ranch dressing for dipping and you’ve got a hot seller. u
Jeff Freehof owns The Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia. He is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today and a speaker at the Pizza Expo family of trade shows.
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While there are many varieties of onions, the four types most commonly used in just about every restaurant are: yellow, Spanish, red and scallions (also know as green onions). When we get into fine-dining restaurants, however, the usage expands to include more exotic onions such as Maui sweet, Vidalia, Walla Walla, cippoline, pearl, shallots and
torpedo onions. Somewhere along the way, depending on the style of your menu, you might want to add one of the exotic onions to your repertoire. For example, cippoline onions are a
traditional Italian variety that is firm and juicy. It’s ideal for soups, stews and casseroles.
Those who know my cooking style will recall that I advocate sautéing vegetables in olive oil and/or butter to develop their flavor. For onions, this is a must. When prepping onions for use as a pizza topping, I also suggest either sweating or caramelizing them.
Sweating — gently cooking — is a common technique, and it accomplishes several things. For starters, it softens the texture, increases sweetness and reduces sulfur content (which makes it milder). I suggest sweating onions for dishes such as rosotti, pasta sauce and pizza.
Do this by first slicing or chopping a yellow onion. Add just enough oil or butter to cover the bottom of a deep sauté pan. If you use too much fat, you’ll smother the onions.
Sauté and stir over medium heat until the onions are soft.
If you decide to caramelize, you’ll achieve a unique flavor. Once an onion’s sugars have caramelized, a variety of sweet, rich flavors develop that add depth to any dish. I recommend caramelizing onions for use on sandwiches, hamburgers, roasted meats or as a pizza topping.
To caramelize for a pizza topping, start by heating one tablespoon of vegetable oil and one tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch non-stick fry pan set over medium heat. When the oil and butter are heated and the foaming stops, add 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt and 3⁄4 teaspoon of light brown sugar. Quickly stir to mix. Add about 1 cup of chopped yellow onion. Cook over high heat for approximately five minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions will begin to soften and release some of their juices.
Cook until onions are soft, have a glossy look, and are a deep, rich brown color. This may take 20 to 30 minutes. Do not rush this process, or the result will not produce onions with the varying layers of color and rich flavor. When the onions are done, remove from the heat and stir in a tablespoon of water. Add pepper to taste.
To use these onions on a pizza, brush the pizza shell with olive oil. Layer on the onions evenly over the crust. Top the onions with shredded mozzarella or Asiago cheese. Bake. Garnish with chopped parsley or snipped basil just before sending the pizza to the table.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
TIP: If you want to reduce the harshness of an onion for a lighter dish, place sliced or chopped onions in a bowl of ice water. Soak for 90 minutes, changing the water every 30 minutes.
Onion and Mushroom Pizza
Yield: 1 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups coarse chopped sweet yellow onion
1 ½ cups sliced white mushrooms
½ cup pitted Kalamata or other oil-cured black olives, chopped
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
Fresh basil or parsley
In a sauté pan set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil for 1 minute.
Add the onion and the mushrooms to the pan. Sauté and stir for about 8 minutes or until the onions soften. Drain excess moisture. Set aside. Brush the pizza shell with olive oil.
Top the pizza with the onion/mushroom mixture followed by the chopped olives. Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella. Bake.
Garnish with clips of fresh basil leaves or parsley before sending out.
For more recipes log on to pizzatoday.com
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Photos by Josh Keown
When Chris and Kate Saville opened The Flatz Company in Wyckoff, New Jersey, about a year ago, they knew they wanted to use fresh ingredients. They just didn’t know where to find them.
“It took a lot of trial and error and calling people,” says Chris, who is from England and did not have foodservice experience in the U.S. “It was a puzzle in some ways.” He quickly found that he needed more than one vendor. Food distribution giant Sysco could source tomatoes, lettuce and other fresh produce from California, where certain items are available year-round. Seasonal fruits such as berries for smoothies would come from New Jersey. For gourmet items, The Flatz Co. buys from a specialty vendor.
Saville says he juggles various vendor contracts because offering fresh ingredients fits with the eatery’s mission to offer high quality, healthy, thin-crust pizzas. If people are going to spend $14 for a single serving pie, they want organic exotic mushrooms and bacon from heritage breed pigs. Also, he says, there’s a practical reason for offering fresh ingredients. “We have a tiny freezer space, and we can use it only for ice cream and frozen yogurt.”
As more customers demand fresh ingredients, even in the off-season, operators are responding. That means they have to look for the right vendors, get creative with the menu, and become experts at ordering.
For some, the challenge is not only how to buy fresh ingredients, but also how to find produce that is grown locally, answering another important consumer trend. Renee Kreager, who with her husband, Steven, co-own Eclectic Pizza in Tucson, Arizona, says they buy tomatoes from a supplier in Wilcox, Arizona. “They have a greenhouse, so we are able to get their tomatoes year ‘round,” she says. She buys soy organic cheese from a small business in Tucson and coffee from a local roaster. Another giant distributor, U.S. Foods, provides other ingredients.
Tomatoes aren’t the only ingredients that are grown indoors and are available year-round. Rob Beall, CEO of 100-unit Ledo Pizza, says the Annapolis, Maryland-based company buys mushrooms from a family owned farm in Pennsylvania. “We are family owned, we sell franchises to local families, and many of our vendors are family owned companies,” says Beall, who is third generation at Ledo Pizza.
Some operators change the menu as the seasons change. Troy Mains, executive chef at No. 10 Water Restaurant in Brunswick, Maine, says he buys produce locally. In February, for example, potatoes are available, as are brussels sprouts. So Mains, who offers Gourmet Pizza Night every Tuesday, offers thinly sliced potatoes and truffle oil on pizza. Another topping option is pickled brussels sprouts. “You have to get creative during winter,” he says. He adds that walking through the farmers market is also a good way to get information and recipe ideas.
Mains estimates that the fresh vegetables cost about double what the canned versions cost. His food costs at the high-end restaurant are 28 to 33 percent. “It works because of menu incorporation,” he explains. “If I buy 100 pounds of potatoes, we are using potatoes for other things on the menu.”
Expensive ingredients don’t always lead to high food costs. One way to keep food costs down is to limit waste. Kreager uses tomatoes in more than one recipe. Perfect-looking tomatoes are sliced for salads, where they can be showcased. “We really pride ourselves in our salads being super fresh,” she says. The less beautiful tomatoes are chopped as a topping or diced for salsa.
It helps to have a limited menu, says Saville. The Flatz Company offers 14 different pies, or customers can create their own from a short list of gourmet toppings. “It’s not like we have to order a vast array of different things,” he says. “It allows us to make sure we use everything, and not have anything laying around and not ever being used.” He offers one type of lettuce, romaine, for salads and as a pizza topping. (Yes, he says, lettuce is a popular topping.) Other ingredients that work well as pizza toppings and for salads include cherry tomatoes, bacon and fresh mozzarella.
Another way to reduce waste is to place small orders with vendors and have food delivered a few times a week instead of one large weekly order. Eclectic Pizza places orders to be delivered Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. If it looks like they still have a large amount of an ingredient heading into the weekend, Kreager calls and revises the Saturday delivery. She also makes sure she sees the orders when they arrive. “If I can see one tomato busted open, I know it will affect the tomatoes around it. So I can say, ‘these four are bad,’ and I either get a refund on them or they bring me new ones.”
If, after all the careful planning there is still too much of one ingredient, she finds a way to repurpose. For example, red peppers are not exactly the most popular pizza topping. So if Kreager ends up with too many, she roasts them and adds them to salads.
She says customers will pay more if they know the ingredients are fresh and high quality. “People do understand it is a costly thing,” she says. “What you’re paying for is great organic food for less than $20 dollars a head.” u
Nora Caley is a freelance writer specializing in food and business topics. She lives in Denver, Colorado.
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Aged a minimum of three months, feta is a brind curd cheese that’s renowned for its flavor and versatility. An all-star
performer in Greek cuisine, the product crosses over nicely into the Italian realm. In fact, feta offers operators a variety of options when used on pizza or in salads, pasta dishes or sandwiches.
In Europe, feta is made with sheep’s milk (or a mixture that includes up to 30 percent goat’s milk). Outside of Europe, however, cow’s milk is
commonly used.
Based on variables such as the milk source, feta’s flavor profile can range from mild to sharp. Typically, it is characterized by a tangy, salty taste and is best served crumbled.
While it likely would not find a spot in the lineup of a four-cheese pizza, feta is the perfect choice for use on a “Greek Pizza” alongside toppings such as kalamata olives, banana peppers, fresh tomatoes and red onions.
In February 2010, California Pizza Kitchen found an interesting use for the ingredient when it launched a small plates menu. One of the
offerings, the “Mediterranean Plate,” featured a Greek salad along with feta and hummus.
“We are offering the innovative and bold flavors we are known for, but in smaller portions,” CPK founder Rick Rosenfield said at the time the product was released.
John Amodeo, owner of Giovanni’s Coal Fire Pizza in Sunrise, Florida, has had tremendous
success with a gourmet specialty pizza he put out three months ago. In fact, he says, the dish is about to make his permanent menu.
“Not only are we using feta, but its creativity is way up there,” Amodeo says. “Creatively, we are able to come up with lots of different uses for it.”
Amodeo began offering a Mediterranean Pizza as a special item, with the intent of making it available to his customers for a limited time. Three months later, he says it sells so well that he hasn’t been able to change out the special.
“It’s one of our best sellers,” he says.
The pizza features feta, roasted garlic, hummus, chopped tomatoes, olives and a finishing drizzle of olive oil. It is baked in the restaurant’s coal oven, and Amodeo says it carries a decent food cost.
“It’s a typical pizza in terms of food cost,” he says. “It’s very comparable to other specialty pizzas. But it’s a big, big seller.”
Amodeo advertised the pizza on table tents, a move he credits with helping encourage customers to try it.
“It’s a delicious pizza,” he says. “On the gourmet side of our menu, we try to infuse other cultures. This fits nicely into that strategy.”
Jeremy White is editor-in-chief at Pizza Today.
<<< Greek Pizza
½ pound fresh spinach, washed
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Salt, to taste
1 14-inch pizza shell
¼ cup sliced, pitted green olives
¼ cup sliced, pitted black olives
¼ pound feta cheese, crumbled Put water and spinach in a large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat, covered, until spinach wilts. Drain excess from pan. With cover off, cook and stir spinach 2 minutes to evaporate moisture.
Add olive oil, garlic, onion and pepper to spinach. Cook and stir over medium heat for 4 minutes. Salt, to taste. Cool before using.
Spread spinach mixture evenly over pizza crust, leaving a small crust border. Sprinkle olives evenly over spinach and then sprinkle the feta cheese evenly over top. Bake.
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Photos by Josh Keown
For some folks, that layer of grease that drips down your arm as you eat a slice of pizza is welcomed. For others, it can be a major turn-off and a reason to go somewhere else for dinner. The challenge here is to create a healthier pizza by eliminating some of the grease (fat) on a pizza, without compromising flavor. Indeed, I do have a few ideas and suggestions on how to do just that.
If we examine the basic toppings used on pizza, some of the answers to the grease situation are quite obvious. Let’s start with two of the most popular pizza enhancements — sausage and pepperoni. Sausage is a no-brainer; it’s as simple as buying pre-cooked sausage from a recommended supplier. Most of the fat has been eliminated. But wait, you might say, the flavor is in the fat. That’s basically true, so that means you have to reach some kind of compromise. For example, if you use raw or uncooked sausage, what is the fat-to-lean ratio? Fifteen to 20 percent fat will still allow for flavor without adding puddles of grease on the baked pizza; however, a lot of commercially made bulk pork sausage
contains 30 to 40 percent fat, so you have to know some of the facts about the sausage you are using. In other words, if you use sausage that is too lean it will be healthier and cleaner, but you will miss out on the taste (I am referring here to sausage that is all meat/fat without any added spices or seasonings).
There are several advantages to using precooked sausage. Handling (as in cross-contamination) poses no risk. Because it has been precooked, the sausage will not leave pools of grease on your baked pizza. The compromise here is that you are losing a certain amount of flavor, but you can definitely crow about your pizza being healthier.
Now let’s assume you are using bulk pork sausage. Do you know the lean/fat ratio? I like to go with a lean/fat ratio of 80/20. That gives me a cleaner sausage, yet does not compromise flavor. Next, how much sausage are you using on various sizes of pizza? While you need to offer value, you also need to use common sense. Obviously a pizza loaded with pinches or pieces of raw sausage will end up with puddles of grease. (I have seen operators who use a lot of paper toweling to pat and absorb pools of grease before sending a pizza out.)
If you are starting from scratch, one way to test the fat throw-off of sausage is to sauté a batch and see how much fat ends up in the sauté pan, then
adjust accordingly.
When it comes to pepperoni, adjustments are made in the same way. If the pepperoni you are using (or intend to use) “cups” after baking, leaving a small stream of grease in the middle, you might want to try a different brand. You might also consider how thick or thin the slices are. Thicker slices of pepperoni will throw off more grease than thinner slices. The objective is to find slices of pepperoni that are the perfect size (not too thin, not too thick) and have more lean than fat. Yes, certain brands of pepperoni have a higher ratio of fat to lean (and vice versa). Again, the test is to put your slices of “test” pepperoni on a pizza, bake it and see what happens.
Now we come to cheese. Low moisture, part skim mozzarella will, quite obviously, melt differently and be less greasy than whole milk mozzarella (part skim mozzarella has even less fat).
Here are the facts relative to two of the most used cheeses on pizza: one ounce of part-skim mozzarella
contains 40 calories and three grams of fat. Conversely, one ounce of whole milk mozzarella contains 85 calories and 6.34 grams of fat –– just about double the calories and fat. Keep those figures in mind if you are considering running a special healthier pizza.
Ok, now let’s look at how matters relative to grease and fat escalate when making, say, a four-cheese pizza. How can you deal with that? As in most situations, moderation is the key (and balance is important, too). One aspect is to look at how the cheese is shredded (coarser, finer, etc.), which in turn relates to how much it will take to adequately cover the size of pizza you are working with, while at the same time developing that all important flavor profile. A four-cheese pizza that uses, say, part-skim mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan and Fontina works great. Regarding proportions of each, that is really up to you, but my suggestion would be 60 percent mozzarella, 20 percent provolone, five percent Parmesan and 15 percent Fontina (or follow the recipe at left). That combo will allow for good coverage and ensure maximum flavor. u
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Four-Cheese
Veggie Pizza
This is basically a vegetable lasagna idea evolved into a pizza format. You can mix, change or alter the vegetables to suit your needs or a seasonal aspect (using thinly sliced, fresh plum or Roma tomatoes in place of or in addition to the artichokes, for example.)
Yield: two 13- to 14-inch pizzas
2 pizza shells — each 13- to
14-inches in diameter
4 tablespoons olive oil
10 ounces low moisture, part skim mozzarella
4 ounces shredded provolone
2 ounces grated Parmesan
3 ounces shredded Fontina
1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, cooked according to package directions
½ cups thinly sliced zucchini
2 cups thinly sliced white mushrooms
1 tablespoon each fresh chopped oregano and thyme
Brush each pizza shell, including the crust edge, with the olive oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine the four cheeses. Divide half of the cheese mixture between the two pizza shells, spreading it evenly up to the border of the crust. Divide the vegetables — layering each — evenly between the two pizzas. Sprinkle on the oregano and thyme. Divide the remaining cheese between the pizzas, spreading it evenly over the vegetables. Sprinkle on a little extra oregano just before baking. Bake and serve.
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Photos by Rick Daugherty
As Americans continue fighting the battle of the bulge they often look for healthier menu items that still satiate the appetite. Enter insalata pizzas, which turns ordinary pizzas into a more healthful bite by adding salad elements –– without skimping on taste. Insalata pizzas also add visual appeal to menus and on marketing materials. Onesto Pizza & Trattoria in St. Louis, Missouri, began selling insalata pizza specials in the summer 2008. “We wanted something unique and different like no one else was offering in St. Louis,” says Michele C. Racanelli, director of media and community relations at Onesto Pizza & Trattoria. “At first the customers were a little confused. The majority had never heard of it. At least half of the people tried it though, and they were hooked.”
The salad pizzas became a staple spring/summer special. Popular choices include the Queen Margherita, which tops a cheese pizza with organic mixed greens, basil and housemade roasted garlic and basil dressing. “It is awesome,” says Racanelli. “The Queen Margherita is our most rustic, simple pizza. We paired it with our most popular house salad. The farm fresh mixed greens and roasted garlic basil dressing compliment each other. Fresh basil enhances and mixes well with the greens.”
Another popular pie, the picnic pizza, starts with a base of housemade barbecue sauce that is topped with house-smoked chicken, fresh jalapeño, caramelized onions, housemade bacon, mozzarella and cheddar cheese. After the pizza is baked and sliced it is topped with a mixed greens and roasted corn salad that’s tossed in housemade ranch.
The beauty of an insalata pizza, says Racanelli, is placing the salad on the pizza right when it’s out of the oven so the salad stays fresh and cold while the pizza remains crisp and piping hot. Tossing the salad with dressing prior to placing it on the pie also prevents the crust from becoming soggy.
The B.L.T. pizza has been a staple menu item at Georgio’s Pizza in Pensacola, Florida, for several years. To prepare, pizza dough is topped with Canadian bacon and American bacon crumbles. After that bakes, it is covered in mayonnaise mixed with shredded lettuce. Chopped tomatoes signify the final touch.
“It is amazing how much the pizza tastes like a B.L.T. sandwich,” says owner Carl Hixon, who estimates that his total food cost for a medium B.L.T. pizza is $4.40, and it sells for $15.99. “We put our ingredients on the heavy side, but we charge more for the pizza,” Hixon adds.
Operators can get creative with how they market insalata pizzas. For example, at Azzurro Pizzeria & Enoteca in Napa, California, the popular Manciata is a “handful” of just-
baked pizza dough with a salad on top. (Manciata means “handful” in Italian.) Manciata varieties include the Italian (romaine, salami, provolone and pepperoncini with oregano vinaigrette), Caesar (romaine, Caesar dressing), spinach (roasted peppers, mozzarella and citrus dressing), and arugula (red onion, bleu cheese cheese and red wine vinaigrette).
Michael Gyetvan, chef/owner of Azzurro Pizzeria & Enoteca sources fresh, seasonal ingredients — local whenever possible. “In the summer we feature our B.L.T. Manciata, with locally grown heirloom tomatoes, blue cheese dressing and artisan bacon. Our meatball Manciata special is very popular with families with kids,” he says. “It’s fun to come up with great new toppings, depending on what’s available to us at any given time.” To prepare a manciata, Gyetvan bakes the dough to the consistency just under that of a pizza. “The crust holds up great under the toppings, but is still soft enough to fold,” he says. Diners are encouraged to fold and eat manciatas like a sandwich.
Manciatas represent about 25 percent of sales as compared to traditional pizzas; however, Gyetvan says that number is slightly skewed during lunch, when a Manciata and an ice tea is a very popular order. No doubt, insalata pizzas are a great menu addition during patio season. Racanelli encourages operators to add them to their menus. “It’s worth the risk,” she says. “You can charge a little more and for those guests who might not normally order the salad and the pizza — you are giving them the best of both. They are now trying two menu items rather than one. I found some of those customers come back and try a full salad with a pasta or other special.”
Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman is a freelance writer in Louisville, Kentucky. She covers food, business and lifestyle trends.
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Cajun-Creole cooking is hot (as in trend, but also because customers are taking to spicy-heat dishes like never before). So why not jump on the bandwagon and play along? I am sure your customers will love the variety.
Some of the specialities of New Orleans in particular and Lousiana in general include po’ boys, the famous muffaletta, jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish . . . the list goes on and on.
Critical to most Cajun dishes is the spice mix. There are brands upon brands of ready-to-go Cajun spice mixes, so that’s the easy part. However, should you wish to make your own Cajun spice mix, try this one:
Cajun Spice Mix
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons each of cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder.
1 tablespoon each sea salt or kosher salt, black pepper and sugar
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Makes about 1 cup.
On the other hand, the “Holy Trinity” of Cajun-Creole cuisine is bell pepper, onion and celery. It all depends on what style of dish — pasta, soup, sandwich, pizza — you are going for.
The meats most commonly used in Cajun cookery are andouille sausage, pork sausage (boudin) and chaurice (similar to chorizo).
Here are is a Cajun-inspired sandwich recipe to get you started.
///////// Pasta Jambalaya with sausage and chicken
Serves 4 to 6 (scale up in direct proportion)
1 pound penne rigate, ziti or rotini, cooked in boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water (the starchy water enhances the pasta “sauce”). Drain the pasta and set it aside. Keep it warm.
3 tablespoons olive oil
¾ pound shrimp
¾ pound andouille sausage, diced into ½-inch pieces
½ cup yellow onion, small dice
½ cup green bell pepper, small dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Cajun spice mix
½ cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup canned plum tomatoes, crushed by hand and drained
½ cup grated Parmesan
Over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil in a large saute pan for 1 minute. Add chicken, sausage, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Add the Cajun spice mix. Stir and cook until the chicken and sausage and bell pepper are cooked through (about 5 minutes). Add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Cook and stir to reduce a bit. Add the reserved pasta water and cook for another 3 minutes.
Put the cooked, reserved pasta in a heated pasta serving bowl. Add the jambalaya sauce and toss to combine. For each portion, sprinkle on the Parmesan just before serving.
//// Muffaletta //// Olive Salad
Yield: 2 quarts
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup green “Salad” olives with pimientos
1 cup chopped black olives
½ cup pepperoncini
2 ½ cups roasted sweet peppers, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ cup capers, rinsed
1 teaspoon each white and black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano,
crumbled
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
Put all the ingredients in a non-reactive container (glass preferred) and mix thoroughly to combine. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Use after 12 hours. It will keep for about 1 month.
The two meats most commonly used in a muffaletta sandwich are hard salami (Genoa works best) and ham. Mortadella is often used, too. The cheese most commonly used is provolone. The meats and cheese should be thinly sliced.
The bread most commonly used is Italian. The shape of the bread should be round, and it should have some height, since it will be sliced in half horizontally. Size varies, but the bread should be no smaller than 8 inches in diameter. The largest muffaletta sandwich that I ever had was made with a 12-inch round loaf.
The assembly goes like this. Slice the bread in half horizontally. Scoop out some of the bread from the center of the bottom half (this helps to hold in the olive salad). Spoon some of the olive salad into the “cavity” of the bottom half of the bread. Lay in the provolone cheese, then the meats. Smear some of the liquid from the olive salad over the meat. Cover with top half of bread. Press down on the bread to flatten the sandwich just a bit. Slice into wedges and serve. u
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
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Photos by Josh Keown
Think breaded chicken, and the ubiquitous chicken tender may come to mind. Yet many pizzeria operators find that breaded chicken also fits nicely in entrées and salads — and even as specialty pizza toppers.
At Casa Del-Dio Pizzeria and Italian Kitchen in Orlando, Florida, breaded chicken appears in traditional dishes such as chicken parmigiana and over salads. Guests also enjoy entrées such as chicken Del-Dio, which is a breaded chicken cutlet layered with ham, ricotta and mozzarella that is baked in a casserole dish, garnished with fresh parsley and served with pasta.
Breaded chicken need not be limited to entrées, salads or appetizers. Kyle Markott, owner of Gio’s Pizzeria in Coram, New York, offers breaded chicken on pizza. “Breaded chicken on pizza is one of our most popular toppings,” he says. “Our most famous pizza and biggest seller is our Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza. Customers go nuts for it! We also make a killer chicken Parmesan pizza as well.”
The Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza starts off with a dough baked with a cheese bottom. After baking, it is topped with breaded chicken cutlet,
bacon, mozzarella and American cheese. It returns to the oven to finish cooking. Once done, it’s drizzled with ranch dressing. “The smell encompasses the entire pizzeria,” says Markott.
Gio’s offers a full variety of breaded chicken, from buffalo and barbeque wings to chicken cutlets.
“We mostly offer traditional breaded chicken items,” Markott says. “(Yet), a lot of people add breaded chicken to their entrées, like penne vodka. It turns into a nice up-sell item.” Markott charges diners $2 extra to add chicken.
The best way to prepare and cook breaded chicken? Markott recommends the right amount of egg product and seasoned breadcrumb mixture. “A trick to the standard breadcrumb is to simply make it yourself,” he says. “You have the ability to add more seasoning instead of just buying them from your bread distributor. Definitely add Parmesan cheese to your breadcrumbs. Be sure to change your fryer oil on a regular basis for the best tasting chicken.”
Markott prefers to use fresh chicken. “We make our own chicken fingers, which many pizzerias buy frozen,” he says, adding that they also use fresh chicken wings.
Elisa Delgardio, operations and marketing manager at Casa Del-Dio Pizzeria and Italian Kitchen, says the best way to prepare breaded chicken is to pound out the cutlets, making sure they are not too thin. Then dip the cutlets in an egg wash made out of a mixture of egg and heavy cream. She drenches the cutlets into seasoned breadcrumbs and deep-fries the cutlets until golden brown. Delgardio prepares the breaded chicken per order.
Delgardio prefers to use fresh chicken versus frozen. “I find fresh chicken tastes better, and it’s easier to control the consistency,” she says.
Fresh isn’t best for every operator. Frozen chicken may be the preferred choice at high-volume establishments where less prep work and longer shelf life is valued. Utilizing frozen chicken tenders, for example, is an easy way to enhance an existing appetizer menu with little planning.
At Straw Hat Pizza and Restaurant, fresh chicken is placed on pizzas and salads. But, for the breaded chicken strip appetizers and kids’ meals, the company favors using a frozen product citing ease-of-use, says Jonathan C. Fornaci, president and CEO. “It’s very easy for Straw Hat. The strips come in frozen, and we pull them from the freezer and put directly in the pizza oven, cook for five minutes and serve,” he says. Since it is for a discounted kids’ meal, Fornaci says the food cost for the chicken is 28 percent.
Markott finds fresh chicken affords him better quality and control of food cost. Although he admits fresh chicken prices change frequently. Currently it costs $1.39 per pound. “Let’s face it, the more items you can prep in house without having to purchase in a box, you inevitably save money,” he says.
Five Breaded Chicken Pizza Possibilities
///////////////////////////////
Need inspiration for your own specialty breaded chicken pies? Consider the following combinations:
1) Chicken Parmesan (breaded chicken, tomato sauce and mozzarella).
2) Chicken-Bacon-Ranch (cheese, bacon, breaded chicken and tomatoes with buttermilk ranch dressing drizzle).
3) Tex-Mex Chicken (either red or green enchilada sauce topped with corn, diced breaded chicken, chilies, cheese, cilantro and drizzled in salsa).
4) Barbecue Chicken (barbecue sauce topped with cheese, breaded chicken, bell peppers and onions).
5) Buffalo Chicken (breaded chicken, bleu cheese, red
onions and mild buffalo sauce).
Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman is a freelance writer in Louisville, Kentucky. She covers food, business and lifestyle trends.
In This Issue
I always wonder why more pizzeria operators don’t do more with shrimp. Yes, I know adding any type of seafood to the operation poses a few issues –– buying, storage and cooking — that might be more than some operators want to deal with. But using shrimp on pizza, in a pasta dish or as part of a salad expands your repertoire of offerings and gives your place a forward look. Let’s examine the possibilities.
Ordering and buying shrimp is known as the “count.” For example, 21/25 means that there are 21 to 25 of that particular size of shrimp in one pound. The rule of thumb on this is that the smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp. For example, a five-pound bag of shrimp with a 10/12 count means that there are about 50 to 60 shrimp in that bag; an 11/15 count means that there are about 55 to 75 shrimp in that five pound bag. Further help in deciding how much shrimp to buy (the count) goes like this: 16/20 suggests extra-large shrimp; 21/30 suggest large shrimp; 31/35 suggests medium and 36/45 means small shrimp.
When buying shrimp, keep in mind there should be no aroma to them at all. If you detect the smell of ammonia, that batch of shrimp just might be over the hill.
With few exceptions, all shrimp comes to market frozen. The shrimp is harvested, cleaned and frozen before the boat hits the dock. Raw frozen shrimp will last six months; frozen cooked shrimp should be used within two months.
To thaw frozen shrimp, put the shrimp in a colander under cool running water. Pry the shrimp apart as the water runs. In about 15 minutes, the shrimp will be thawed. Rinse the shrimp thoroughly and blot it dry with paper towels.
You might be wondering whether you should work with frozen cooked or frozen raw shrimp. For me, that choice should be made based upon your intended usage. I favor frozen raw because when precooked is used in a dish or on pizza, it has to go through the cooking process and could result in a tough, chewy shrimp. On the other hand, there are times when you might not have a choice. But if you follow the recipes I give here, you should come out just fine.
Before we get to those, though, here’s a fast and easy pasta dish that uses frozen cooked shrimp: In a large sauté pan, sauté garlic in olive oil. Add some tomato sauce and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Stir in the shrimp and cook for only two to three minutes. Serve the shrimp and sauce over cooked pasta. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil. Serve.
Fettuccine with Shrimp and peppers //////////
Yield: 4 servings (scale up in direct proportion)
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup each red, green and yellow bell peppers cut into ¼-inch strips
8 ounces fettuccine pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound medium shrimp (31-35) shelled, deveined and butterflied
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup torn fresh basil
In a sauté pan large enough to hold all the pasta after it has been cooked, warm the olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the bell peppers. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook for about 2 to 3 more minutes to soften the peppers.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it is barely al dente. Drain, reserve and keep warm.
Add the garlic and the shrimp to the sauté pan with the peppers. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shrimp just begins to turn pink (the shrimp should be barely done). Add the red pepper flakes and basil. Add the reserved pasta to the sauté pan. Cook and stir for 1 minute to incorporate the flavors. Portion into heated pasta bowls and serve at once.
Shrimp pizza //////
Yield: one 14-inch pizza
14-inch pizza shell
8 ounces large uncooked
shrimp, peeled and deveined
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
¾ cup shredded provolone
Brush the rolled out pizza crust with olive oil. Scatter
the garlic evenly over the olive oil. Cut each shrimp into
2-3 pieces. Scatter the shrimp over the crust and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake.
Chef’s Note: A different way to make this pizza is to devein, butterfly and broil (or grill) extra-large shrimp. Toss the shrimp in olive oil. Brush the pizza crust with olive oil. Add crushed garlic and provolone.
Bake. When the pizza comes out of the oven arrange the shrimp over the cheese. Sprinkle on some chopped flat-leaf parsley and serve.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
Amir F.
Detroit, Michigan
A few years ago I would have said that it was a novelty that we wouldn’t be talking about by now. I didn’t understand it. Boy, was I wrong. Once I started to get requests to assist new and old locations that wanted to get into the Neapolitan game, I knew that this was the real deal and was here to stay. But I was under-qualified to help. Though I’d eaten and enjoyed Neapolitan pizza in the U.S. and Italy, I didn’t have the basics down.
So I went to Tony Gemignani’s International School of Pizza in San Francisco and went through a very hands-on course. Since then I have helped open several wood-burning operations and have two more slated to open by the end of this year.
The beauty of Neapolitan pizza? It’s likely that no one is doing it well in your area yet. It raises the bar so high that competition is discouraged. I truly think that in the right demographic area, hand-crafted, artisan, Neapolitan pizza is indeed the next big thing.
I’m getting tired of working more and more and making less and less. I’ve watched my sales steadily drop since the major chains in my town started offering $5 to $10 pizza deals. How did you compete against them?
Luke Bailey
Davison, Michigan
Hey, Luke. Many years ago I was taught to make great pizza. I was (and still am) quality driven. Right after Pizza Today did the first nationwide survey, Big Dave’s Pizza was ranked the 25th busiest independent operation in the country. Within a month, company came to town in the form of a major chain! They were offering the world’s fastest delivery as well as a low price.
After they opened, I was absolutely sure my long-standing customers would not forsake me after one taste of my new competitors. I was dead wrong! I watched as my sales started going south. I knew that if I didn’t change my ways (I was the slowest and most expensive in town), I would suffer both financially and emotionally. So I decided to go for broke and became a guerrilla marketing maniac.
I hired in as a driver at 40 years old and worked long enough to understand my competition’s operations. I gave my notice and within a week or so I reconfigured my kitchen layout. I then instituted a high sense of urgency in every aspect of my operation.
My next step was to standardize sizes and get an iron grip on portioning. Once I started weighing cheese and implementing portion control scales on the make line, I was ready to rumble.
Lastly, I decided to use my competitor’s unique selling propositions (USPs) against them. After I got a grip on my portioning, I decided I was in a position to match all published pricing by accepting anyone’s coupons or offers. I got the word out with a big splash in all the local media outlets, then I sat back and waited.
Four years later, the fast delivery operation gave up and closed down. It seemed they couldn’t deal with a competitor who guaranteed 20-29 minute delivery. Three independents also threw in the towel. I had increased my market share substantially.
Big Dave Ostrander owned a highly successful independent pizzeria before becoming a consultant, speaker and internationally sought-after trainer. monthlycontributor to Pizza Today.
In This Issue
Photo by Josh Keown
Pork is media’s darling right now, and operators across the country are happily placing swine in the spotlight. Pork belly. Pork shoulder. Lardo. Speck. Prosciutto. Pancetta. And bacon … always bacon. Pizza is no stranger to pork, showing unadulterated love to salty ham, crisp bacon and meaty sausage. But a brave, new porcine world begs to be explored. Today’s diners clamor for big, bold flavor. They seek culinary adventure.
Talk about being ahead of its time — Pete & Sam’s Restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee discovered the wonders of slow-cooked pork shoulder on pizza back in the early 1950s. Today, its Bar B Q Pizza boasts a cult following, including blogger-sensation Hungry Girl, who sang its praises on The Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”
“We make or cook everything in house,” says Sam Bomarito Jr.,
co-owner of this 350-seat Italian restaurant. The Bar B Q Pizza stars house-made tomato sauce, cheddar, mozzarella and slow-cooked pork shoulder tossed in house-made sweet barbecue sauce. Bomarito seasons a seven- or eight-pound bone-in Boston butt with a proprietary dry rub. He smokes it over hickory and apple wood for 16 hours at 230 F. He then debones, defats and chops the melt-in-your-mouth meat. The restaurant goes through 220 pounds of pork butt a week, with 98 percent of the yield serving this pizza. He explains that 100 pounds of pork butt yields 60 pounds of useable meat. He charges $14 for 12-inch pizzas and runs a food cost of 25 to 28 percent. “Once we cook it, we break it down and immediately refrigerate it. We cook pork every few days because we go through it so quickly,” says Bomarito.
And although convenience pork products abound — those that have been salted, braised, pulled, smoked or cured — Pizza Today is seeing a trend in craftsmanship. Operators are curing pork shoulders in their walk-ins. They’re smoking meats. They’re grinding their own sausages. Food cost may be a factor, but labor cost certainly counters that. Indeed, the driver seems to be passion.
At Diavola Restaurant in Geyserville, California, chef/owner Dino Bugica smokes fresh pork belly and features it on a pizza called Cha Cha Cha. Pork belly, above all other pork products, has raised its profile, with chefs touting its contrast of textures and rich, full-fat flavor. For this pizza, Bugica dry rubs Duroc pork belly and lets it rest for a day. He then smokes it over cherry and mesquite wood for five hours at 200 F and slices it like bacon, but a little thicker. He then cubes it. The thin-crust pizza sees house-made red sauce (San Marzano tomatoes and basil), a little shredded mozzarella, local goat cheese, raw frigitello peppers (local green bell pepper) and roasted red pepper. The pork belly goes over top, along with green onion and Calabrian oregano, and then the pizza is roasted in the wood-fired oven until crisp.
“The tanginess of the goat cheese with the sweet roasted pepper and the smoky, fatty pork belly make perfect sense,” says Bugica. “The Duroc pork has a good amount of meat, so it’s not too fatty. Not a lot renders off.” He charges $16 for a 12-inch pie and runs a food cost of $1.75. “Pork belly is $3 to $4 a pound, and we use about three ounces on a pizza.” When storing the pork belly, he Cryovacs it, then keeps it in the walk-in for about a week.
Pork also stars in the Sonja Pizza at 60-seat Diavola. A red base gets a light sprinkling of mozzarella and then diced heirloom tomatoes go over top. Once the pizza is pulled from the oven, Bugica adds dollops of mascarpone that melt out a bit from the heat of the pizza. Shavings of prosciutto di Parma and wild, local arugula finish the picture. He charges $16.25 for a 12-inch pie and runs a food cost of $2. “The prosciutto is wonderful — salty, sweet,” he says. “It’s a great pork product.”
BBQ Pork, Roasted Tomato and Caramelized Onion Pizza
BBQ Pork
1.5 pounds pork spareribs
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
Combine the hoisin, barbecue sauce, ketchup, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and olive oil. Toss with the spareribs; grill or roast at 400 F, until completely cooked and tender, about an hour. Shred meat into small chunks.
Roasted Tomatoes
30 cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Slice tomatoes in half; toss with garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet; roast for 90 minutes at 275 F, or until they shrivel.
Caramelized Onions
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups thinly sliced red onion
¼ cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons apple cider
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoons sherry-wine vinegar
1 cup mozzarella cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions, brown sugar; season with salt and pepper. Sauté over medium-low heat until the onions are a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Add apple cider, dry sherry and sherry-wine vinegar; cook another 10 minutes.
On pizza dough, lay down caramelized onions, then pork, then cheese, then tomatoes. Bake until golden brown in a very hot oven.
Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. She lives in Naperville, Illinois.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
Seasonal produce has a lot going for it — it’s generally less expensive than out-of-season produce, it’s at peak flavor and freshness and it represents a desirable set of core values. Seasonal walks hand in hand with fresh. And with local. And with quality. Those values may sound abstract, but they can translate into dollars when diners use them as part of their moral compass, pointing them toward where they should eat. The challenge then is how to incorporate seasonal vegetables onto pizza menus without rewriting the playbook. Pizza Today talked to two operators taking distinct approaches to the seasonal-pizza strategy, but each with the same successful result.
Pitfire Pizza is a micro chain worth a second look. Currently with four units in Southern California and two more slated for later in the year, this successful fast-casual concept serves what it calls “artisan casual,” keying into a California-born DNA of rustic, fresh and local. Pitfire, specializing in thin-crusted, wood-fired pizza, offers 10 pies on its standard menu. Diners seek out regulars, like Greens, Egg & Ham, sporting braised rapini, natural prosciutto and a farm egg. The Pepperoni boasts natural pepperoni, fresh mozzarella and torn basil. But diners also look to the marquis-styled specials board, which changes four times a year. Typically, the seasonal-special board offers three pizzas, a salad, a farmer’s market plate, a soup and a pasta.
“One of the strongest pillars of this business is my relationship with farmers’ markets,” says Paul Hibler, co-owner and co-founder of Pitfire. “Sourcing sustainable, local ingredients is who we are, so we focus our resources on making it happen.” Indeed, produce accounts for Pitfire’s largest purchasing fulfillment — greater even than its cheese purchasing. Pitfire doesn’t use a national grocer; it sources produce from a local company, buying direct. “We’re a 12-year-old company,” says Hibler. “We don’t do coupons. We don’t do marketing. We put all of our dollars on the plate.”
And those plates proudly host a celebration of seasonality. In the spring, diners may see an artichoke pizza with braised baby purple artichokes, blistered cherry tomatoes, local ricotta cheese, sautéed spinach and olives. Summer is all about heirloom tomatoes. At Pitfire, they slice them paper thin, air dry them, collecting the liquid from the tomatoes and making it into a basil-scented syrup. Dough topped with ricotta, Parmesan and heavy cream is fired, then topped with the cold tomato slices and drizzled with the tomato syrup. “The heirloom
tomatoes are beautiful and so fresh tasting,” says Hibler. “We like presenting it raw because it showcases the simple, perfect flavors really well.” In the fall and winter, diners anticipate a pumpkin pizza: roasted chunks of kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin), braised Swiss chard, fontina, fresh mozzarella, pepitas, pumpkin oil and chili flakes, with a finish of brown butter and fresh sage.
Savvy cross utilization is key to managing the food cost of seasonal produce, says Hibler. “You have to be smart about it,” he says. “You have to find at least two uses for whatever vegetable you’re bringing in fresh.” The seasonal special board helps Pitfire with that, so asparagus might be featured on a pizza, but it will also pop up on the farmers’ market plate, perhaps grilled and dusted with Parmesan and panko breadcrumbs. He also manages food cost by using state-of-the-art accounting software, employing a kitchen manager in each unit and training the staff really well. “Independents can incorporate seasonality, too, even if it isn’t part of their brand,” says Hibler. “Go to farmers’ markets. Pick one seasonal vegetable and build a pizza around that. It’s doable — and today’s customers will appreciate it.”
That’s exactly what Zocca Cuisine di Italia at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, does. It runs a pizza del giorno, changing it out to reflect both seasonality and creativity, says Jeff Foresman, executive chef at the hotel. The restaurant’s core list of pizzas features the always-popular Margherita pizza, as well as an Italian sausage pie and a wild-mushroom one. “We’re a Northern Italian restaurant, so we serve simple, rustic, flavorful food.” Pizzas here are hand-tossed and free-formed, which fits in well with its rustic, artisan sensibility.
Foresman has an interesting way of highlighting the specialness of seasonal vegetables on pizza. “We try to do something unique to the vegetable, so it stands out,” he says. So, for instance, on a summer-season pie that sports summer vegetables, such as zucchini and bell peppers from the farmers’ market, he’ll grill them, then cut them into chunks, say, rather than slices. “It gives them a different look and mouthfeel, and really highlights them on the pizza,” he says.
Or he’ll add character and menu interest in how he prepares the seasonal vegetable. In winter, a daily special pizza may feature escarole or kale braised in Barolo, a robust Italian red wine. He’ll use fontina to match the heartier greens. Or diners may see a root-vegetable pizza in the fall or winter at Zocca. Foresman thinly slices and caramelizes red and yellow beets, parsnips and sweet potatoes. He lays them over a very thin layer of housemade pomodoro sauce and then bakes the pizza. As a crispy finish, he adds fried spinach.
For more delicate vegetables, he highlights them as a finish on the seasonal-vegetable pizzas. In the spring, diners might see a pizza topped with roasted eggplant, caramelized garlic and Asiago cheese with a very light tomato sauce (diced tomatoes sweated with garlic and olive oil). He finishes the pizza with farmers’ market arugula tossed in extra-virgin olive oil. In the fall, a duck confit and local goat cheese pizza gets a finish of fresh figs. “Showcasing the best of what the season has to offer isn’t difficult,” says Foresman. “Pick a few simple, fresh ingredients and let those guide you.”
Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
//Seasonal \\ Veggies
Corn, Pears, Vidalia
Onions, Artichokes,
Asparagus, Sweet
Potatoes, Apples,
Broccoli Rabe
/// SEASONAL VEGETABLES
5 Summer Pizza Toppings Corn
Figs
Heirloom tomatoes
Pears
Vidalia onions
5 Fall Pizza Toppings
Apples
Fennel
Kale
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
5 Winter Pizza Toppings
Broccoli rabe/rapini
Escarole
Parsnips
Rutabaga
Winter squash
5 Spring Pizza Toppings
Artichokes
Asparagus
Green garlic
Leeks
Zucchini
In This Issue
Photo by Josh Keown
Making sausage in your restaurant is easier than you think, and fresh sausage cannot be beat. Take a minute and think about how many dishes use sausage. Go beyond topping your pizza and consider sausage sandwiches and even soups like sausage and roasted red pepper soup. Sausage is a main ingredient in many dishes in your restaurant, so why not make your own? I make sausage in my restaurant, Seasons Pizzeria Sports Bar Grill in Rohnert Park, California, and the options are endless, from sweet Italian to a spicy chipotle blend. In fact, chances are you already have the necessary equipment to make sausage. A food processor or large dough mixer with a grinding attachment works great. You can also use a good old meat grinder — I found mine at a local used equipment dealer for $100. Here, the casing tool comes with the meat grinder, mounting to the end of the grinder and allowing you to case your sausage. You can source your casing through your food distributor, or you can go down to your local specialty market and buy it there. The casing slides easily onto the end of the grinding tube, then you simply tie a knot in it and you are ready to make your sausage links.
So let’s start with the basics. First, cut a boneless pork butt into small pieces and grind it with a ¼-inch course-grind disc (this is the standard grinding die that comes with your grinder). Next, you’ll want to add your spices, and this is where you make it your own. Be creative –– you can use chipotle peppers, fresh basil, fennel or just experiment with any of your local fresh ingredients. I start with about 10 pounds of pork butt, grind it and then add my seasonings. Mix them either by hand or in your mixer with the paddle for about five minutes. After your sausage is mixed, cover it and set it in the walk-in or fridge overnight. This allows the flavors of the seasonings to infuse the pork, beef, chicken or turkey.
When your sausage is ready to prepare, you have a couple of options. The first is to pinch and cook your pizza topping. In a large skillet, just pinch and roll your sausage into pieces and sauté them until firm, but not completely cooked. A little pinkness inside will ensure that when you top your pizzas and fire them the sausage will come out perfectly cooked rather than dry.
The second option is to case your sausage into links as previously described. Remember to keep your casing wet and feed the sausage through the grinder slowly at first until you get the feel for it. Sizing your sausage links for production takes time, so I usually make long links and par-cook them for sandwiches, soups and pasta dishes.
So what’s the bottom line on house-made sausage? Anything made in-house and fresh is worthy of mention, so use that information on all your marketing pieces and on your menu. Blast it out on Facebook and Twitter daily and you will see the results.
You’ll also see results in your food cost savings –– and it’s a big savings: pork butt has an average cost of $1.43 per pound. Spice prices are fractional since you’ll use them across the board –– about 25 cents per pound, depending on what kind of ingredients you use. The average center plate cost for eight ounces of sausage will be about $1.25. Now compare that to pre-made sausage, and the savings quickly add up to big profits for your bottom line.
Your options for making fresh sausage are endless, and if you are anything like me you will experiment with a lot with different ingredients. Here are a few of my favorite sausage dishes:
• grilled chicken sausage and smoked mozzarella
• Italian hot sausage with chipotle peppers
• fresh basil and Parmesan chicken sausage
• original sweet Italian sausage, the most popular of all pizza topping sausages.
Finally, here is a simple — but very tasty — sausage recipe.
10 pounds ground pork
4 tablespoons salt
2 cups ice water
½ cup red wine
1 tablespoon cracked fennel seed
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon coriander
3 teaspoons crushed hot peppers
Combine all ingredients, mix well and prepare for pizza toppings and links.
Glenn Cybulski is the executive chef and managing partner at Seasons Pizzeria Sports Bar Grill in Rohnert Park, California. He is a speaker and chef demonstrator at the annual International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In This Issue
Photo by Josh Keown
I was born in New York, and I lived there — on and off — for the first 30-something years of my life. During that time I managed to put away more than my share of pizza. And the fact that I was born and raised next door to an Italian bakery that made pizza as a sideline did a lot to further my education about the “tomato pie.”
The fact that I am writing this article in Chicago and not New York City gives me an advantage. If I were in New York, I might be tempted to call some of my friends there and get an opinion or two. The mistake in doing that is directly connected to the fact that every New Yorker has an opinion (or three) about New York-style pizza: “It has to be this, it has to be that.” “You cannot do this, you cannot do that.” “You have to use this kind of cheese (or tomato), not that kind of cheese.” “The secret is ... ”
It never ends, and I hope it stays that way. The luxury those of us connected to the pizza business have is that we are passionate about this wonderful food called pizza.
So, to me, what makes New York-style pizza “New York” in style? First, the crust has to be about 1/8-inch thick through the middle. This part of the crust must have the “folder” effect –– when the baked pizza is sliced (triangles, not squares), the slice should be such that it can be folded down the middle. Yes, the crust must have just the right degree of crispiness, but not to the point that a slice cannot be folded in half without it cracking. In Naples, the birthplace of pizza, street vendors known as lazzari used to walk the city streets selling pizza by the slice. A piece was folded in half lengthwise, and eaten on the run. The folded slices were called libretti, or “little books.”
The crust must also have a raised edge, a “frame” (il cornicione). In other words, you cannot push the tomatoes or the topping to the very edge or you will lose the “frame.” How much the edge is raised relates to who is making the pizza and the style of that particular pizzeria. Simply put, the more dough you pinch or press with your fingers to form the edges, the higher the edge will be.
Putting that all together, it is easy to see the crust for a classic New York-style pizza has its roots in the Neapolitan style.
On to the sauce. The tomatoes should not be laid on too thickly. Doing so negates the “folder” effect and makes the pizza gummy. A light smear of sauce is really all that is necessary.
As for the cheese, whole-milk mozzarella is a good option; however, you must be careful with it — it melts differently than part-skim mozz, so you could end up with a goopy pizza if you aren’t diligent.
Regardless, for everyday usage I advocate a blend of 70 percent whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella along with 30 percent provolone.
But it all starts with the crust, so let’s get back to that. When I make a NY-style pizza, I like to use the dough two to three days after it is made. I use just five ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, olive oil and water.
Keep in mind, though, that some of the best-known pizzerias in New York cook in coal-fired ovens. The high heat of these ovens put out a crispy crust while taking enough moisture out of the tomatoes to keep sogginess out and flavor in. It’s a delicate balance that isn’t easy to achieve.
NY-Style Pizza Dough
Yield: 30 pounds of dough
20 pounds all-purpose flour, 13-14 percent protein content
2 ½ tablespoons dry yeast (instant)
5 ounces salt
4 ounces olive oil
10 ½ pounds water
Pour the flour in the mixing bowl, then add the yeast to the flour. Add the salt. Combine the olive oil and water.
With the mixer running at low speed, add the oil/water mixture in a steady stream. Mix for 7 to 8 minutes at medium speed until the dough cleans the sides of the mixing bowl and is soft and pliable.
Scale and ball the dough to the required sizes. Retard the balls of dough in the cooler, covered, for 2 to 3 days to age it. Take the balls of dough, as needed, out of the cooler at least one hour before rolling and stretching.
In This Issue
Photo by Rick Daugherty
2011 marks the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. As anyone who has ever driven a car in Naples can tell you, it has taken a while for reality to catch up with Giuseppe Garibaldi’s noble vision.
The fact is that Italy has always been a land of individualism — and this is particularly true of culinary traditions. Every region (every village, in fact) seems to have its own hotly debated and fiercely protected cooking styles and dishes. Is it any wonder that this trait was continued and expanded when the first pizza makers immigrated to the new world? In truth, it can be said that the only hard and fast rule in pizza making is that every pizzaiolo is convinced their way is the best.
When my cousin, Sam Facchini, and I moved to Las Vegas to open our first pizzeria in 1980, we had a world view that was typical of Brooklyn born pizza-makers of that time: New York was the culinary center of America, and any variation other than New York style pizza was irrelevant. With this in mind we named our first business “The Original New York Pizza.” Imagine our surprise when the first customer walked in to our shop and asked for “a thin pizza with no edge, cut in squares” and proclaimed that, as a Chicago native, he knew that this was “the way a pizza is supposed to be.” This guest was immediately followed by a customer who requested a thick-crust pizza with a rolled edge and a side of honey to dip the crust in, “you know…the way they do it in Colorado.” We quickly realized that our plan to provide New York style pizza to “deprived” Las Vegans needed a revision. People were moving to Las Vegas from all over the world, and it became obvious that just as in the old country, everyone had very strong opinions and sentimental attractions to their local pie. In response, we changed our business name to Metro Pizza and began modifying our menu to reflect the unique demographics of our city and our commitment to offering our guests a slice of home — wherever home might be.
Over time we became adept at recognizing a guests’ place of origin by what they ordered. If a guest asked for “ah-beetz with clams,” we knew they had a special connection to New Haven, Connecticut. Searching for “pepperoni rolls” meant the customer most likely came from West Virginia. If a patron requested “tomato pie” we would reply, “OK, will it be the Philly-style in a pan, or the Trenton, New Jersey, variation which is similar to a New York-style pizza, but with the sauce on top of the cheese?” Rather than debate the customers about which pizza was best or most “traditional” it became our mission to learn, embrace and honor the unique place that pizza holds in the hearts and memories of our customers.
As our business and our menu evolved, several factors emerged and validated our instinct to expand our pizza repertoire. For example, the most influential developments in our industry in the past few decades have been the Internet and the growing variety of cooking and travel shows on television. While in the past, our customers’ preferences were determined mostly by their childhood exposure to a local pizza variation, today’s guests are constantly reading about and seeing interesting variations that offer us incredible opportunities to expand our menu and increase our customer counts. Diversifying your pizza offerings will not only draw transplanted customers hungry for a taste of home, it will also bring in culinary adventurers and well travelled guests seeking to re-create the pizza experiences they have heard about or enjoyed elsewhere.
While champion pizza maker Tony Gemignani has chosen to offer many of the world’s most prominent pizza variations at his San Francisco-based Tony’s Pizza Napoletana and his fledgling New York-based outpost 900 Degrees, it may be best to offer only a few types based on an evaluation of your market and needs. With so many different pizza styles to choose from, how do you decide which variations are right for your pizzeria? I have found that the most important factors are equipment, service style, ingredient availability, staffing and training.
Some of the more unique pizza variations demand specific ovens and mixers to create authentic renditions. Obviously, New York-style coal-fired pizza must be baked in a coal oven. Does a Roman style pizza, which is up to a meter long and is often cut with scissors and sold by weight, have to be baked in an electric oven? Many of Chicago’s great pan pizza landmarks insist on using a rotating or revolving deck oven, yet years ago my kitchen visit to the original Pizzeria Uno revealed that they were baking outstanding pizzas in well used standard deck ovens.
It is important to consider flexibility. Your beautiful wood-burning oven may be perfect for classic Neapolitan style or even California-style pizza, but will probably be much too hot if you want to offer Sicilian-style pan pizza as well.
What about service? You may love the idea of walking up to a window in New York and ordering a thin, crispy slice of pizza like John Travolta did in the opening of Saturday Night Fever, but unless you are in an area that has the foot traffic of Brooklyn, pizza by the slice may not be right for you.
Largely, pizza variations evolved in response to social influences. While you may have a great recipe for Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, your customers may be unwilling to wait 40 minutes to get one. You must also consider the effect that offering this type of pie will have on your table turns. Many Chicago pizzerias evolved from taverns, where the objective was to keep customers in the establishment all night. Pizza makers in Naples want the pizzas to cook in 90 seconds so they can serve you and make room for the next customer. Even climate can affect the type of pizzas that will be popular: In Las Vegas, with extreme summer temperatures, we find that sales of heavier stuffed pizza will slow down while sales of lighter fare such as pizza margherita may increase. To that end, you may want to consider offering different pizza varieties on a seasonal basis. Just keep in mind that you must determine the economic goals of your pizzeria, your clientele and the limits of your facility when selecting the styles that you will offer.
Also keep in mind that different types of pizza require very specific ingredients. What you stock is going to be influenced by availability and space considerations. You may want to offer St. Louis style pizza, but unless Provel cheese (a blend of Swiss, white cheddar and provolone) is available in your area, that may not be a viable option. It is also possible that demand may not justify taking up space on your cook line or in your walk in cooler. In some cases certain ingredients may not be available because of health code restrictions. While bromated flour is the choice in New York, it is not widely available on the West Coast. That is why, over time, we have developed a basic dough that can be modified with various fermentation and shaping techniques to provide a broad range of pizza options.
As with any element of your restaurant, success is largely going to be dictated by staff training and education. Once you have determined which styles are right for you, your pizza makers and servers are going to need to be immersed in the history and rationale behind each pizza type. This can be an exciting journey that should include tastings, classes and even field trips for key employees so that they can experience the authentic pizza versions in their place of origin. Over the years we have taken dozens of employees to visit pizzerias that we admire and feel exemplify a particular pizza style. We also hold frequent tastings with long time customers who are invited to share their early pizza memories with our staff as a way of educating our employees and reinforcing the special connection people have with their hometown pies.
The pizza landscape is rapidly changing. Consumers are more adventurous and more knowledgeable. It is inevitable that more enterprising pizzamakers are going to begin offering a selection of pizza variations in order to stimulate customer interest.
Each year, International Pizza Expo brings thousands of pizza makers with diverse backgrounds to Las Vegas to showcase their talents and teach the unique methods of their specific pizza renditions. Once-hidden secrets and information about little known regional variations can now be easily accessed. By offering a variety of regional pizzas you can keep your guests and your staff engaged in the diverse world of pizza, honor our craft and keep your pizzeria vibrant, exciting and profitable.
John Arena is co-owner of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Nevada, where he teaches a class on the culture of pizza.
In This Issue
Photos by Rick Daugherty
This is the greatest pizza in the world.” That was the mantra that my dad, Dick, repeated to my three brothers and me as kids growing up in New Haven, Connecticut. Sally’s Apizza on Wooster Street was our place. Dick, a lifelong New Haven resident, ate there as a child going back to 1938 when Sally’s first opened its doors. And this is where it all started for me — my love for New Haven pizza and my desire to have it in Chicago, my home since 1983.
New Haven pizza earned its reputation from the Neapolitan-style pies baked in the hot brick ovens at Sally’s, Pepe’s and Modern Apizza, arguably the area’s holy trinity. At these places, hand-formed “pies”— or apizza, pronounced “ah-beetz” — are shoveled in and out of the ovens on long wooden peel boards. They are chewy and crisp, with just the right amount of bright fresh sauce, mozzarella (“mutz”) and toppings. Toppings are not piled on with a heavy hand, but added carefully and in a lighter quantity to enable the customer to taste and enjoy the wonderful fresh flavors. It’s addictive stuff. Slices from a large pizza are thin tapering triangles, different from the fat wedges you get in a New York slice. Every slice can and should be held in your hand, pinched in at the crust, and eaten with gusto, your other hand supporting the floppy point of the triangle. This is tasty, no-nonsense food eaten communally from an 18-inch by 26-inch metal pan lined with paper. A knife and fork is somewhat of a faux pas — unless you are the Queen of England.
Unlike in New York, New Haven pizza is sold only as a whole pizza, not by-the-slice.
While the majority of pies have the traditional red sauce and mozzarella, two styles of pizza are indigenous to New Haven: the plain pie and the white pie. The original pizza was the plain (or “tomato”) pie. This pizza comes with fresh tomato sauce, a little garlic and a smattering of good flavorful Parmesan. It does not have mozzarella. It’s a subtle, delicious classic that harkens back to the early days of New Haven pizza making, when a pizza, according to my dad, cost twenty five cents for a small at Sally’s.
The white pie, “Bianca” in New Haven, is light, moist and full of flavor, made with an olive-oil base, topped with mozzarella, Parmesan and toppings. The white clam pizza is also a New Haven classic, often using native New England clams.
In July of 2001 I opened Piece, my pizzeria/brewpub in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. Life as a food industry entrepreneur was nothing new to me. Prior to Piece, my brothers Andy, Pete and I had developed a chain of bagel restaurants, Jacobs Bros. Bagels, from 1983-1999. Fresh out of college, we had moved to Chicago after identifying it as a market sorely in need of the great authentic bagels you find in the Northeast. Over the years, we never stopped craving New Haven pizza, searching for something similar but finding only the deep-dish style that Chicago had been known for. So after selling the bagel business, I seized the opportunity, putting together a business plan to bring New Haven pizza and outstanding micro-brewed beer (which we brew in-house) to Chicago. I wanted to fill the astounding void for top-notch thin-crust pizza, which was missing from this world-class city.
Naysayers everywhere chanted a new mantra to me: “You’re crazy!” Bring an East Coast thin-crust pizza to the very Midwest birthplace of deep-dish, and then call it New Haven style? But remember: I grew up eating the greatest pizza in the world. I knew in my heart that if I could serve a pie that came anywhere close to that, even die-hard deep-dish devotees would nod in approval.
With help from a childhood friend who was baking pizza in New Haven, combined with my bagel business background, we opened our doors to a warm reception. It certainly helped to have employed two girls from MTV’s “The Real World: Chicago,” whose house was fortuitously located across the street. The pizza was good, but frankly not as consistently good as it is today. And the beer has always been fantastic, thanks to our brilliant award-winning brewmaster Jonathan Cutler.
When we opened, our customers were curious about this pizza marketed as New Haven style. Unless you were from Connecticut or had some tie to the area, this New Haven pizza thing was completely foreign, never heard of. But we’ve been fortunate with the success of Piece, and today, thanks in no small measure to the foodies, their blogs and forums, the Travel Channel and the Food Network, New Haven pizza is rightfully recognized here. Chicagoans embrace it.
Today, between Piece and our adjacent delivery and take-out space, Piece Out, we sell an average of 3,600 hand-made pizzas each week. Sales continue to grow even as we hit our 10th year.
If you saw last month’s issue of Pizza Today, then you know the magazine named Piece the 2011 Independent Pizzeria of the Year. The question I’m sure you have is: “how did we do it?”
I think our success is tied to a number of factors. For one, we have remained focused on our core product. With the exception of a couple of salads and several appetizers, the menu is all about the pizza. No wings. No mozzarella sticks. Just hand-formed, made-to-order New Haven pizza. And beer.
Our location helps. People love the still-somewhat edgy and artsy Wicker Park neighborhood. And the premises themselves are impressive, situated within an old industrial bow-truss building with exposed wooden trusses and a thirty-five foot high open ceiling lined with skylights. It’s a great space with a really fun vibe.
Service is also key. Piece has trainers and training programs for every area of the operation. Our managers, servers, bartenders, bakers, dough makers, hosts and phone-order takers are the face of the company and the engine that makes the business run. Our staff retention is terrific. After 10 years of operation, we continue to employ members of our original staff.
While we do not spend much money on running print ads, we market actively at the point-of purchase on tables, banners, posters in bathrooms, and on pizza boxes. We are active on Twitter, Facebook and our Web site. Our marketing has a witty sensibility to it, and we keep the same tone in all of our materials. This approach, combined with the memorable Piece logo, has effectively built a well-respected and recognized brand in Chicago.
In This Issue
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Fruit pizza toppings add a whole new flavor dimension
BY DENISE GREER
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
Hawaiian Pizza and its variations broke the mold years ago, combining sweet, tart pineapple with savory, salty ham to create a menu favorite across the country. While pineapple has become a mainstay on many pizzerias’ toppings lists, there is a world of fruits just waiting to find their way onto your pizzas. Mango, cranberries, apples, cherries, figs, avocados and even watermelon might be just what you’re looking for to ignite a wave of enthusiasm from your customers. Watermelon, for instance, may seem like an odd pizza topping. But when Executive Chef Jason Sondgroth at Paesanos in Sacramento, California, paired watermelon with prosciutto, feta and a balsamic reduction, it became a wonderland of palatable sensations. He says he wanted to create something that was reminiscent of a picnic. It became an instant hit, along with another creation: the Gorgonzola & Fuji Apple Pizza with olive oil, garlic, caramelized onions, spinach and mozzarella. If you are already offering fruit-based, house-made desserts, it’s as easy as creating a crave-able pizza, making those fruits available on the pizza line and training your pizza maker to get the right formula down and your servers to entice adventurous diners. What should you think about when it comes to incorporating fruit on pizza? The flavor combination is key. It’s a balancing act, according to co-owner and chef Brandon Case of Peel Wood Fired Pizza in Edwardsville, Illinois. Working with co-owner Patrick Thirion, Case says, “we like to pair the sweet and savory together and the hot and cold together.” For some pies, the fruit is baked right in, while for others, Case says, chilled fruit is used as a garnish. Either way, Case says the options enhance Peel’s menu offerings and carry a similar food cost to many of the other vegetables his restaurant uses.
Last fall, the Crème de Brie Pizza debuted on Peel’s menu with prosciutto, Granny Smith apples, Brie cheese and fresh sage. Case says it’s a lighter style pizza that customers responded so well to that it will stay on the menu through the next cycle this year. Peel introduces many of its fruity concoctions through its chef’s specials, like the Wood Fired Chicken and Strawberry Pizza. The slightly smoky flavor of the chicken really pairs well with the strawberries, as well as many other fruits, Case says. John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, experiments often with various fruits. He finds they hold several benefits. “Fruit is a champion because it acts as a palate cleanser, flavor enhancer and intensifies savory flavors all at the same time,” he says. When looking for the right accompaniment to fruit, Gutekanst says, consider the following meats:
prosciutto
bacon
pancetta
guanciale
“These go great as long as you have a perfect combo of additional strong, sharp and ‘stinky’ flavors,” Gutekanst says. He suggests:
gorgonzola
Stilton
Taleggio
aged Manchego
To enhance the texture, Gutekanst suggests giving the pizza a little nutty crunch with walnuts, almonds, pecans or cashews. Vegetables like arugula, spinach, sunflower sprouts and watercress can add an extra bite. Using fruit on pizza does result in one baking issue: water. “Baking is always a challenge with water,” Gutekanst says. “That’s why I prefer to use dried fruit and rehydrate in hot water.” Gutekanst says rehydrating is easy — plus dried fruit is packed with flavor. “The best thing is that this gives you double intensity of dried fruit and a limper, more digestible fruit,” he says, adding that he buys bags of dried mango, blueberry, cherry and cranberry and rehydrates them overnight. Is your mouth watering yet with the flavor combinations available? Experiment with an original pizza in your shop. It may hit big.
The Purple People Eater
John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, says “I’ve been turning to fruit more and more these days as a complimentary or juxtapositional flavor, especially for salty and spicy pizza toppings.” He has created numerous insatiable pizzas that incorporate a variety of fruits. Try this sweet and spicy pizza:
1 dough ball
1 medium to large onion
3 chipotle peppers from a can with adobo sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dried blueberry
5-8 leaves of raddichio del Traviso (regular raddichio will do in a pinch) slice thin or thick depending on what you like
1 rasher of thick-cut bacon, cut into thin batons
5-7 ounces of fresh curd torn into chunks
Toss onions with olive oil in oven proof pan. Tear the chipotle peppers up and add to the pan with a small amount of adobo sauce (1 tablespoon). Heat in the oven for 12 to 16 minutes, tossing halfway to incorporate flavors. Remove from oven and toss dried blueberries, then put back in oven for 5 minutes until onions are limp. Remove and toss again, then put into a small container and cover to let the blueberries rehydrate with the steam.
Place chipotle mix on the dough, then place the sliced raddichio, the bacon and the fresh curd. Bake.
Denise Greer is associate editor of Pizza Today.
Now of course, nuts come in a variety of sizes, textures and flavors. The nuts you use anywhere on your menu should be cooked and not raw. When you toast nuts ––whatever type it is –– the flavor profile becomes more enhanced with a much more desirable flavor, and, yes, it even changes the texture slightly.
Before I go any further with some creative suggestions, I want you to understand how serious nut allergies can be. In 1995, a wrongful death suit was filed against a popular pizza chain after a New Hampshire woman died following consumption of a chicken pesto sandwich. The woman had reportedly asked the server if the sauce contained nuts, and the server failed to mention that it did. Following consumption, the woman fell into anaphylactic shock and died a week later, prompting a $10.4 million lawsuit filed by her family.
If you’re going to use nuts in your recipe in any capacity, however slight, you need to clearly state your use of nuts on your menu. Further care can be taken through proper labeling, staff training and repeated warnings. Take precautionary measures so that cross contamination is not taking place within your own restaurant. The safety of our staff and customers must be our priority.
Cautions completed, let’s take a look at a variety of nuts and how they may be incorporated into your menu. Keep in mind that different nuts have different price points, so make sure you pay close attention to what kind of nuts you’re bringing in and how they’ll affect your food costs. For example if you want to kick up your Hawaiian Pizza by adding some macadamia nuts, it’s important to know that you’ve picked an appropriate nut for that pizza but you’ve also picked a expensive nut as well. Don’t let that stop you from using macadamia nuts just because they’re expensive. Either change your price point to accommodate the costly macadamias or think about coarsely chopping or crushing the nuts and give the pizza a light dusting instead of scattering whole macadamias over the pizza.
You also want to keep in mind, that it may be better to sprinkle any nuts on your pizza after it comes out of the oven. Otherwise, they may burn especially if they are on top of the pizza as it bakes.
You can get as creative as you want with different kinds of nuts on your pizza. If you decide that you want to add almonds, you now need to decide between whole, crushed, sliced or slivered. Each option fits various menu applications.
The second salad I recommend is a Honey Ginger Almond Chicken Salad. Start with a freshly made garden salad, add a crumbled egg, some grilled chicken breast and two ounces of toasted almond slices with a nice honey ginger dressing. Walnuts and candied walnuts have become a popular salad topping and are something to consider.
Obviously, Pad Thai is an ethnic pasta dish made with rice noodles which is far from the spaghetti or fettuccini that we serve on a daily basis, but it is a nice alternative to our every day menu and a gluten free alternative as well. I mention Pad Thai because it has crushed peanuts with its other wonderful ingredients like cilantro, carrots, bean sprouts, scallions and chicken or other protein, and these flavors can be combined on pizzas and salads, and even sandwiches.
I think pistachios and cashews are great nuts to add to your meals as well. In a previous article, I shared that I like to finely chop pistachio nuts with sun-dried tomatoes and then roll some one-ounce goat cheese balls into the mixture. These pistachio and sundried tomato encrusted goat cheese balls are the perfect garnish to any salad or meat and cheese platter.
Now you can introduce nuts to your pizza, pasta and salad menu. There’s NUTTin’ to it!
Jeff Freehof owns The Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia. He is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today and a speaker at the Pizza Expo family of trade shows.
WILLOW STREET'S
COCONUT PRAWN PIZZA
1 dough ball
3 ounces sweet chili sauce
1/3 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup smoked Gouda
15 prawns, sliced in half
2-1/2 ounces red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh shredded coconut
2 ounces rough chopped peanuts
1-1/2 ounces cilantro, picked leaves
1-1/2 ounces fresh mint, picked leaves
Roll out dough ball to 11 inches in diameter. Use fingers to create 1/4-inch crust. Spread sauce out from center of dough. Evenly cover with mozzarella and Gouda cheese. Lay red onions, prawns (ridged side up) and coconut evenly across pizza. Sprinkle with peanuts and bake in wood-fired oven until cheese begins to golden and edges crisp. Turn pizzas 2-3 times while cooking to ensure even browning. When finished, garnish with cilantro and fresh mint. Slice and serve.
CANDIED PECANS
1/4 cup pecans
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer for 5-7 minutes until coated and golden. (If too runny,continue to simmer). Let pecans dry on parchment paper.
In This Issue
Uncommon Approach
Take inspiration from sandwiches when designing pizzas
What would you such a creation? "Pizza sandwich" just doesn’t do it for me. So, I have come up with a word that has a lot more romance attached to it. That word is "Pizzini." As you have probably already figured out, this is a word forged from the combination of "pizza" and "panini."
To enhance the message here, I will show you some actual sandwich listings taken from menus of a few Chicago restaurants. Taking some of the ingredients that go into those sandwiches, we will construct several Pizzini.
• The Neapolitano: Served with fresh mozzarella, Roma tomatoes and Italian dressing.
• The Italian Sub: A combination of Genoa salami, capicolla, mortadella, provolone, lettuce and tomato.
• Eggplant Parmesan: Thinly sliced eggplant topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
• Muffaletta: Famous New Orleans stuffed sandwich with an olive salad of incomparable flavor.
• Ham and three-cheese: We add an extra kick to our basic ham and cheese sandwich by piling on two additional cheeses.
• Cuban Sandwich: A classic Cubano sandwich made with pork, pickles, ham, and Swiss cheese.
In each instance I will leave it up to you to determine the size of the crust and the amount of ingredients you choose to use. The basic idea behind all of this is to be creative and to explore some possibilities that you might not have considered until now.
Now, let’s put some together.
Ham and Three Cheeses Pizzini
The idea here is to build layers of flavor. No tomato sauce on this Pizzini. Layer the ingredients on the pizza crust in the order shown.
Ingredients: Thin slices of provolone, roasted red peppers, dried oregano, grated Parmesan, thin slices of prosciutto, grated mozzarella
Neapolitano Pizzini
This Pizzini is similar to a Caprese Panini, which have become very popular.
However, to zip up the flavor profile, the crust is brushed with an Italian dressing instead of olive oil (though you can use olive oil as an option). Layer the ingredients on the pizza crust in the order shown.
Ingredients: Italian dressing, chopped fresh Roma tomatoes, grated Parmesan, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella.
Italian Sub Pizzini
In this Pizzini, I bring in all of the tasty cold cuts that are used in an Italian sub. No lettuce, though. And, the oil or dressing would be a sub sandwich dressing. (To make your own sub sandwich dressing, combine extra-virgin olive oil, dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper.) Layer the ingredients on the pizza crust in the order shown.
Ingredients: Sub sandwich dressing, provolone, Genoa salami, mortadella, sliced fresh tomato, oregano.
Eggplant Parmesan Pizzini
Incredible flavor through and through. A classic Italian sandwich that works great as a pizza. Layer the ingredients on the pizza crust in the order shown.
Ingredients: Thin layer of marinara sauce, slices of grilled or cooked eggplant, another thin layer of marinara sauce, grated Romano cheese, shredded mozzarella.
Muffaletta Pizzini
The secret to the great flavor of this Pizzini is the olive salad **. This pizzini is a terrific example of a sandwich idea that translates beautifully into a great-tasting pizza.
Ingredients: Layer the ingredients on the crust in the order shown. Note: this Pizzini works great in a deep-dish version as well.
Ingredients: Olive salad, shredded mozzarella, thinly sliced Genoa salami, shredded provolone, thin slices of mortadella and capicolla, shredded mozzarella.
Recipe for Olive Salad
Yield: 2 quarts
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup green "salad" olives with pimientos, chopped
1 cup pitted, chopped black olives
1/2 cup finely-chopped pepperoncini
2 cups roasted sweet red peppers, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup capers, rinsed
1 teaspoon each of white and black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Put all of the ingredients in a non-reactive container (glass, stainless steel, or plastic). Mix thoroughly to combine. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Use after 12 hours. It will keep for about 1 month in the cooler, tightly covered.
Pizzini alla Cubano
There is nothing tastier than a well made Cuban sandwich. Wow your customers with this Pizzini version of a classic Cubano. Layer the ingredients on the pizza crust in the order shown.
Ingredients: Pizza crust, painted layer of yellow mustard, thin slices of roasted pork (shredded pork can be used), sliced dill pickles, thinly sliced ham, shredded Swiss cheese.
Note: Do not overdo the Swiss cheese; sprinkle it on lightly to allow the heat from the oven to heat the ham. For the roasted pork, I use boneless center-cut pork loin that has been roasted with garlic, salt, oregano, and onion.
Related
Love it or hate it, spinach has the potential to be a big hit on your menu and can be utilized in appetizers, pizza, pasta and entrées. I have loved spinach since I was a kid. In sixth grade, at recess, when most kids went across the street with their pocket full of change to buy candy, I would cross with them but then go to the bakery next to the candy store to buy a spinach pie. Yes, it’s the truth –– that’s how much I love spinach.
And, I love my spinach pies as well. They’re like a mini calzone made with bread dough. Here’s the awesome thing: my kids love them, too. I just made them 24 spinach pies to enjoy during their week off from school and they gobbled them up. To prove even more that I’m a true spinach geek, when I got my first car, a ’72 Ford Pinto and then got a CB radio, my handle (radio name) was actually “Spinach Man”. While cooking in an upscale restaurant when I was a junior and senior in high school, I’d look forward to going out after work at one in the morning sharing a spinach pizza with my buddy, Sean. Yep, spinach is the life for me!!
I get so happy when I can convert others who claim to hate spinach but then love one of my spinach creations, like a sampling of my Spanikopita. Spinach is like artichoke hearts in a sense that it doesn’t have a pile of flavor on its own, but really becomes a wonderful ingredient when it’s seasoned well or mixed with other ingredients. I’ll tell you right now that spinach and garlic is a match made in heaven. They belong together with a pinch of salt (of course). Now, keep one thing in mind. Don’t ever, ever use canned spinach for anything. I need you to promise! Canned spinach has no value to me whatsoever. It’s brown and mushy and doesn’t do spinach any justice. The people who claim to hate spinach, I’m convinced, are the same people whose parents tried to force canned spinach on them as a child. The two ways that I would suggest you buy spinach is either fresh or frozen. I prefer fresh, and for the last couple of years I’ve been buying the baby spinach. The reason I like the baby flat leaf is for two reasons: it’s already washed and because the stems are so small the spinach is totally ready to use. I used to use washed spinach that was leafier, but there were lots of places for dirt and sand to hide and it usually needed extra washing.
Most people don’t realize what high water content spinach has. So, if you’re going to use fresh spinach in cooked dishes like pasta and pizza, understand that it really cooks down, wilting in volume about 80 percent. Frozen chopped spinach is a good alternative, especially if you’re going to offer hearty spinach pizzas. I’ve ordered a spinach pizza before and it looked like a sprinkling of parsley. Know that if a spinach lover orders it on their pizza, they really want some spinach. Here’s the best way to handle and prepare frozen chopped spinach to top pizza or to add to an Alfredo dish:
First, thaw the spinach under refrigeration, and then drain it very well by squeezing the excess water out. It’s important to add a little bit of vegetable oil or olive oil to the spinach to make it easier to work with. I like to add some salt and either fresh chopped or granulated garlic. For a two-pound box of thawed and drained spinach, I’d add ½ cup of oil, 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of garlic. This mixture can also be used perfectly well in calzones and the spinach pies that I love so much. If you really want to use fresh uncooked spinach on a pizza, you need to make sure it is placed on the pizza before the cheese. If you add fresh spinach on the top of a pizza, it will first wilt and then burn.
If you order fresh spinach, you want to check it to make sure none of it is wilted or slimy. If it is, refuse it. Even a little bit of slimy spinach in the corner of the bag can contaminate the rest of the spinach very quickly. If your spinach comes in real fresh and your refrigeration is working properly, your spinach should last a week. As I’ve shared when talking about menu development, if you’re going to bring in a new ingredient, make sure you use it in more than just one dish. I use spinach on my menu in five different dishes.
Roman Vegetarian Pizza
1 16-inch pizza dough
6 ounces of Alfredo sauce (hot or cold)
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
2 plum tomatoes sliced
2 ounces sliced black or Kalamata olives
8-10 pieces of artichoke heart quarters
1½ tablespoons of chopped garlic
8 ounces of your favorite pizza cheese blend
Stretch your dough, spread the Alfredo sauce. Mix the spinach, oil, garlic and salt, then kind of dollop the spinach onto the pizza spreading it out as much as you can for the best coverage.
Spread the sliced tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Sprinkle the olives and chopped garlic with the pizza cheese on top. Bake (the average deck oven at 550 F will take approximately 8-12 minutes).
Related
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Fruit pizza toppings add a whole new flavor dimension
BY DENISE GREER
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
Hawaiian Pizza and its variations broke the mold years ago, combining sweet, tart pineapple with savory, salty ham to create a menu favorite across the country. While pineapple has become a mainstay on many pizzerias’ toppings lists, there is a world of fruits just waiting to find their way onto your pizzas. Mango, cranberries, apples, cherries, figs, avocados and even watermelon might be just what you’re looking for to ignite a wave of enthusiasm from your customers. Watermelon, for instance, may seem like an odd pizza topping. But when Executive Chef Jason Sondgroth at Paesanos in Sacramento, California, paired watermelon with prosciutto, feta and a balsamic reduction, it became a wonderland of palatable sensations. He says he wanted to create something that was reminiscent of a picnic. It became an instant hit, along with another creation: the Gorgonzola & Fuji Apple Pizza with olive oil, garlic, caramelized onions, spinach and mozzarella. If you are already offering fruit-based, house-made desserts, it’s as easy as creating a crave-able pizza, making those fruits available on the pizza line and training your pizza maker to get the right formula down and your servers to entice adventurous diners. What should you think about when it comes to incorporating fruit on pizza? The flavor combination is key. It’s a balancing act, according to co-owner and chef Brandon Case of Peel Wood Fired Pizza in Edwardsville, Illinois. Working with co-owner Patrick Thirion, Case says, “we like to pair the sweet and savory together and the hot and cold together.” For some pies, the fruit is baked right in, while for others, Case says, chilled fruit is used as a garnish. Either way, Case says the options enhance Peel’s menu offerings and carry a similar food cost to many of the other vegetables his restaurant uses.
Last fall, the Crème de Brie Pizza debuted on Peel’s menu with prosciutto, Granny Smith apples, Brie cheese and fresh sage. Case says it’s a lighter style pizza that customers responded so well to that it will stay on the menu through the next cycle this year. Peel introduces many of its fruity concoctions through its chef’s specials, like the Wood Fired Chicken and Strawberry Pizza. The slightly smoky flavor of the chicken really pairs well with the strawberries, as well as many other fruits, Case says. John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, experiments often with various fruits. He finds they hold several benefits. “Fruit is a champion because it acts as a palate cleanser, flavor enhancer and intensifies savory flavors all at the same time,” he says. When looking for the right accompaniment to fruit, Gutekanst says, consider the following meats:
prosciutto
bacon
pancetta
guanciale
“These go great as long as you have a perfect combo of additional strong, sharp and ‘stinky’ flavors,” Gutekanst says. He suggests:
gorgonzola
Stilton
Taleggio
aged Manchego
To enhance the texture, Gutekanst suggests giving the pizza a little nutty crunch with walnuts, almonds, pecans or cashews. Vegetables like arugula, spinach, sunflower sprouts and watercress can add an extra bite. Using fruit on pizza does result in one baking issue: water. “Baking is always a challenge with water,” Gutekanst says. “That’s why I prefer to use dried fruit and rehydrate in hot water.” Gutekanst says rehydrating is easy — plus dried fruit is packed with flavor. “The best thing is that this gives you double intensity of dried fruit and a limper, more digestible fruit,” he says, adding that he buys bags of dried mango, blueberry, cherry and cranberry and rehydrates them overnight. Is your mouth watering yet with the flavor combinations available? Experiment with an original pizza in your shop. It may hit big.
The Purple People Eater
John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, says “I’ve been turning to fruit more and more these days as a complimentary or juxtapositional flavor, especially for salty and spicy pizza toppings.” He has created numerous insatiable pizzas that incorporate a variety of fruits. Try this sweet and spicy pizza:
1 dough ball
1 medium to large onion
3 chipotle peppers from a can with adobo sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dried blueberry
5-8 leaves of raddichio del Traviso (regular raddichio will do in a pinch) slice thin or thick depending on what you like
1 rasher of thick-cut bacon, cut into thin batons
5-7 ounces of fresh curd torn into chunks
Toss onions with olive oil in oven proof pan. Tear the chipotle peppers up and add to the pan with a small amount of adobo sauce (1 tablespoon). Heat in the oven for 12 to 16 minutes, tossing halfway to incorporate flavors. Remove from oven and toss dried blueberries, then put back in oven for 5 minutes until onions are limp. Remove and toss again, then put into a small container and cover to let the blueberries rehydrate with the steam.
Place chipotle mix on the dough, then place the sliced raddichio, the bacon and the fresh curd. Bake.
Denise Greer is associate editor of Pizza Today.
More Articles
HOLD THE MEAT
A variety of vegetarian and vegan options help diversify your menu
BY DENISE GREER,
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
While there are varying degrees of vegetarianism, let’s use the simplest terms. A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish or poultry. Veganism is where it gets a little more complicated. Vegans also abstain from meat, fish and poultry, with the addition of not consuming any animal products or by-products. They will not eat dairy, usually honey, or anything derived from an animal.While there are varying degrees of vegetarianism, let’s use the simplest terms. A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish or poultry. Veganism is where it gets a little more complicated. Vegans also abstain from meat, fish and poultry, with the addition of not consuming any animal products or by-products. They will not eat dairy, usually honey, or anything derived from an animal.
To clarify, here is a short list of some animal by-product ingredients you may have in your kitchen that would not be acceptable to a vegan:
Dairy-based cheese
Dairy-based butter
Eggs
Egg-based pastas
Fish oil
Honey
White sugar
Worcestershire sauce
Some breads (if they contain whey, butter, eggs or sugar)
Most beers (if they are filtered with gelatin, egg whites or sea shells)
Some salad dressings (if they contain lecithin, which are derived from animal tissue or egg yolk).
A good rule of thumb, Cunningham says, is this: “When in doubt, leave it out.”
Although there is no official guideline for restaurants to follow, Cunningham offers some helpful hints where vegetarian and vegan menu items are concerned. “It’s really helpful if the restaurant provides as much information as they can so the customer can make their own decision,” he says.
Cunningham also suggests providing an ingredients list, especially for items not made in-house. Kitchen and prep areas are vital to maintaining the authenticity of a meat-free offering. “Try to limit the opportunities for cross contamination between vegetarian and non-vegetarian items as much as you can in the limited space that you have,” he says.
Don’t forget to train your wait staff about how to answer questions about vegetarian and vegan offerings. Never let servers guess or suggest meaty menu items to those who have indicated that they abstain. “I’ve had servers who are eager to please me, so they tell me what they think I want to hear,” Cunningham says. “Actually what I really want to know was what the truth was.”
Carefully select items that appeal to a vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarians are looking for more than a cheese pizza. Diversify vegetarian and vegan options with ingredients that you already have in-house like veggies, fruits, beans and nuts. There are also a variety of meat substitute products like tofu and tempeh. There are a number of non-dairy cheeses based on the flavors of mozzarella, cheddar, Gouda, etc. Test them for consistency and be sure they melt to your liking.
“If you have to choose between a vegetarian and a vegan option, always pick the vegan option,” Cunningham says. “Even though there are fewer vegans than vegetarians, the vegan option is the most accepted to the widest range of vegetarians.”
It’s not just vegans and vegetarians looking for meat-free offerings. There are a number of reasons customers choose vegetarian or vegan pizzas. Some abstain from meat due to religious reasons. Those who follow a Kosher diet will often seek vegetarian and vegan options to be certain they do not violate animal restrictions. Some customers may not eat processed meat or are simply limiting their meat intake. “It could be people looking to reduce their calories or looking to cut back on saturated fat,” Cunningham says.
Peace o’ Pie, a vegan pizzeria in Boston, Massachusetts, has created quite the general public following. “The majority of our customers are neither vegan or vegetarian,” co-founder Miguel Danielson says. “In general, we think that more and more people are opening themselves up to eating more plant-based foods, and we offer a delicious and unique way to do so.”
Peace o’ Pie’s most popular pizzas include the EP, which features fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic and smoky tempeh crumbles, and the MD (vegan apple sage sausage, onion and zucchini, sautéed in herbs and spices).
Creating a well-thought-out meatless menu may do more than get vegetarians or vegans into your store; it could also possibly be just what your current customers seek.
Denise Greer is associate editor at Pizza Today.
In This Issue
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PHOTO BY JOSH KEOWN
Tristan Kohler is the owner of a 24/7 Domino’s Pizza franchise in Dayton, Ohio. His pizzeria is the only Domino’s Pizza in the United States with a breakfast daypart. “We began offering breakfast pizza two years ago,” says Kohler.
The college campus location of Kohler’s franchise grants a demographic that marketing research firm NPD Group Inc. reports is a good market for restaurants to target for breakfast traffic.
According to a study authored by Dori Hickey, director of product management of NPD, called Morning MealScape 2011, 28 percent of males age 18 to 34 have the highest incidence of skipping breakfast and adults 55 and older have the lowest (11 percent for males, ages 55 and older, and 10 percent for females in this age range). Among children, the incidence of skipping breakfast increases as children age with 13- to 17-year-olds having the highest incidence (14 percent) of skipping the morning meal.
Tim McIntyre, vice president and director of communications for Domino’s Pizza, agrees that franchise location is a key to success when considering adding a breakfast daypart. “The three Domino’s Pizza franchises that have breakfast pizza (two in the UK and one in Dayton, Ohio) are all very near college campuses.”
Breakfast pizza as a menu option appeared on Technomic’s MenuMonitor, a food-based research and consulting firm, for the first time in 2010, which is one reason it is difficult to obtain profitability statistics. Another reason, says Howard Cannon, CEO of Restaurant Consultants of America, is because of the different ways breakfast pizza is being offered to the consumer: “There aren’t any stats on how breakfast pizza is being accepted because it is being offered in a patchwork approach. However, the success of the product is like any other daypart or menu offering: It comes down to volume of purchasing juxtaposed against plate profit.”
Cannon advises clients to consider all options before rolling out a new daypart. “We know what Americans eat. Trying to train ‘your’ customers in ‘your’ marketplace to eat something they are not accustomed to eating means you better have a big marketing budget.”
McIntyre understands that concept. “Domino’s does not offer a breakfast daypart in the majority of our restaurants because we believe we still have opportunity for growth at lunch, dinner and late evening,” he says, acknowledging that a Domino’s 24/7 franchise comes with considerations for the independent franchisee like obtaining a special business permit and finding employees for extra shifts. “The majority of our stores are owned by independent franchisees,” he says. “It is up to franchise owners to consider costs and then apply for an operations exception to us and to apply for zoning in their local venues.”
Because most pizzeria owners already have the ingredients needed to make breakfast pizza on hand, adding a breakfast daypart comes down to restaurant owners scrutinizing their unique marketplace. “The breakfast daypart is not the easiest segment in which to gain market share,” says Cannon. He suggests pizzeria owners study other restaurants like Subway. The sandwich shop chain recently rolled out a breakfast menu. “If you can expand into the breakfast daypart without losing momentum and traction in your current daypart it is never a bad idea to investigate the idea,” he says. However, Cannon also cautions pizzeria owners to ask themselves questions. “Subway’s busiest daypart is lunch,” he says. “Do you think the same customer is going to buy breakfast at Subway and then come back for lunch? Have I hurt my established profitability by rolling out a new daypart? Now think about that from a pizza perspective.”
Independent pizzeria owners often have fewer marketing dollars than chains. “An independent with a smaller budget may end up taking marketing dollars away from a daypart they already have that is profitable,” says Cannon. He advises his clients to be doing exceptionally well in the daypart they have before adding a new one.
Stevi B’s Pizza has 40 locations located in eight states. The chain offered breakfast pizza as a part of the lunch and dinner dayparts but found customer orders low. Matthew Loney, president of the company, found a niche market for breakfast pizza. “Basically the only time the breakfast pizza is consumed in our market is when we are asked to do a morning catering event.”
While it is apparent pizzeria owners should be cautious about adding a breakfast daypart, it is also apparent that breakfast pizza is slowly being put on menus around the country. According to research done by Technomic MenuMonitor, at the end of 2011 there were 14 pizza items on breakfast menus, a 17-percent increase.
Kohler thinks breakfast pizza is the best-kept secret of the pizza industry. “If you are a pizza veteran with any company you’ve probably tried it,” says Kohler. “Since our franchise is located at the University of Dayton and was already open late and with a lot of traffic, it just made sense to begin opening from 6 a.m. to11 a.m. and support the new daypart with a breakfast pizza.” Kohler considers adding the breakfast daypart a success and says, “That we are a pizzeria open for breakfast gives us some notoriety around campus as well.”
A.M. FLAVOR
Whether the pizzeria owner opts for adding a breakfast daypart or finds another way to incorporate breakfast pizza, statistics show that the menu option is on the rise.
Domino's Pizza in Dayton, Ohio (close to the University of Dayton) sells an egg and cheese pizza with three additional toppings for $7.99.
Joe's American Bar & Grill in Boston, Massachusetts (Newbury Street), offers a breakfast pizza made with eggs, Italian sausage, onions, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and provolone. The pizza is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. and costs $11.99
Pulino's Bar & Pizzeria in New York City claims to be America's first breakfast pizzeria and offers an extensive variety of breakfast pizzas. The Patate breakfast pizza is made of eggs, tenderly cooked potato, sausage, fontina, and green onions ($8 small, $16 large). The pizzeria is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Vyvyan Lynn is an independent journalist. She lives in Georgia.
In This Issue
Photo by Josh Keown
In Modena, Italy, aceto balsamico is as precious as liquid gold and has as many users that look to it as much for its medicinal properties as its use in the kitchen. In cellars all over Modena it is not unusual to find kegs of vinegar that have been aging for 60 or 70 years. Aceto balsamico was such a precious commodity it was given as special gifts and as part of a bride’s dowry.
Unfortunately, the unparalleled popularity of balsamic vinegar over the past 20 years has spawned imitations that are weak cousins to the original Aceto balsamico di Modena. The difference in flavor and taste between a top quality aged aceto balsamico and younger versions of “Modena-style vinegar” is like, say, comparing Beluga caviar from the sturgeon to whitefish caviar.
Quality of balsamic vinegar ranges from what is called tradizionale to riserva (must be at least 12 years old), and extra vecchia (must be at least 25 years old). Obviously, the older vinegars are the best and truly represent the quality and unique flavor of what this vinegar is all about.
In pizzerias, balsamic vinegar has a variety of uses –– from drizzles on appetizers, to salad dressings and as finishes on pizza. The current trend toward artisan pizza lends itself well to balsamic vinegar –– we’ve seen it reduced alongside pear, prosciutto and gorgonzola and atop pizzas with chicken and garlic.
Give these recipes a try for artisan flair:
PANZANELLA CON CECI (BREAD AND CHICK-PEA SALAD)
Yield: 4 to 6 servings (Scale up in direct proportion)
3 cups 2- or 3-day-old Italian bread, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 pound (8-10) very ripe plum tomatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks
1 tablespoon drained capers
½ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 cup drained canned chickpeas, rinsed
10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
8-10 leaves fresh basil (to taste), torn
½ teaspoon salt
4-5 grinds of black pepper
Soak the bread in a bowl of cold water to cover for 15 minutes. Remove it from the bowl and squeeze it well with your hands. Discard the water.
In a large serving bowl, combine the bread, tomatoes, capers, onion, celery and chickpeas. Set aside.
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the parsley, garlic, oregano and vinegar. Process for 15 to 20 seconds to combine.
With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream and process until smooth. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, add the basil, and toss well to combine.
Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour before serving.
PROSCIUTTO AND MOZZARELLA PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS
Yield: One pizza
Dough ball
12 ounces red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 ounces shredded prosciutto (or thinly sliced)
Freshly chopped thyme for garnish
In a heavy saucepan, sauté onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until softened. Add Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and garlic. Cook until liquid evaporates and onions are caramelized (can be made ahead and held).
Roll out dough ball. Brush shell with remaining olive oil. Top with mozzarella cheese, shredded prosciutto, bell pepper and onions. Bake until cheese browns. Top with fresh thyme and serve immediately.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
My pizzeria’s love affair with steak began over eight years ago when restaurant consultant Big Dave Ostrander convinced me to put steak on my menu. Of the 53 toppings I offer, it’s a standout. In fact, in the past 10 months, steak has been responsible for the sale of 1,043 large single steak topping piz- zas, 3,170 specialty pizzas and 577 steak sandwiches! If I hadn’t taken this chance on steak, I would still only be offering just ground beef like every other pizza place.
Steak is what I call my “pizza loss leader.” It’s a topping that not only increases sales of pizza, but also boosts sales of other toppings I partner it with — even though it is not as profitable because of a high food cost. Unlike many pizza toppings, steak has the “heavy-heavy topping syndrome.” Because everything is priced according to weight, heavy toppings need to be cheaper — like pineapple, which is heavy but cheap. The opposite is pepperoni (which is light, but heavy in price). steak has a heavy price and heavy weight. In my experience, a topping with these two variables had better perform fabulously and produce some bodacious revenue.
My priorities, (besides taste) for any new pizza topping are:
- How will this help me capture more customers and revenue?
- How much does it cost per pound, per ounce, per pizza?
- Does the price I would have to charge jive with my market?
- How many man-hours will it take to prep?
- How many different styles of pizza can I make using my other existing toppings?
I tried all the different types of pre-prepared steak on the market as well as cooking, slicing and holding a steak topping myself. The variation in steak flavors and cuts differ with preparation, shrinkage, texture, chew, marinade and price. all have the trade-offs that every pizza owner such as yourself must calculate to fit their own menu-mix and market.
Let’s take a look at a few cuts you might consider:
- Loin. expensive cuts like this are tender and delicious but contain less fat to melt on the pie. not many pre-prepared products on the market contain strip loin. loin can rocket from 56 cents an ounce for untrimmed strip loin to $1.20 an ounce for untrimmed waigu beef strip loin. Tenderloin’s texture is delicate but adds minimal flavor to a pizza and costs almost 75 cents to 90 cents an ounce. This represents a minimum of $2.80 for each five-ounce portion before figuring labor prep.
- Philly steak or top round. By far the most popular and recognizable fast food steak, the Philly steak has morphed from a thinly sliced top round to ribeye in some places. a big haunch of top round spiced with Italian seasonings and garlic cooked to less than medium rare and rendered thin on a slicer is magnificent on a pizza because the huge slice envelopes the pizza in a beefy cloak. The downside is that wet meat may turn harmful in the hands of anyone without sanitation training or with slow sales. Philly steak can be found in several thaw-and-serve varieties where you can peel like ham and top as you wish. It can cost between 25 to 40 cents an ounce (which, at five ounces, would cost a minimum of $1.25 a pizza).
- Ribeye. This is probably the best thin sliced product for pizza because the meat is tender and fatty. If raw, it produces a wonderful beefy sheen on the cheese that permeates the whole pie but shrinks. If used pre-cooked it has a little less taste with less shrinkage and no hint of “blood stain” on the cheese. untrimmed ribeye in bulk costs 58 cents an ounce uncooked, but there are good chopped and formed products for as little as 28 cents an ounce. This costs as little as $1.40 per pie (5 ounces) — without any labor — to prep, and it doesn’t contain any of those scary chemicals like TBhQ, BhT or Bha.
- Chuck eye roll. This obscure cut is a secret in the sandwich industry, especially in some Boston steak sandwiches. It is a combination of layered muscles with the top being the end of the ribeye called the “chuck eye,” while the bottom is a bit tougher. The tougher texture lends itself to slicing, marinating, then braising like Italian beef, but the fat has real lasting flavor. Prices are great during the summer, but go up in winter because they cut this up to produce chuck steak for pot roast.
Through the use of some very creative and classic steak preparations, you can bring your food cost down and steak pizza sales up while making a delicious pizza. Let’s run a recipe and the numbers for this pizza. Start with your crust, sauce, cheese and box, which will cost you roughly $2.40:
Southwestern Fajita Steak Pizza
Dough, Sauce, Cheese, and Box = $2.40:
5 ounces of steak @ .28 oz = $1.40
2.5 ounces of onion @ .04 oz = $ .10
2.5 ounces of green pepper @ .15 oz = $ .38
(Tablespoon) southwest seasoning = $ .18
Total cost: $4.46
In a good market you’d price this pizza at about $26, with a food cost of 17 percent and a profit of $21.54. In a mid-market, it could be priced at $16 with a food cost of 28 percent and a $11.54 profit. In a discount market, price it at $12 and the food cost would be 37 percent, leaving you with $7.54 in base profits. This illustrates that even at a discounted price, steak can yield over $7 base profit for one pizza!
If you want to make more money from your menu mix, try steak. your customers will thank you.
ENHANCE YOUR MENU OPTIONS WITH STEAK
- Philly Steak Pizza: Cream sauce, cheese, asiago or cheddar, steak, onion, green pepper (Cover photo)]
- Gorgonzola Steak Pizza: Cream sauce, cheese, spinach, gorgonzola, steak, balsamic glaze
- Steak and Potato Pizza: Steak, potato, cheese, broccoli, cheddar, bacon
- Bulgogi (Korean Beef) Pizza: Teriyaki sauce, provolone, steak, scallions, hot sauce, kimchi
- Lebanese Steak Pizza: Tahini cream, cheese, steak, onion, (cucumber and tomato after oven)
- Chicago Steakhouse Pie: Horseradish cream sauce with spinach, cheese, steak and asparagus
- Spicy Barbeque Steak Pizza: BBQ sauce, cheese, onion, cheddar, bacon, jalapeño.
John Gutekanst owns avalanche Pizza in athens, Ohio. he is also a speaker at International Pizza expo and a member of the world Pizza champions.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
As a child Sergio Vitale traveled throughout his father’s native italy. “I remember having potato pizza in Tuscany — it stood out as a unique combination. and i loved how simple and delicious it was,” he says.
Today, the chef/owner of Baltimore, Maryland-based Chazz: A Bronx original restaurant brings back those Tuscan memories by creating his own version of potato pizza. Vitale’s coal-oven-fired white pizza is topped with sea salt seasoned potatoes, pecorino and fontina cheeses, rosemary and garlic. after baking he drizzles calabrese chili oil over it.
“It’s very popular, actually,” says Vitale. “it’s in the top five sellers. People think ‘potatoes on pizza?’ and maybe that piques their interest at first, and then they taste it and get hooked.”
Vitale’s not alone in having potato pizza success. Numero 28 cucina in new york, part of the Biamonte family’s numero 28 pizzerias, serves a patate pizza topped with mozzarella, gorgonzola, white potato slices and oregano.
“It’s a popular pizza, and it is also a good vegetarian option (for lactoovo vegetarians who eat dairy),” says Rolando Biamonte, co-owner.
not only do diners at Sazerac Restaurant in Seattle, Washington, enjoy the potato pizza, but so does executive chef Jason Mcclure. “People really do like it. but for me, it’s really a personal favorite so i really enjoy making this pizza,” he says. Mcclure bakes a Neapolitan-style pizza topped with thin slices of yukon potatoes, thyme and goat cheese or blue cheese.
Andrea Franchini, co-owner of Pizza Roma in New York, also sells a profitable potato pizza dressed with mozzarella and rosemary.
While it might sound great to have potato pizzas seemingly fly out of ovens due to high demand, operators must bake with caution. Sliced potatoes are delicate. it’s important to not scorch them when baking the pizzas. Golden brown on the edges is great, but burnt throughout is not.
The key is getting potatoes crispy, not watery, says franchini, who cuts potatoes thin and leaves them in water overnight to remove the starch. (Starch can cause the potato’s surface to brown faster than the inside cooks and can make potatoes stick together.)
“Potatoes have to be cut thin enough to cook through, but not so thin they burn — though a little crispy is good. Just pay attention to the thickness when cutting,” Mcclure adds.
When baking potato pizzas it’s also important to know your oven’s strengths. “we have a custom coal oven. with coal or wood, you have to plan around the high heat and adjust the recipe accordingly: how long the pizza is going to stay in the oven and at what temperature. working backwards from there, you can tweak the hydration level in the spuds,”Vitale explains.
The right hydration helps prevent spuds from watering out and making pizzas soggy. Vitale slices the potatoes, then blanches them to hydrate further. “alternatively, sliced, blanched potatoes can be stacked in the walk-in overnight to dry out if necessary, depending on what works for your oven,” he says.
He also “seals” the pizza’s crust with a layer of shredded fontina underneath the potatoes. and he is careful with the potatoes’ spacing. “Too many spuds cropped up in the center will make a soggy pizza,”Vitale says.
To prevent potato pizza sogginess at Numero 28 Cucina, Fausto Sassi, pizza maker, boils potatoes fresh daily then slices them. “The mozzarella and gorgonzola keeps the potatoes moist. Since the potatoes are cooked already, the pizza bakes quickly, so burning is not an issue,” he says.
Different potato varieties deliver unique taste and textures. operators should play around with assorted varieties to see what works best in their oven. Mcclure prefers to use either yukon potatoes because of its taste, or Kennebec potatoes for its high-starch content.
Vitale favors Idaho potatoes. “I prefer starchy potato varieties rather than waxy potato varieties because I think they taste better on the pizza,” he says. “Waxy potatoes have a tendency to make pizzas soggy, and potato slices burn easily.”
Waxy potatoes (such as round white, round red, yellow potato and red potato) are relatively high in moisture and sugar, but low in starch. Starchy potatoes (such as Idaho, Russet bur-bank, Goldrush and Norkotah) are high in starch and good for frying. No matter what variety you choose, all potatoes have the ability to provide a blank canvas for pizzas. The subtle taste blends naturally with a variety of meats and cheeses.
Sassi enjoys pairing potatoes with ham and sausage. Vitale likes mixing potatoes with caramelized onions and lardons or duck confit.
However, proceed with caution. operators don’t want other flavors to overpower the spuds. in terms of topping pizzas, a little goes a long way. as Mcclure says, “Keep it simple and the flavors will blend together perfectly.”
British Bacon Potato, Oinion and Gorgonzola Pizza
10-inch pizza shell
4 ounces mozzarella, shredded
1 cup roasted potato slices
½ cup roasted onion slices or smothered onion slices
2 tablespoons Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
¼ pound bacon, cooked and chopped
Garnish:
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh apple (skin left on)
1 tablespoon toasted, crumbled walnut
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
2 tablespoons sweet vinaigrette*
Build a pizza, layering the ingredients, as listed up to garnish, evenly over the dough. Bake the pie until golden.
Toss the apple, walnut, spinach, and vinaigrette together in a small bowl while the pie bakes.
Slice the pie and mound the salad in the center.
*Sweet Vinaigrette
2 cups red wine vinegar
¼ cup of honey (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
½ teaspoon ground caraway seed
(optional) 2 cups olive oil Salt and pepper to taste
Place the vinegar, honey, garlic, and caraway seed in a small pan and bring to a boil. Let simmer gently 5 minutes and remove from heat. Let cool down completely before using. Pour the cooked vinegar mixture into a bowl or food processor and whisk or beat in the oil until it’s emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman is a freelance writer in Louisville, Kentucky. She covers food, business and lifestyle trends.
In This Issue
HOLD THE MEAT
A variety of vegetarian and vegan options help diversify your menu
BY DENISE GREER,
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
While there are varying degrees of vegetarianism, let’s use the simplest terms. A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish or poultry. Veganism is where it gets a little more complicated. Vegans also abstain from meat, fish and poultry, with the addition of not consuming any animal products or by-products. They will not eat dairy, usually honey, or anything derived from an animal.While there are varying degrees of vegetarianism, let’s use the simplest terms. A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish or poultry. Veganism is where it gets a little more complicated. Vegans also abstain from meat, fish and poultry, with the addition of not consuming any animal products or by-products. They will not eat dairy, usually honey, or anything derived from an animal.
To clarify, here is a short list of some animal by-product ingredients you may have in your kitchen that would not be acceptable to a vegan:
Dairy-based cheese
Dairy-based butter
Eggs
Egg-based pastas
Fish oil
Honey
White sugar
Worcestershire sauce
Some breads (if they contain whey, butter, eggs or sugar)
Most beers (if they are filtered with gelatin, egg whites or sea shells)
Some salad dressings (if they contain lecithin, which are derived from animal tissue or egg yolk).
A good rule of thumb, Cunningham says, is this: “When in doubt, leave it out.”
Although there is no official guideline for restaurants to follow, Cunningham offers some helpful hints where vegetarian and vegan menu items are concerned. “It’s really helpful if the restaurant provides as much information as they can so the customer can make their own decision,” he says.
Cunningham also suggests providing an ingredients list, especially for items not made in-house. Kitchen and prep areas are vital to maintaining the authenticity of a meat-free offering. “Try to limit the opportunities for cross contamination between vegetarian and non-vegetarian items as much as you can in the limited space that you have,” he says.
Don’t forget to train your wait staff about how to answer questions about vegetarian and vegan offerings. Never let servers guess or suggest meaty menu items to those who have indicated that they abstain. “I’ve had servers who are eager to please me, so they tell me what they think I want to hear,” Cunningham says. “Actually what I really want to know was what the truth was.”
Carefully select items that appeal to a vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarians are looking for more than a cheese pizza. Diversify vegetarian and vegan options with ingredients that you already have in-house like veggies, fruits, beans and nuts. There are also a variety of meat substitute products like tofu and tempeh. There are a number of non-dairy cheeses based on the flavors of mozzarella, cheddar, Gouda, etc. Test them for consistency and be sure they melt to your liking.
“If you have to choose between a vegetarian and a vegan option, always pick the vegan option,” Cunningham says. “Even though there are fewer vegans than vegetarians, the vegan option is the most accepted to the widest range of vegetarians.”
It’s not just vegans and vegetarians looking for meat-free offerings. There are a number of reasons customers choose vegetarian or vegan pizzas. Some abstain from meat due to religious reasons. Those who follow a Kosher diet will often seek vegetarian and vegan options to be certain they do not violate animal restrictions. Some customers may not eat processed meat or are simply limiting their meat intake. “It could be people looking to reduce their calories or looking to cut back on saturated fat,” Cunningham says.
Peace o’ Pie, a vegan pizzeria in Boston, Massachusetts, has created quite the general public following. “The majority of our customers are neither vegan or vegetarian,” co-founder Miguel Danielson says. “In general, we think that more and more people are opening themselves up to eating more plant-based foods, and we offer a delicious and unique way to do so.”
Peace o’ Pie’s most popular pizzas include the EP, which features fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic and smoky tempeh crumbles, and the MD (vegan apple sage sausage, onion and zucchini, sautéed in herbs and spices).
Creating a well-thought-out meatless menu may do more than get vegetarians or vegans into your store; it could also possibly be just what your current customers seek.
Denise Greer is associate editor at Pizza Today.
In This Issue
Menu Trends For 2012
By Pasquale "Pat" BRUNO Jr. Photo by Josh Keown
I am not suggesting that you have to do a 180 on this, but be aware of trends like these (and those listed below) that will affect how well you stack up against the competition.
Here is one example: In one of my pizza cookbooks, I featured a Pizza Insalata, or salad pizza. This is a
no-sauce pizza that is as simple as topping a cheese pizza with tossed salad greens. In other words, prep and bake a cheese pizza, then let it cool a little. Afterwards, top it with a salad (mixed greens, fresh tomatoes, etc., tossed with a balsamic dressing). This pizza dish is colorful, healthy, easy and delicious.
In that same pizza cookbook I devoted an entire chapter to “Vegetarian Pizza.” What goes around comes around, so I am saying that one of the important trends for 2012 will be how you can come up with dishes where less is more. And doing so creates a win-win situation. What’s not to love about lower food costs, lower menu prices and greater customer satisfaction?
Let me dig a little deeper into what I see will be major trends in 2012:
Other healthier pizza trends have to do with these factors: No added sugar in the sauce, going lighter on the cheese(s), thinner pizza crust (thinner by a lot, but not cracker thin; the crust needs some chew and texture).
Think outside the box when it comes to new ideas in pizza dough. For example, you can fashion a pizza dough by using grains — quinoa and quinoa flour, for example. My intent here is not to have you go off the grid; rather I’d like you to think about what your competition will be throwing at you in the year ahead. Remember the Boy Scout motto: “Be Prepared.”
Lighter sauces and smaller portions apply to pasta as well. And in the area of pasta, try whole-wheat and whole grain varieties (there are plenty of brands to choose from). To make any pasta dish more appealing, give the sauce the full flavor treatment by spicing it up with, say, chilies or crushed red pepper flakes. And incorporate more vegetables into your pasta dishes.
Keep those veggie toppings for your pizzas up front and personal. Don’t back off from the idea of using eggplant, zucchini, rapini, broccoli and potatoes as pizza toppings. Yes, I know that sausage and pepperoni are still the most popular, but you need to offer alternatives; don’t get stuck in a rut.
Should you be thinking “organic?” Only if it makes sense (it’s becoming a geographical issue). Keep in mind that organic ingredients carry a higher food cost. Let common sense prevail.
Regional themes will be ripe for the picking in the year ahead. Yes, I know that “Regional Italian” was the buzzword a few years back. But in our business there is a cycle that curves back, so be ready to grab on to it when it comes your way. Try something in the order of regional pizzas to include as part of your menu listings. This is part of “Romancing the Menu,” which will drive your competition crazy, because their reaction time will be slower (which means you get the jump on them). For example, put into play regional names like Sardinian, Sicilian, Neapolitan, Tuscan and Roman in every way — salads, pasta, pizza — you possibly can. A trip up and down the Italian boot can be very, very tasty.
Put some thought into your children’s fare and kids’ menus. Do more, offer more, make it more interesting, a reason for parents to bring the kiddos to your restaurant. The words “family friendly” will never go out of style.
Gluten free pizza. Has the gluten-free trend hit its peak, or is it here to stay? Conflicting reports abound, but it’s important to remember that only a very small percentage of the population — one percent — need to eat gluten-free for medical/health purposes. To that end, if you would like to make a gluten-free pizza, here is my basic recipe.
Gluten-Free Pizza Dough
Yield: about 18 ounces of pizza dough
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cups white rice flour
1 tablespoon corn oil
Put the yeast, sugar and water in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and rice flour and add it to the water-yeast mixture. Add the corn oil. Mix until the dough comes
together and you can form a ball. Add additional rice flour if needed (the dough should be soft and pliable). Set aside. Cover. Let rise for an hour or more.
Lightly coat a quarter-sheet pan with olive oil (or you can use corn meal). Press the dough into the pan and up the sides, making it as thin as possible without tearing it. For added flavor brush the crust with garlic butter or garlic oil. Top with the usual toppings — sauce, cheese(s), herbs. Bake at 450-475 F for 15-20 minutes (don’t over bake the pizza or the crust will be too tough), until the crust gets crispy and takes on some color.
Remember that this is a crust that is not light and can be rather stiff.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a former food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
Love it or hate it, spinach has the potential to be a big hit on your menu and can be utilized in appetizers, pizza, pasta and entrées. I have loved spinach since I was a kid. In sixth grade, at recess, when most kids went across the street with their pocket full of change to buy candy, I would cross with them but then go to the bakery next to the candy store to buy a spinach pie. Yes, it’s the truth –– that’s how much I love spinach.
And, I love my spinach pies as well. They’re like a mini calzone made with bread dough. Here’s the awesome thing: my kids love them, too. I just made them 24 spinach pies to enjoy during their week off from school and they gobbled them up. To prove even more that I’m a true spinach geek, when I got my first car, a ’72 Ford Pinto and then got a CB radio, my handle (radio name) was actually “Spinach Man”. While cooking in an upscale restaurant when I was a junior and senior in high school, I’d look forward to going out after work at one in the morning sharing a spinach pizza with my buddy, Sean. Yep, spinach is the life for me!!
I get so happy when I can convert others who claim to hate spinach but then love one of my spinach creations, like a sampling of my Spanikopita. Spinach is like artichoke hearts in a sense that it doesn’t have a pile of flavor on its own, but really becomes a wonderful ingredient when it’s seasoned well or mixed with other ingredients. I’ll tell you right now that spinach and garlic is a match made in heaven. They belong together with a pinch of salt (of course). Now, keep one thing in mind. Don’t ever, ever use canned spinach for anything. I need you to promise! Canned spinach has no value to me whatsoever. It’s brown and mushy and doesn’t do spinach any justice. The people who claim to hate spinach, I’m convinced, are the same people whose parents tried to force canned spinach on them as a child. The two ways that I would suggest you buy spinach is either fresh or frozen. I prefer fresh, and for the last couple of years I’ve been buying the baby spinach. The reason I like the baby flat leaf is for two reasons: it’s already washed and because the stems are so small the spinach is totally ready to use. I used to use washed spinach that was leafier, but there were lots of places for dirt and sand to hide and it usually needed extra washing.
Most people don’t realize what high water content spinach has. So, if you’re going to use fresh spinach in cooked dishes like pasta and pizza, understand that it really cooks down, wilting in volume about 80 percent. Frozen chopped spinach is a good alternative, especially if you’re going to offer hearty spinach pizzas. I’ve ordered a spinach pizza before and it looked like a sprinkling of parsley. Know that if a spinach lover orders it on their pizza, they really want some spinach. Here’s the best way to handle and prepare frozen chopped spinach to top pizza or to add to an Alfredo dish:
First, thaw the spinach under refrigeration, and then drain it very well by squeezing the excess water out. It’s important to add a little bit of vegetable oil or olive oil to the spinach to make it easier to work with. I like to add some salt and either fresh chopped or granulated garlic. For a two-pound box of thawed and drained spinach, I’d add ½ cup of oil, 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of garlic. This mixture can also be used perfectly well in calzones and the spinach pies that I love so much. If you really want to use fresh uncooked spinach on a pizza, you need to make sure it is placed on the pizza before the cheese. If you add fresh spinach on the top of a pizza, it will first wilt and then burn.
If you order fresh spinach, you want to check it to make sure none of it is wilted or slimy. If it is, refuse it. Even a little bit of slimy spinach in the corner of the bag can contaminate the rest of the spinach very quickly. If your spinach comes in real fresh and your refrigeration is working properly, your spinach should last a week. As I’ve shared when talking about menu development, if you’re going to bring in a new ingredient, make sure you use it in more than just one dish. I use spinach on my menu in five different dishes.
Roman Vegetarian Pizza
1 16-inch pizza dough
6 ounces of Alfredo sauce (hot or cold)
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
2 plum tomatoes sliced
2 ounces sliced black or Kalamata olives
8-10 pieces of artichoke heart quarters
1½ tablespoons of chopped garlic
8 ounces of your favorite pizza cheese blend
Stretch your dough, spread the Alfredo sauce. Mix the spinach, oil, garlic and salt, then kind of dollop the spinach onto the pizza spreading it out as much as you can for the best coverage.
Spread the sliced tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Sprinkle the olives and chopped garlic with the pizza cheese on top. Bake (the average deck oven at 550 F will take approximately 8-12 minutes).
Related
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Fruit pizza toppings add a whole new flavor dimension
BY DENISE GREER
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
Hawaiian Pizza and its variations broke the mold years ago, combining sweet, tart pineapple with savory, salty ham to create a menu favorite across the country. While pineapple has become a mainstay on many pizzerias’ toppings lists, there is a world of fruits just waiting to find their way onto your pizzas. Mango, cranberries, apples, cherries, figs, avocados and even watermelon might be just what you’re looking for to ignite a wave of enthusiasm from your customers. Watermelon, for instance, may seem like an odd pizza topping. But when Executive Chef Jason Sondgroth at Paesanos in Sacramento, California, paired watermelon with prosciutto, feta and a balsamic reduction, it became a wonderland of palatable sensations. He says he wanted to create something that was reminiscent of a picnic. It became an instant hit, along with another creation: the Gorgonzola & Fuji Apple Pizza with olive oil, garlic, caramelized onions, spinach and mozzarella. If you are already offering fruit-based, house-made desserts, it’s as easy as creating a crave-able pizza, making those fruits available on the pizza line and training your pizza maker to get the right formula down and your servers to entice adventurous diners. What should you think about when it comes to incorporating fruit on pizza? The flavor combination is key. It’s a balancing act, according to co-owner and chef Brandon Case of Peel Wood Fired Pizza in Edwardsville, Illinois. Working with co-owner Patrick Thirion, Case says, “we like to pair the sweet and savory together and the hot and cold together.” For some pies, the fruit is baked right in, while for others, Case says, chilled fruit is used as a garnish. Either way, Case says the options enhance Peel’s menu offerings and carry a similar food cost to many of the other vegetables his restaurant uses.
Last fall, the Crème de Brie Pizza debuted on Peel’s menu with prosciutto, Granny Smith apples, Brie cheese and fresh sage. Case says it’s a lighter style pizza that customers responded so well to that it will stay on the menu through the next cycle this year. Peel introduces many of its fruity concoctions through its chef’s specials, like the Wood Fired Chicken and Strawberry Pizza. The slightly smoky flavor of the chicken really pairs well with the strawberries, as well as many other fruits, Case says. John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, experiments often with various fruits. He finds they hold several benefits. “Fruit is a champion because it acts as a palate cleanser, flavor enhancer and intensifies savory flavors all at the same time,” he says. When looking for the right accompaniment to fruit, Gutekanst says, consider the following meats:
prosciutto
bacon
pancetta
guanciale
“These go great as long as you have a perfect combo of additional strong, sharp and ‘stinky’ flavors,” Gutekanst says. He suggests:
gorgonzola
Stilton
Taleggio
aged Manchego
To enhance the texture, Gutekanst suggests giving the pizza a little nutty crunch with walnuts, almonds, pecans or cashews. Vegetables like arugula, spinach, sunflower sprouts and watercress can add an extra bite. Using fruit on pizza does result in one baking issue: water. “Baking is always a challenge with water,” Gutekanst says. “That’s why I prefer to use dried fruit and rehydrate in hot water.” Gutekanst says rehydrating is easy — plus dried fruit is packed with flavor. “The best thing is that this gives you double intensity of dried fruit and a limper, more digestible fruit,” he says, adding that he buys bags of dried mango, blueberry, cherry and cranberry and rehydrates them overnight. Is your mouth watering yet with the flavor combinations available? Experiment with an original pizza in your shop. It may hit big.
The Purple People Eater
John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, says “I’ve been turning to fruit more and more these days as a complimentary or juxtapositional flavor, especially for salty and spicy pizza toppings.” He has created numerous insatiable pizzas that incorporate a variety of fruits. Try this sweet and spicy pizza:
1 dough ball
1 medium to large onion
3 chipotle peppers from a can with adobo sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dried blueberry
5-8 leaves of raddichio del Traviso (regular raddichio will do in a pinch) slice thin or thick depending on what you like
1 rasher of thick-cut bacon, cut into thin batons
5-7 ounces of fresh curd torn into chunks
Toss onions with olive oil in oven proof pan. Tear the chipotle peppers up and add to the pan with a small amount of adobo sauce (1 tablespoon). Heat in the oven for 12 to 16 minutes, tossing halfway to incorporate flavors. Remove from oven and toss dried blueberries, then put back in oven for 5 minutes until onions are limp. Remove and toss again, then put into a small container and cover to let the blueberries rehydrate with the steam.
Place chipotle mix on the dough, then place the sliced raddichio, the bacon and the fresh curd. Bake.
Denise Greer is associate editor of Pizza Today.
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HOLD THE MEAT
A variety of vegetarian and vegan options help diversify your menu
BY DENISE GREER,
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
While there are varying degrees of vegetarianism, let’s use the simplest terms. A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish or poultry. Veganism is where it gets a little more complicated. Vegans also abstain from meat, fish and poultry, with the addition of not consuming any animal products or by-products. They will not eat dairy, usually honey, or anything derived from an animal.While there are varying degrees of vegetarianism, let’s use the simplest terms. A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish or poultry. Veganism is where it gets a little more complicated. Vegans also abstain from meat, fish and poultry, with the addition of not consuming any animal products or by-products. They will not eat dairy, usually honey, or anything derived from an animal.
To clarify, here is a short list of some animal by-product ingredients you may have in your kitchen that would not be acceptable to a vegan:
Dairy-based cheese
Dairy-based butter
Eggs
Egg-based pastas
Fish oil
Honey
White sugar
Worcestershire sauce
Some breads (if they contain whey, butter, eggs or sugar)
Most beers (if they are filtered with gelatin, egg whites or sea shells)
Some salad dressings (if they contain lecithin, which are derived from animal tissue or egg yolk).
A good rule of thumb, Cunningham says, is this: “When in doubt, leave it out.”
Although there is no official guideline for restaurants to follow, Cunningham offers some helpful hints where vegetarian and vegan menu items are concerned. “It’s really helpful if the restaurant provides as much information as they can so the customer can make their own decision,” he says.
Cunningham also suggests providing an ingredients list, especially for items not made in-house. Kitchen and prep areas are vital to maintaining the authenticity of a meat-free offering. “Try to limit the opportunities for cross contamination between vegetarian and non-vegetarian items as much as you can in the limited space that you have,” he says.
Don’t forget to train your wait staff about how to answer questions about vegetarian and vegan offerings. Never let servers guess or suggest meaty menu items to those who have indicated that they abstain. “I’ve had servers who are eager to please me, so they tell me what they think I want to hear,” Cunningham says. “Actually what I really want to know was what the truth was.”
Carefully select items that appeal to a vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarians are looking for more than a cheese pizza. Diversify vegetarian and vegan options with ingredients that you already have in-house like veggies, fruits, beans and nuts. There are also a variety of meat substitute products like tofu and tempeh. There are a number of non-dairy cheeses based on the flavors of mozzarella, cheddar, Gouda, etc. Test them for consistency and be sure they melt to your liking.
“If you have to choose between a vegetarian and a vegan option, always pick the vegan option,” Cunningham says. “Even though there are fewer vegans than vegetarians, the vegan option is the most accepted to the widest range of vegetarians.”
It’s not just vegans and vegetarians looking for meat-free offerings. There are a number of reasons customers choose vegetarian or vegan pizzas. Some abstain from meat due to religious reasons. Those who follow a Kosher diet will often seek vegetarian and vegan options to be certain they do not violate animal restrictions. Some customers may not eat processed meat or are simply limiting their meat intake. “It could be people looking to reduce their calories or looking to cut back on saturated fat,” Cunningham says.
Peace o’ Pie, a vegan pizzeria in Boston, Massachusetts, has created quite the general public following. “The majority of our customers are neither vegan or vegetarian,” co-founder Miguel Danielson says. “In general, we think that more and more people are opening themselves up to eating more plant-based foods, and we offer a delicious and unique way to do so.”
Peace o’ Pie’s most popular pizzas include the EP, which features fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic and smoky tempeh crumbles, and the MD (vegan apple sage sausage, onion and zucchini, sautéed in herbs and spices).
Creating a well-thought-out meatless menu may do more than get vegetarians or vegans into your store; it could also possibly be just what your current customers seek.
Denise Greer is associate editor at Pizza Today.
In This Issue
Photo by Rick Daugherty
When it comes to pizza, what do three major Midwest cities — Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis –– have in common? They each have a unique and especially delicious style of pizza. While Chicago’s deep-dish and St. Louis’s Provel cheese-topped pizzas need no introduction, what exactly is Detroit-Style pizza? Let me explain in as simple a way as possible: It is deep-dish pizza baked in a square pan — actually a hybrid of deep-dish pizza and Sicilian or Italian bakery pizza. Some might suggest that deep- dish pizza is more of a “pie,” but in the dawn of the pizza age, what we now call pizza (in whatever shape or style) went by the moniker “tomato pie.”
Detroit-style pizza got started at Buddy’s Rendevous around 1946, three years after deep-dish pizza made its debut in Chicago at Uno’s. The house in which I grew up in Upstate New York was smack next to an Italian bakery. A sideline of the bakery was Sicilian-style pizza –– pizza baked in square or rectangular pans. The pans were seasoned to the point of being black, and that allowed for a crispy crust with each pizza. The toppings were as simple as a tomato puree, oregano and a shower of grated Romano cheese. I have to tell you that this was one great pizza — a pizza memory that I treasure to this day. Detroit-style pizza is created in the same vein.
If you like chewy, cheesy pizza you will love Detroit-style pizza. The step that makes Detroit-style pizza so crunchy-tasty is that it is twice-baked. Not every pizzeria has the time or ability to go through that process, however. And what works in Detroit may not work in, say, California. Regional differences aside, there is no greater food than pizza.
With a Detroit-style pizza, the sauce is put on top of the cheese. But that is nothing new. In fact, in one of my cookbooks I show pictures of how a deep-dish pizza is assembled: crust, slices of mozzarella cheese, then tomatoes on top. u
ITALIAN BAKERY PIZZA
Makes one 12-by15-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
About 20 ounces of proofed dough
8 -10 ounces shredded mozzarella
11/2 cups tomato or pizza sauce
½ cup grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
Rub a 12-by15-inch seasoned rectangular pan lightly with olive oil.
Put the dough in the center of the pan. Push and spread the dough across the bottom of the pan and up the sides a bit. Sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese.
Spread the sauce evenly over the mozzarella. Sprinkle on the Romano cheese. Give the pizza a quick, short 5-10 minute bake in a preheated 500 F oven to set the crust. Pull the pizza out of the oven, and set aside. Then, when you’re ready to serve, put it back in for a second bake (about 10 minutes) to get that Detroit-style crunch. Drizzle on the olive oil. Cut the pizza into squares and serve.
Note: add toppings—sausage, pepperoni, et al. on top of the tomato or pizza sauce.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
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PHOTO BY ART DEPT.
There are two times of the year that salad sales in restaurants spike. The first spike is a short-lived one, and that’s the first week in January when people are making their New Year’s resolutions. The second one is now and lasts all summer! With great salad options on your menu, salad sales can be very strong all year. If you’re smart, you’ll make your way to the drawing board or, in our case, the cutting board and create some amazing salads that your guests will fall in love with. Take a look at your existing inventory and see what you have that will be the perfect addition in creating some fresh and vibrant new salad options.
Making your own salad dressing might seem like too much work, but you’ll be amazed when you find out how incredibly fast, simple and cost effective it is. So many pizza operators use dressing packets or cups, and I’ll admit that they are very convenient. The reality, however, is that premade dressings will always cost more and will never be as good as what you can make yourself. Premade dressings are required to include in its long list of ingredients (that most people can’t even pronounce) some type of preservative, which is not generally delightful to the palate.
Once you get your salad menu down, we can get to the component that ties it all together and gives the salad life. I always thought it was lame that a restaurant will have only one house dressing. Impressive? Hardly. To me, it’s stating that we’re either too lazy to make the rest of them or we simply are not talented enough. Not only is it cheaper and tastier, it’s a no-brainer. To add to the awesomeness of house-made dressing, you now need to find some nice little pint-sized containers to fill and sell them! Make sure you put a sticker with your restaurant’s logo and phone number on it. Think of the advertising dollars you have spent over the years trying to get your name in front of your customers to remind them “We’re ready to serve you!” When your customers open their refrigerator at home and see your logo 6-10 times a day, that’s a really good thing. Let me give you some of my favorite dressing ideas that are simple and very popular with my customers.
Many of my dressings start with mayonnaise as the base and I build from there. Honey Lemon dressing is one that I use on a Honey Lemon Pecan Chicken Salad or simply as a choice of dressing on any salad.
For a small batch, mix: 2 cups of mayo 1/3 cup of honey ¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup of water 2 tablespoons of fresh or freeze-dried chives That should take you about 60 seconds to make. Once you tweak the recipe, you’ll want to multiply the recipe to start with a gallon of mayo.
Here’s another great dressing called honey ginger dressing. Besides being a choice for all salads, I use this one on a honey-ginger almond chicken salad.
You can use the exact recipe for the honey lemon dressing, except you want to eliminate the chives. Once you have that base mixed up, add 2 teaspoons of ground ginger and ¼ cup of teriyaki sauce and it’s as simple as that.
We make our own creamy Caesar that our guests rave about and here’s how we do it.
Again with a small batch to get you started, mix: 2 cups of mayo 2 cups of zesty Italian dressing ½ cup grated Parmesan 1½ teaspoon granulated garlic ½ teaspoon ground pepper 3-4 shots of Worcestershire sauce Toss this dressing with your chopped romaine leaves and garnish with croutons and shredded or shaved Parmesan for an amazing Caesar Salad. Offer grilled steak, chicken, salmon or shrimp as an easy add-on.
Ranch is such a popular dressing, and once I realized how fast it is to make and that what I make is better than any ranch on the market (customers repeatedly let me know it’s the best ranch they’ve ever had), I just had to make it myself.
The funniest thing is that my buttermilk ranch doesn’t even have any buttermilk in it. The first time I decided to make it, I wanted to use buttermilk but didn’t have any. I realized that I can emulate buttermilk by using half & half with a little vinegar, so here’s my recipe. This time I’m giving you the large batch version:
1 gallon of mayo 1 quart half and half cream ½ cup white vinegar 1 cup water ½ cup granulated garlic 1 cup onion powder 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper ½ cup finely chopped parsley or freeze dried It’s really that simple! You can use this ranch as a base for an Avocado ranch or a Chipotle ranch. Be creative.
Now get in the kitchen people and make your own dressing. Pour them into two-ounce soufflé cups with lids for side salads and four-ounce cups for large salads. You can use pint-sized containers for jumbo catering salads and for customers to take home your freshly made dressing to enjoy. Get your name and logo on it so you’ll get some extra advertising.
Jeff Freehof owns The Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia. He is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today and a speaker at the Pizza Expo family of trade shows.
In This Issue
The repertoire of Italian sauces is loaded with classics like Alfredo, Bolognese, arrabbiata, marinara, and oil and garlic. The one sauce that stands just as tall and is just as versatile is pesto. I was always of a mind that pesto sauce never got the respect it truly deserves, even when it is used to sauce pasta (which is where it most often shows up). Lately, however, I have seen pesto coming to the fore in dishes like bruschetta, swirled into minestrone, in panini and as part of a stuffed chicken breast.
The one place I would love to see a pesto sauce used with more frequency, though, is on pizza. In fact, in one of my cookbooks, “The Ultimate Pizza,” I promoted the idea of a pesto pizza for which I make a fresh pesto sauce and employ for toppings some of the ingredients that go into a classic Pesto alla Genovese.
In Genoa, in the Ligurian region of Italy, the smell of fresh basil hangs fragrant in the air. Basil grows merrily in window boxes, clay pots, coffee cans — you name it. The people of Genoa love their basil and use it in every way imaginable. Pesto, that sublime combination of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and grated cheeses, is the most popular Genovese contribution to the culinary world. The recipe for pesto sauce that follows is a classic in every way, and I encourage you to at least try it, so that you get the feel, the texture and taste of a well-made pesto sauce. However, I know full well that fresh basil can be expensive at times and in some cases difficult to procure on a regular basis. Also, the actual making of the sauce requires a bit of labor.
The alternative is, of course, to buy a pesto sauce that is ready to go. I have used several ready-made pesto sauces over the years and have hardly ever been disappointed in them. Generally they will come to you frozen, so the shelf life is quite long. Also, the sauce is concentrated, so a little bit goes a long way. In other words, along with ease of use, there is value, so it will be a simple matter to start offering a pesto pizza as a special to get customers into it. I would also suggest you add pesto sauce to your usual “additional toppings of your choice” selection.
This pizza is a variation of the famous pasta dish pesto alla Genovese, in which trenette pasta mingles deliciously with pesto sauce, potatoes, and string beans. Here I use sun-dried tomatoes instead of string beans and mozzarella to tune up and balance the flavors
Pizza alla Pesto
Yield: One 14-inch pizza
Pesto Sauce
(Yield: 1½ -2 cups)
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
¼ (one-quarter) cup pine nuts
½ (one-half) cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Place the basil (reserve about 8 leaves for garnish), garlic, cheeses, and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse the machine 10-12 times or until the ingredients are combined thoroughly. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Should you wish to thin the sauce a bit, add hot water to bring it to a creamy consistency. The sauce can be made ahead and kept in the cooler, well covered, for several days.
1 14-inch pizza shell, ready to top
1½ (one and one-half) pounds new potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
½ (one-half) cup pesto sauce
½ (one-half) cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
Reserved basil leaves
Place the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water. Cook until barely tender, 8-9 minutes. Drain well.
Spread the pesto sauce evenly over the pizza crust up to the border. Sprinkle on the sun-dried tomatoes. Arrange the potatoes evenly over the pesto sauce. Sprinkle on the mozzarella. Bake. Just before sending the pizza out, sprinkle the fresh basil leaves on top of the cheese.
Now that you have the basic idea of how to construct a pesto pizza, let’s take a look at some options, and by adding various ingredients, build some delicious pesto pizzas.
One very popular sandwich making the rounds these days is chicken pesto (grilled chicken breast, pesto sauce), so let’s capitalize on that popular sandwich and put together a pesto pizza with chicken. For one 14-inch pizza, spread ½ (one-half) cup pesto sauce over the crust. Over the pesto sauce sprinkle 2 cups cooked chicken strips or cubes. Sprinkle 8 ounces Fontina cheese over the chicken. Bake.
Now we can take the pesto pizza with chicken and add one more ingredient — artichoke hearts — to make it even more interesting. To the pesto pizza with chicken add 6 ounces of sliced artichoke hearts.
Finally, here’s yet another idea. This one employs some of the ideas above. This pizza I like to call:
Four Seasons (Quattro Stagione) Pesto Pizza
Yield: One 14-inch pizza
One 14-inch pizza shell (you will be creating four sections in the shell by rolling a small pieces of pizza dough into two ropes, about the size of a pencil, to cover the shell from one end to another)
½ (one-half) cup pesto sauce, spread over the pizza crust
Lay the dough ropes over the pizza crust crosswise, so that you have four quarters.
In one quarter put some cooked chicken. In another quarter put some sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. In another quarter put some artichoke hearts. In another quarter put mushrooms and olives. Sprinkle cheese (your choice—mozzarella, fontina, provolone, asiago) lightly over each of the quarters (lightly, so that when the cheese melts, all of the toppings are visible).
And, as you have figured out by now, this makes a very tasty vegetarian pizza.
Buon Appetito!
Related
PHOTO BY JOSH KEOWN
As the temperature rises, it’s time to cool things down. Give your customers the opportunity to lighten up with pizzas that are fresh, colorful and deliciously summer-fresh. There’s no need to put pepperoni and sausage on a back shelf, but summer is the perfect opportunity to menu limited-time offerings with farmer’s market appeal.
This will give you an edge over the chains, which don’t have the ability to change it up as fast as you can. By utilizing fresh ingredients sourced from local producers, it’s easy to create pizzas that have summer appeal. Think bell peppers, zucchini, etc. –– anything with fresh appeal.
With proper advertising, you will be out front and on the cutting edge. Don’t forget to romance these summer pizzas with tags like “Farmer’s Market Special.” You don’t have to print new menus –– just use a chalkboard (or even a dry erase board) and let your customers know what fresh ingredients you have on hand.
And this is the time to take advantage of fresh herbs as well. Basil, thyme, oregano, mint and other herbs will add a flavor profile that will have your customers coming back for more.
Listed below are several ideas and suggestions to get you started. Keep in mind the mantra I always preach: balance. Not too much, not too little. You have a garden of opportunity to till as fresh produce comes along month after month — run with it and show your customers that you are in it to win it:
On a baked pizza crust, overlap slices of fresh Roma or slicing tomatoes. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the tomatoes. Snip leaves of fresh basil and scatter them across the top. u
As a variety to the above, add thin slices of fresh mozzarella to the pizza for a simple margherita.
Summer would be a good time to break out a barbecue chicken pizza! If you’re grilling meats for sandwiches and salads, there’s no reason not to add it to pizza. Though you can prep boneless, skinless chicken breasts by sautéing or grilling, it is simple to order cooked chicken strips from a reliable supplier. Now all you need to do is toss the chicken in barbecue sauce and arrange the pieces over the pizza shell. I like to add chopped fresh red onion and jazz up the flavor.
With but four basic ingredients, this pizza goes together fast, and it’s absolutely delicious. Simply by changing the type of barbecue sauce — smoky, spicy, hot — you can spice it up or down to taste. July would be a good time to feature a range of barbecue pizza (chicken, pork). u Pizza alla oesto: there are a number of suppliers who have pesto sauce ready to use, so simply brush a baked pizza shell with pesto sauce, add fresh basil leaves to garnish and serve. If the price is right, scatter some toasted pine nuts over the top. u Another dimension of flavor can be brought into the mix by using shredded smoked mozzarella.
PIZZA INSALATA
This salad pizza is a refreshing way to have your salad and your pizza at the same time. While the cheese pizza is baking, assemble the salad. Pizza insalata is good anytime of the year, but it is especially good anytime when tomatoes are at peak flavor. If the pizza is served as a first course, or as a salad entrée, it will serve two generously.
Yield: one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
6-7 cups mixed lettuces –– leaf, red leaf, radicchio
4-5 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and cubed
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 14-inch pizza shell 8 thin slices provolone cheese (about 6 ounces)
Combine the lettuces and tomatoes. Set aside. Can be prepped ahead and chilled for several hours.
In a measuring cup combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice. Whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper.
With your fingers, press and form a ½-inch border around the crust. Prick the base of the crust all over with a fork.
Lay the slices of cheese over the crust up to the raised border.
Bake the shell until it is cooked through. Set aside to cool (prep to this point).
Toss the greens with the dressing. Cut the pizza into wedges and space them on a large serving plate. Arrange portions of the salad between the wedges and serve. Serve grated Parmesan cheese on the side.
SUMMER GARDEN PIZZA
Yield: one 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza crust
1 cup Alfredo sauce
1½ cups julienne carrots
1½ cups broccoli
1 cup julienne cucumber
1 small tomato, chopped ½ small onion, chopped
1½ cup mozzarella
Fresh basil
Ladle Alfredo sauce onto pizza crust, spreading it into a semi-thin layer. Scatter broccoli, cucumber, tomato, onion and 1 cup of carrots on top.
Cover with mozzarella and a few sprinkles of fresh basil. Bake.
When pizza comes out of oven, sprinkle with remaining carrots. Serve.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
More Articles
Uptown Ingredients, Downtown Flavor
Upscale meat toppings add wow factor
BY PASQUALE "PAT" BRUNO
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
In the beginning — quite a while back, in fact –– it was pepperoni and sausage. Those were the two toppings most requested by patrons of modest, family-owned pizzerias and chain-operated pizza places as well. Here we are some 100 years later and guess what? Sausage and pepperoni are still the two most popular pizza toppings. Good things last. And good flavor has no expiration date.
Still, the landscape (or should I say the pizzascape?) has changed in the last 10 years or so. Pizza is gussied up in just about any way we can imagine now, and one of the hottest pizza trends in New York City at the moment happens to be a fried and baked pizza called the Montanara. The pizza shell is flash-fried, pulled out of the deep fryer, topped, and then baked in a wood-burning oven. Customers are eating it up with a swoon.
Therein lies the joy of pizza, the reason why pizza is one of the most important and most recognized foods in the culinary lexicon. It’s a bold-face-type fact that pizza never loses its wow factor. And that bodes well for all of us who are part of the wonderful world of pizza. And so we continue to tinker and tailor, try this and try that. If you start with a good foundation — the crust — then you can build on that (using common sense of course) and construct pizza after mouthwatering pizza that will bring a “yum!” and a smile every time. And be innovative. Recently, I have read a half-dozen write-ups in national and regional magazines and newspapers about that Montanara pizza. That’s the best advertising you can get.
Along those lines, I think it’s past time that we look into upscale meats. Why, you ask? Because menu expansion sets you apart from your competition. What do we consider upscale? My list would include a whole range of salumi (a.k.a. artisan cured meats). Quite a few of those meats are more commonly known as cold-cuts, which also opens you to a new line of sub sandwiches, hoagies or grinders. There are options galore.
To be honest, though, there is a big difference in texture and flavor between a well-made salumi such as a Tuscan finocchiona and a slice of regular salami, or a hot soppressata and its closest relative, a piece of pepperoni. Salumi (cured pork products), when made by skilled artisans, encompass a range of flavorings that include, for example, citrus, fennel seeds, garlic, paprika, ginger, nutmeg and more. And when salumi of that nature is used on a pizza, it brings out a depth of flavor that is unique, original and exciting.
Other cured meats include:
coppa (marbled pork shoulder)
culatello (cured pork prosciutto),
lomo (pork loin cured, flavor rubbed, air-dried)
pancetta (rolled pork belly)
The possibilities are limited only by how cutting edge you wish to get. Keep in mind, however, that these artisan meats will cost a bit more than your everyday cold cuts or sub sandwich meats. Not that I have anything against any of those –– throw a well-made Italian sub sandwich at me, and I am a happy chomper.
A few words of caution when using cured pork products and other variations. Some of these products throw off a good bit of fat when hit with heat. And though fat is where a lot of the good flavor is, you don’t want to send out a pizza that has a flood of it across the top. Testing is the best way to find out what effect salumi or other cured meats will have on the finished product vis-a-vis fat (grease) flavor.
Here are some more tricks of the trade:
Can a richly flavored soppressata take the place of pepperoni on a “designer” pizza? Most definitely. Make sure you slice the soppressata quite thin (about the same thickness as the pepperoni you use).
Using (when available) sandwich-style meats (pre-sliced, larger diameter) allows for easier prepping and more coverage (flavor in every bite once the pizza has been cut).
The alternative to sandwich-style meats is to do a rough chop as noted in my recipe (above) for a Spicy soppressata pizza.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a former food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Pizza Yield: Two 14-inch pizzas
2 pizza shells (crusts)
Extra-virgin olive oil
½ pound sliced provolone
2 ounces finely chopped spicy soppressata
2ounces finely chopped Genoa salami or prosciutto or other cured spicy meat
½ (or to taste) cup hot giardiniera
½ cup grated Parmesan
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Affinity for Artichokes
Artichokes add sophistication and flavor to pizzas
BY MELANIE WOLKOFF WACHSMAN
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
When G. Terrill Brazelton, head chef at Slice Stone Pizza and Brew in Birmingham, Alabama, developed his pizza menu, including artichokes was a no-brainer. After all, Brazelton grew up eating steamed artichokes from his parent’s California garden. Today, he places artichoke hearts on the “Very Veggie” pizza alongside spinach, mushrooms, Kalamata olives, onions, jalapeños, garlic and feta. The “Mediterranean” combines artichoke hearts, red onion, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomato, spiced lamb, pine nuts, feta and is finished with a cucumber sauce made of Greek yogurt, cucumbers, dill, lime juice, salt, pepper and minced garlic.
“We use artichokes on our pizzas because obviously they taste good, but they also have a unique trait that makes every food you eat after an artichoke sweeter,” Brazelton says.
Brazelton’s not alone in his affinity for artichokes. Once considered a “far out” pizza topping five or 10 years ago, artichokes are now common on gourmet pizza menus.
Giovanni Annunziato, owner of The Olde World Bakery & Cafe in Easthampton, New Jersey, also developed his love for artichokes during childhood. Today, artichoke hearts appear on the restaurant’s “Capricciosa” pizza (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, sopressata, Gaeta olives and mushrooms); the “Olde World Signature” pizza (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, roasted peppers, garlic, Gaeta olives and mushrooms) and the “Quattro Stagioni” pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmiagiano cheese, prosciutto, mushrooms and roasted peppers). To prepare, Annunziato marinates artichokes in an olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic mixture for 24 hours prior to baking.
“We want to stay true to our roots and want all the Mediterranean flavors that remind us of our childhood in Italy to be included on our pizzas,” Annunziato says.
Brix Iverson, corporate chef and general manager of The Rock Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits in Tacoma, Washington, also enjoys utilizing artichokes. “Their mellow but distinct flavor makes them an excellent choice for pizzas because they can be combined with so many other ingredients,” he says, noting that artichokes pair well with capers, tomatoes, basil, oregano and meats like ham, prosciutto and sausage.
Iverson should know. He runs The Rock’s test kitchen. His successful “Evil Ways” pizza starts with hand-tossed pizza dough that is topped with pesto cream sauce, quartered artichoke hearts, diced red onions, sautéed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and Pecorino, Romano and mozzarella cheeses. “Artichokes lend themselves well to the sharp flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes and the freshly diced red onion and garlic,” he says.
Jacksonville, Florida-based The Loop Pizza Grill menus two pizzas starring artichokes: artichoke and smoked bacon and artichoke and roasted red pepper. (The Loop Pizza Grill has 14 locations throughout Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.) “Artichokes do not have an overwhelming flavor of their own, so they pair nicely with other full-flavored ingredients like red peppers and bacon,” says Cathy Manzon, director of marketing at The Loop Restaurant Group. She also lists sausage, green peppers and caramelized onions as complementary flavors.
Brazelton says there’s not an ingredient artichokes doesn’t pair with well. “Because of the way artichokes are processed, they pair well with any food you are looking to create a slightly sweeter taste such as olives, hot peppers and mushrooms,” he says.
Artichokes don’t need to be limited to pizzas. Let artichokes adorn antipasti plates or stir into cream-based soups. Entice diners with a battered and deep-fried hearts appetizer.
“Artichokes are delicious in a variety of appetizers and salads,” says Brazelton, who places artichokes in his spinach, chicken and artichoke lasagna. Iverson places baby quartered artichoke hearts in spinach artichoke dip, jalapeño artichoke mini-sized calzones and chicken picatta.
Operators do need to be aware of certain artichoke handling and prep tips. To avoid a soggy pizza, operators must drain canned products well. To prevent artichokes from watering out during baking, Brazelton gives them a quick chop and squeeze before adding to pies. When preparing fresh artichokes he puts a small amount of lemon juice in the cooking water to mellow the flavor. Artichokes are a member of the thistle family, “so always inspect for thorns that are left behind,” Iverson reminds.
Artichokes are available year-round in sizes ranging from baby to jumbo, either canned, jarred, frozen or fresh. Processed artichoke hearts and bottoms can be found whole or quartered. Quartered artichokes are the least expensive, but also the most delicate. Operators must practice caution when using since the product can fall apart. Whole artichoke hearts are the most expensive.
Many operators prefer canned product for its consistency, minimal prep and easy portioning. Iverson purchases imported baby artichoke hearts from Spain, canned and quartered. “If you purchase a prepped artichoke product, most of the work is done for you,” he says. Manzon agrees: “Canned artichokes allows us to get greater coverage on pizzas so the guest gets a little artichoke with every bite.”
Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman is a freelance writer in Louisville, Kentucky. She covers food, business and lifestyle trends.
In This Issue
PHOTO BY RICK DAUGHERTY
What’s the strangest pizza you’ve ever enjoyed? I’ll never forget an experience I had in an old-school pizzeria in Trenton, New Jersey. The shop, Papa’s Tomato Pies, is the kind of place that would have you arrested for requesting pineapple on your pizza. That’s why I was shocked to see a pie on their menu that replaced the tomato sauce with mustard. As skeptical as I was, the spice of the mustard paired remarkably well with the creaminess of the mozzarella. I doubt we’ll be seeing this particular pizza on menus nationwide, but it goes to show that leaving familiar territory can produce unexpectedly positive results, not to mention increased sales. Here’s a quick rundown of some non-traditional toppings that are currently trending at pizzerias in New York City:
Brussels Sprouts. Believe it or not, these little cabbages are killer on white pizza. I spent the first 25-plus years of my life completely avoiding these things just because pop culture had me convinced they were forged by the devil himself as a weapon against children everywhere. Boy, was I wrong! Pizzaioli are pairing Brussels sprouts with fatty pork options like speck and pancetta for a rich, smoky flavor with loads of umami (savory-ness).
Kale. I had never heard of kale until it landed on a local pizzeria menu a few years ago. It’s another cabbage relative, with flavors that range from sweet to bitter depending on how it’s prepared. You can toss it on a pizza raw or sauté with onions in olive oil. I’ve even seen a few instances of kale with either squash or sweet potato. Aside from being delicious, kale is also a super food packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Try it in late fall when kale season is in full swing.
Artichoke Dip. Artichokes are no stranger to pizza, but until recent years their appearances have been restricted to “heart” form. Thanks mainly to the appropriately named Artichoke Basille’s pizzeria in Manhattan, lots of slice shops around New York are picking up on the trend of topping a dough skin with what amounts to a creamy artichoke dip. It’s your standard combination of spinach, artichoke and Alfredo sauce — and the result is absurdly decadent. Not a week goes by that somebody doesn’t ask me about this pizza, so word is most certainly spreading.
Honey. A short drizzle of honey goes a long way when you’re looking to sweeten a pizza. I find this goes best on white pies, especially those with rich meat toppings like sausage, bacon or guanciale. One of my favorite pizzerias in Brooklyn, Paulie Gee’s, uses a hot honey product to complement spicier meats like sopressata picante. The result is life changing. I’ve even adopted honey as my secret weapon when friends come over for pizza night. It turns a good pie into a great pie!
Don’t expect these ingredients to replace sausage, mushrooms and peppers in the highest ranks of your topping army, but remember that there was once a time when pepperoni was the new kid on the block. Give your customers an opportunity to branch out with some of these naturally tasty additions and you just may surprise them with something delicious that your competition isn’t ready for.
Scott Wiener owns and operates Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City.
In This Issue
Desserts
Amaretti Cookies
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
2¼ cups blanched whole almonds, plus more for garnishing
2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 glazed cherries or other fruit
Lightly oil two large baking sheets; line with parchment paper. In food processor, combine almonds and 1/3 cup sugar. Process until finely ground, scraping down sides once or twice. Set aside. In electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and gradually add remaining sugar. Return speed to high; beat mixture until stiff, shiny peaks form. Gently fold in ground almond mixture; add almond and vanilla extracts. Roll mixture into one-inch balls, place two inches apart on baking sheets; flatten slightly. Top each with cherry or almond. Bake in 350°F oven until cookies are golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to racks to cool completely. Store, wrapped in walk-in for several days or freeze up to three weeks. For service, re-crisp in warm oven.
Cook’s note: For Amarettini cookies (mini versions), make into ½-inch balls; reduce cooking time to 15 minutes.
Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Bruschetta
Yield: about 30 bruschetta (scale up in direct proportion)
4 cups canned plum tomatoes, drained of liquid
2 cups of fresh basil leaves, washed and dried (use paper toweling) and torn
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 large French or Italian baguettes, sliced about 1-inch thick to make 30 pieces
6 cloves (about) garlic, peeled
1 ½ pounds fresh mozzarella (fior de latte), sliced a little less than ¼-inch thick
Put the tomatoes in a large bowl. Crush by hand to create a rough puree. Drain off any excess water. Add the torn basil, the olive oil, salt and pepper (can be prepped well ahead and held).
On a baking sheet, arrange the slices of bread. Toast the bread in the oven until golden brown. Rub some of each of the garlic cloves on the toasted side of the bread.
Lay a thin slice of mozzarella on each slice of bread. Spread some of the tomato/basil mixture over the mozzarella. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
To speed up the process or for a volume situation, slice a baguette or small loaf of Italian or French bread through the middle (horizontally) to form two long pieces. Toast or grill each piece, rub with garlic cloves and set aside. Brush each piece with olive oil. Set aside. To order, top each long slice with tomato/basil/cheese. Cut into individual serving portions (about 2 inches by 2 inches).
Artichoke and Smoked Bacon Pizza
Recipe courtesy of The Loop Pizza Grill
8-inch dough ball
1/3 ounce pesto
1 tablespoon Parmesan/Romano cheese blend
¾ cup mozzarella
7 Roma tomato slices
1/8 cup smoked bacon, cooked and diced
1/8 cup Portobello and white mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
¼ cup quartered artichoke hearts
1/8 cup Kalamata olives
1/8 cup roasted fresh garlic
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper blend
½ teaspoon basil chiffonade
Roll out dough ball. Top with pesto and all ingredients listed above except for basil.
Bake in a 550 F degree conveyor oven for 5 to 6 minutes.
Top with basil. Serve.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Yield: 4 servings
1¾ cups heavy cream, divided
6 tablespoons unsalted butter?
8 ½ ounces grated Parmesan cheese?
1 teaspoon kosher salt?
Cracked black pepper to taste?
Combine 1¼ cups cream with the butter in a large sauté pan. Heat over a low flame, whisking until the butter melts and the cream comes to a slow simmer. Remove the pan from the heat. Boil the pasta until slightly undercooked (it will continue to cook while you finish the sauce). ?Drain the pasta and add it to the pan (do not rinse it). Add the remaining ingredients. Heat the pasta and sauce over a low flame, tossing gently, until the cheese melts and incorporates into the sauce and the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. If holding, right before service, add a touch more cream to loosen.
Uptown Ingredients, Downtown Flavor
Upscale meat toppings add wow factor
BY PASQUALE "PAT" BRUNO
PHOTOS BY JOSH KEOWN
In the beginning — quite a while back, in fact –– it was pepperoni and sausage. Those were the two toppings most requested by patrons of modest, family-owned pizzerias and chain-operated pizza places as well. Here we are some 100 years later and guess what? Sausage and pepperoni are still the two most popular pizza toppings. Good things last. And good flavor has no expiration date.
Still, the landscape (or should I say the pizzascape?) has changed in the last 10 years or so. Pizza is gussied up in just about any way we can imagine now, and one of the hottest pizza trends in New York City at the moment happens to be a fried and baked pizza called the Montanara. The pizza shell is flash-fried, pulled out of the deep fryer, topped, and then baked in a wood-burning oven. Customers are eating it up with a swoon.
Therein lies the joy of pizza, the reason why pizza is one of the most important and most recognized foods in the culinary lexicon. It’s a bold-face-type fact that pizza never loses its wow factor. And that bodes well for all of us who are part of the wonderful world of pizza. And so we continue to tinker and tailor, try this and try that. If you start with a good foundation — the crust — then you can build on that (using common sense of course) and construct pizza after mouthwatering pizza that will bring a “yum!” and a smile every time. And be innovative. Recently, I have read a half-dozen write-ups in national and regional magazines and newspapers about that Montanara pizza. That’s the best advertising you can get.
Along those lines, I think it’s past time that we look into upscale meats. Why, you ask? Because menu expansion sets you apart from your competition. What do we consider upscale? My list would include a whole range of salumi (a.k.a. artisan cured meats). Quite a few of those meats are more commonly known as cold-cuts, which also opens you to a new line of sub sandwiches, hoagies or grinders. There are options galore.
To be honest, though, there is a big difference in texture and flavor between a well-made salumi such as a Tuscan finocchiona and a slice of regular salami, or a hot soppressata and its closest relative, a piece of pepperoni. Salumi (cured pork products), when made by skilled artisans, encompass a range of flavorings that include, for example, citrus, fennel seeds, garlic, paprika, ginger, nutmeg and more. And when salumi of that nature is used on a pizza, it brings out a depth of flavor that is unique, original and exciting.
Other cured meats include:
coppa (marbled pork shoulder)
culatello (cured pork prosciutto),
lomo (pork loin cured, flavor rubbed, air-dried)
pancetta (rolled pork belly)
The possibilities are limited only by how cutting edge you wish to get. Keep in mind, however, that these artisan meats will cost a bit more than your everyday cold cuts or sub sandwich meats. Not that I have anything against any of those –– throw a well-made Italian sub sandwich at me, and I am a happy chomper.
A few words of caution when using cured pork products and other variations. Some of these products throw off a good bit of fat when hit with heat. And though fat is where a lot of the good flavor is, you don’t want to send out a pizza that has a flood of it across the top. Testing is the best way to find out what effect salumi or other cured meats will have on the finished product vis-a-vis fat (grease) flavor.
Here are some more tricks of the trade:
Can a richly flavored soppressata take the place of pepperoni on a “designer” pizza? Most definitely. Make sure you slice the soppressata quite thin (about the same thickness as the pepperoni you use).
Using (when available) sandwich-style meats (pre-sliced, larger diameter) allows for easier prepping and more coverage (flavor in every bite once the pizza has been cut).
The alternative to sandwich-style meats is to do a rough chop as noted in my recipe (above) for a Spicy soppressata pizza.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a former food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Pizza Yield: Two 14-inch pizzas
2 pizza shells (crusts)
Extra-virgin olive oil
½ pound sliced provolone
2 ounces finely chopped spicy soppressata
2ounces finely chopped Genoa salami or prosciutto or other cured spicy meat
½ (or to taste) cup hot giardiniera
½ cup grated Parmesan
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
If you sell pizza, you’re a craftsman. Just as a painter, writer, architect or designer creates so, too, do you. It is your craftsmanship –– the long hours of perfecting your recipes so that your artisan pizza comes out of the oven perfect –– on which you have built a reputation and a business. And if everyone could taste what you taste, wow, they would love it as well. Marketing your pizzeria is easy –– you make an offer for a pepperoni pizza, maybe add an order of wings and a two-liter beverage and you have it! You’ve probably even seen that coupon from another pizzeria –– or maybe 10,000 other pizzerias! Still, if your pizzeria sells more than just a pepperoni or sausage pizza, you’ve got the opportunity to brand yourself as artisanal. Even though everyone seems to be churning out artisan pizzas, there is a BIG difference in how you market your brand, your craft and your artisan pizza.
True artisan pizza makers follow strict codes of quality assurance and that is where the marketing thought process begins. Take into consideration the freshest local ingredients, your hand-tossed dough, housemade sauce. These and other terms are the foundation of marketing your pizza because your guests identify those terms with quality products. Using other local Artisan products helps increase awareness in your pizza and brand. Rather than saying “Our buffalo chicken pizza has real blue cheese,” consider instead “ We use only the finest (brand name) tangy bleu cheese for our Buffalo Blues Signature Pizza.” Using the actual name of a local purveyor from which you buy gives your guests the confidence that your product is high quality and supports other local companies. Customers will go out of their way to taste these ingredients –– and pay a higher price for high quality products.
We have all heard that saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, and it’s true! So it would make sense to show your guests what awaits them when they visit your location. Use good quality photos in high visibility locations on your menu and in your marketing materials. Remember that we are a visual society –– keep in mind that your end product should look exactly like the picture! This is where most advertisers fall short. Remember that you are a “craftsperson” and your guests will begin praising your products because the quality is there. Using key words like “artisan” or “craft” will help you market your pizzeria with great results as long as your product backs up those words. A great example of this is Tony Gemignani of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, who coined the phrase “Respect the Craft.” That is exactly what he does everyday in his restaurant by using the highest quality ingredients and old world traditions to create artisan pizza.
Marketing artisan pizza can be achieved through outlets other than print. Radio can be used with recorded interviews of guests at your restaurant enjoying your pizza, recorded live and then put into a radio spot. The listener is now hearing a “real” person praising your pizza. If you don’t have a gallery of photos online –– or at least photos with your menus –– then you are leaving a huge audience behind, especially in an era where social media is free and easy. This kind of marketing starts in your restaurant with simple table tents asking your guest to “like” your Facebook page or “follow” you on Twitter. I use a QR code that takes guests right to my site. They simply scan the code with their phone and suddenly I’m marketing artisan creations to almost every person that guest interacts with on Facebook or Twitter!
Marketing artisan pizza goes far beyond getting guests into your pizzeria. Remember that you are building your brand, and brand loyalty is so important in these competitive times. Plus, that loyalty will build your business foundation into a profitable restaurant, one that is known for it’s artisan pizza. Standing out from the crowd is the key to marketing any successful business. Make sure that every pizza your customer receives is the best you can make and your reputation will soar. Guests will spread the word like wild fire! After all, the best marketing tool you can use and the best social network is still word of mouth — and those results can only be achieved when you respect your craft.u
Glenn Cybulski owns California-based Seasons Pizzeria Sports Bar Grill. He is an award-winning member of the World Pizza Championships and a frequent speaker at International Pizza Expo.
In This Issue
Photos By Josh Keown
Nothing says Chicago like deep-dish pizza. This unique pie stands out with a crisp, biscuit-like crust that comes up the sides of a three- inch pan. it’s thick with cheese and other ingredients, and then topped with a chunky tomato sauce and baked for 30 to 45 minutes. Chicago is heavy with pizzerias that offer this iconic pie with both locals and tour- ists proclaiming loyalty to their favorites. but does it play outside of the windy City? The answer is yes, but in this global market of savvy customers, authenticity is the name of the game.
In 1943, Ike Sewell created Chicago-style deep-dish pizza and opened Pizzeria Uno in down- town Chicago. The concept later morphed into Uno Chicago grill, and now, 69 years later, boasts 136 domestic units in 24 states. “Customer expectations are high with deep dish,” says Chris Gatto, vice president of food and beverage and corporate executive chef for this boston-based chain. “They have an expectation of what Chicago-style pizza tastes like, and they expect a consistently great product every time they order it. we invented this pizza and we take a lot of pride in its authenticity.”
Authentic Chicago-style pizza dough contains quite a bit of oil, says Gatto. “you need that oil because the dough bakes for such a long time in the oven,” he says. “it almost fries, giving you that crispy, buttery texture that you want. remember, it’s not being baked on the oven deck. it’s in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, so it needs that fat to get crisp.” Gatto also says oiling the deep-dish pan is important. The pie cooks in a 400 to 450 F oven.
The popular Number ono build at Uno’s Chicago grill sees mozzarella topped with sausage, peppers, onion, mushrooms and pepperoni, then finished with a bit of mozzarella and romano. Another best-selling pie is the Chicago Classic, which features crumbled sausage, mozzarella and romano. “our pizzas are hand-craft- ed. we shred our own mozzarella. we do everything in the back of house,” says gatto.
Although classic pies still rule, Uno’s has innovated within the Chicago-style pizza category,featuring such pizzas as its Farmers Market Pie, which stars caramelized onion, spin- ach, sun-dried tomato, plum tomato, roasted eggplant, pesto, and a blend of feta, mozzarella and romano. And in October 2011, the chain rolled out a nine-grain deep-dish pizza crust as a more wholesome option for diners. “Deep dish crust is sacred,” says Gatto. “how do we make it better-for-you and still taste really good? we think we answered that with this crust.” The whole wheat/ brown-rice flour dough boasts: rye flakes, sunflower kernels, yellow- corn grits, barley flakes, flax seeds, soy grits, tritcale flakes, millet seed and oak flakes. it makes up 10 to 15 percent of pizza orders.
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria boasts a rich tradition in Chicago, too. The first one opened in 1973 and it now has 34 throughout the Chicagoland area. “Authentic Chicago-style deep dish is meant to be a meal, not a snack. it’s almost like a casserole with all the flavors melding together,” says Jim D’Angelo, chief operating officer of Lou’s. “The crust has to be firm enough to hold everything, but flaky and crisp. And when we add meat to the pizza, it’s not dotted on the pizza. it’s a heavy amount of meat. Finally, the sauce has to be a chunky tomato sauce.” Lou’s offers both a regular crust and its signature buttercrust.™ “sausage is king in Chicago, but the Lou does really well, too,” he says. That vegetarian pie features fresh spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and a blend of mozzarella, romano and cheddar.
Operational challenges shouldn’t be overlooked, he advises. “we’re in a microwave-minute kind of a world,” says D’Angelo. “The biggest challenge is getting your customer to understand that these pizzas take at least 30 minutes to bake. we try to train them to pre-order, so they’re only wait- ing 10 minutes instead of 30.” baking a pie for that long requires a level of artistry, says D’Angelo. indeed, working the oven is reserved only for experienced cooks at Lou’s. “The human element is a big part of Chicago-style pizzas,” he says. “you need to know when to rotate or move the pizza to get it to cook evenly and cook off some of the moisture from the ingredients.” Fresh vegetables on pizzas, which cook for a long time in the ovens, throw off a lot of moisture that needs to evaporate. “our oven guys need skill and experi- ence to know how to bake these so they turn out beautifully every time,” says D’Angelo.
Tony Manzella, owner of Tony’s Little italy in Placentia, California, includes Chicago-style pizza in his repertoire. in fact, Tony’s was located in Chicago back in the 70’s, but he transported the busi-ness to the west Coast, lured by sunnier weather. “i have customers who fly in from Chicago to get my Chicago-style pizza,” he says. “i’ve been making pizza since i was 14 years old. i take a lot of pride in my pizza.” The best-selling pie at this 27-seat shop is the Tony special, featuring sausage, green pepper, mush- room and onion. Toppings include the traditional pepperoni and mushrooms, but perhaps influenced by location, diners can also choose from artichokes, chicken and jalapeño. “The secret to authentic Chicago-style pizza is in the dough, in the sauce,” Manzella says.
“but i can’t give away my secrets.”
CHICAGO'S OTHER LEGACY: STUFFED PIZZA
Stuffed pizza is deep-dish pizza’s much younger sister. While deep-dish was invented in the 1940s, stuffed pizza made its debut in the early 1970s. Based loosely on the traditional Scarciedda, or Easter pie, made in Turin, Italy, it sports a flakier, milder crust than deep dish. It also stuffs even more cheese into the pan than a deep-dish pie and then adds a thin crust over the cheese, sandwiching it, essentially, then finishes with tomato sauce. Chicago stuffed pizza has its own loyal following, with locals debating over which stuffed pie reins supreme. Chicago contenders include Nancy’s Pizza, Giorda- no’s Famous Stuffed Pizza and Edwardo’s Natural Pizza.
Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. she’s based in Naperville, Illinois.
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Photos by Josh Keown
National Pizza Month Pizza Challenge: We asked pizzeria operators to give us their best pizza recipes to celebrate National Pizza Month in October. We received recipes from across the North America. These are our interpretations of the best of the best.
Italian Club Pizza
Two Guys and A Pizza Place
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Two Guys uses a classic dough recipe from Italy believed to be from the 19th century as the base for their pizza. A basil pesto base is topped with provolone and hot capicollo. Next, sprinkle the pizza with a mozzerella/ cheddar / Monterey mixture. Top with pancetta and red onion and bake. Once cooked, top with a fresh mixture of tomatoes and baby arugula. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan petals (a little goes a long way!) and drizzle with a balsamic glaze. The spicy meats and sweet glaze are a perfect complement.
Loaded Baked Potato Pizza
Mia’s Pizza and Eats
Cumming, Georgia
This pizza combines two comfort foods and is a departure from the everyday pepperoni. Start with a mashed potato base made with fresh potatoes, heavy cream, butter and salt. Add fresh broccoli, bacon, red onions and cheddar cheese. To finish, you can even drizzle the pizza with a Mexican crema over the top. This is a great winter recipe!
The Royal Family
Willy O’s Pizza & Grille
South Haven, Michigan
This was a winner in a local contest held by Willy O’s, and we love the addition of Cajun-seasoned chicken. Willy O’s uses a gluten-free crust with this pizza, but a traditional crust can also be used. Start with a basil, garlic and lemon pesto. Slice a grilled chicken breast and toss with Cajun seasoning. Place chicken on pizza and top with julienne-cut green peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, Feta cheese and a mozzarella/ provolone blend. Bake and serve.
Campagnia Pizza
Aldos Ristorante Italiano & Bar
Naples, Florida
We love the freshness of this pizza, and it uses a lot of toppings already found in most pizzerias. Brush a dough skin with extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic. Top with mozzarella and reggiano cheeses and bake. Toss fresh arugula with shaved red onions, Campari tomatoes, fresh lemon juice and EVOO. Top the pizza with the salad mixture, dollops of ricotta cheese and serve immediately.
Rena Bianca
Rosario’s Italian Restaurant
Medford, Oregon
The base for this pizza is housemade ricotta, topped with prosciutto, mushrooms, caramelized onions, Parmesan cheese and sprinkled with fresh arugula. While you can caramelize onions the traditional way with brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, rosario’s uses Dr. Pepper, which imparts a unique flavor to the onions. Brilliant!
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
the montanara, an import from Naples that sees a round of dough flash-fried then topped with ragu (cooked tomato sauce) and cheese. But the American translation — the montanara that’s making its mark on menus here — sees the fried dough and its toppings fin- ished in the oven. That simple tweak, which lends the pizza a lighter, airier crust, has transformed the montanara from a quaint Old World recipe into a bestselling pizza.
First, a little history: In Naples, wives of pizza makers would take leftover dough from their husbands, fry it and top it with a bit of leftover ragu and Parmesan or Romano cheese. Known as montanara, they’d serve it to their families, but some of them would also sell it as street food in Naples to bring in much needed extra cash. Today, montanara is a tradition in Naples –– sold in the streets and menued in restaurants. And it’s now making quite an impression on this side of the pond.
The montanara made its first small splash in its original incarnation at A Mano in Ridgewood, New Jersey, in 2007. This Neopolitan restaurant still features it as an antipasti and keeps it traditional with just a touch of tomato sauce and pecorino Romano. It sells for $8.99. A handful of restaurants in New York, as well as a few further afield now feature the montanara on their pizza menus, innovating with both the toppings and the finishing technique. At Don Antonio by Starita in New York, the Montanara Starita is the menu’s bestseller, outselling even the über popular Margherita. “If we sell 25 Margheritas in a night, we’ll sell 60 montanara pizzas that same night,” says Roberto Caporuscio, co-chef/ owner. The other co-chef/owner is Antonio
The Montanara Starita features flash-fried pizza dough topped with a signature tomato sauce and imported smoked buffalo mozzarella. It’s then finished in the wood-burning oven and dressed with fresh basil. “Antonio Starita came up with this technique to make the pizza lighter,” says Caporus- cio. “The oil evaporates in the oven, making a light, airy crust.” He uses a 12-inch dough ball, which after frying for about 30 seconds yields a 10-inch crust. He charges $12 for the pizza and runs a 50-percent food cost. “The cheese we’re using is very expensive, but it’s worth it,” he says. “The smoky flavor of the cheese works beautifully with the crisp texture of the wood- fired crust and the smoky flavor of the tomato sauce.”
He recommends a dedicated fryer, using it only for deep-frying the dough. “It keeps the flavors clean on the deli- cate dough,” says Caporuscio. He uses that fryer for other menu favorites star- ring fried dough, including an antipasti called angioletti, fried dough strips topped with marinated tomatoes and fresh arugula, as well as montanarine, a mini version of the traditional mon- tanara from Naples. Or diners can try the montanarine Genovese, a fried dough puff topped with onion, panc- etta and pecorino Romano.
Other New York restaurants feature the montanara, including two-unit For- cella. In fact, Forcella recently opened a casual eatery called La Montanara, an all-fried pizzeria expanding the reper- toire of toppings, but still following the fried-then-baked formula. Offerings range from Salame Piccante (tomato sauce, mozzarella and Italian salami) to Funghi (tomato sauce, mozzarella and mushrooms).
But what about outside of New York? The montanara might be slower to catch on in the rest of the country, but with authentic Napoletana pizze- rias popping up nationwide, perhaps montanara might just be the next darling of pizza lovers.
At Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizzeria, which serves authentic Neopolitan pizza with two locations in Colorado, the mon- tanara has recently been moved from an occasional special to a regular. Although not a huge seller, owner Mark Dym thinks that it deserves a place on his menu. “I had this pizza in Naples and fell in love with the combination of cheese and sauce and dough. I love it,” he says. “Also, having the montanara on our menu certainly separates us from the rest of the pack. It adds to the authenticity of what we’re trying to do.”
Marco’s montanara features fried dough, wood-smoked tomato sauce, smoked buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil. A 10-inch pizza sells for $16 and runs a food cost of $1.80. “People who try it really love it, but sometimes it’s hard to get them to try,” says Dym. “You have to explain that it’s not deep- fried pizza. It’s so much better than that.”
He also recommends dedicating a fryer for dough-only frying. “Keep the oil clean and fry it on high,” says Dym. “The pizza crust should have the texture of a fresh doughnut.” The traditional angioletti antipasti makes an appearance on the menu at Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizzeria, too. And for des- sert? Diners can order Nutella Nug- gets, fried dough strips topped with softened Nutella and powdered sugar, or perhaps a Dolce Fritta, which sees fried dough topped with sweet ricotta, almonds, honey and powdered sugar.
Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. She’s based in Naperville, Illinois.
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
Why bother roasting? Roasting intensifies an ingredient’s natural flavors. it also cooks away the rawness and pulls out some of the moisture that can result in a soggy finished pie.
It is a cooking method where the vegetable is exposed directly to the hot, dry heat in an oven. it promotes browning. There is also a caramelization in which the sugars from carbohydrates turn brown, giving off a unique flavor profile.
Peppers, onions, potatoes, zucchini, squash, garlic and asparagus lend themselves well to roasting. experimentation is key.
While roasting is seen as a simple method, the variety of pizza ovens can impact outcome. Let’s look at deck, wood-fired and conveyor ovens and three operators who have optimized their ovens, while diversifying their menus.
Clori Rose-Geiger co-owns Mia Pizza and Eats, a small pizzeria in Cumming, Georgia. With a small kitchen setup, she says, it’s more efficient to make use of her deck oven as much as possible. She roasts mainly onions and squash.
“We cut up a bunch of red onions and we will do a little bit of brown sugar, salt, pepper, olive oil and fresh or dried thyme,” rose- Geiger says, adding that the onions go onto a large sheet pan and cook at 500 F until they are caramelized.
The squash is different. “I’ll cut them into small round disks,” she says. “we do salt, pep- per and olive oil. i don’t cook it too much — it’s almost al dente. my whole purpose is I’m trying to take the raw out.”
While Mia Pizza preps the onions in large quantities to use for a day or two, she finds it easier to roast the squash in small batches to keep them fresh.
A wood-fired oven is where roasting gets a bit tricky, says Patrick Thirion, co-owner of Peel Wood Fired Pizza in Edwardsville, Illinois. “It’s not a gas or electric oven, where you can train somebody and set a time and temperature and cook it,” he says. “it’s more hands-on.”
With an active specials menu, Peel has experimented with roasting — from broc- coli, mushrooms, and tomatoes to cauliflower, celery root and even meats.
Each vegetable is treated differently to get a nice browning. Thirion says mushrooms roast well without a flame, but for his butter- nut squash he puts a lot of logs on the fire so there’s a good flame rolling over the dome.
Cutting vegetables to the right dimension makes all the difference. root vegetables should be cut smaller, while more delicate veg- gies should be chopped larger. Keep in mind how the pieces will look on a pizza, Thirion says.
With a 900-degree oven, Thirion says the pans you choose are crucial. For most veggies, he uses a standard sheet pan. For items that require a longer cooking time, like his oven- roasted maple bourbon bone-in pork loin, he went with a thick cast-iron plate, which helps distribute heat evenly and keeps the bottom from scorching.
Darryl Reginelli, co-owner of the nine-unit Reginelli’s Pizzeria in New Orleans, Louisiana, maximizes his conveyor ovens — roasting eggplant, red peppers, tomatoes and garlic. One run through the conveyor takes about 6 minutes at 525 F.
Peeled garlic cloves are drowned in olive oil with salt, pepper and rosemary. They run through the oven on a sheet pan twice. The garlic can be spread like butter afterwards.
The red peppers and tomatoes are roasted whole, with six to eight passes through the conveyor. They have two applications: skinned and added to the prep line and pureed with skins for a spicy roasted red pepper sauce. The sauce is a big hit and would not be the same without roasting, reginelli says. “It sweetens it and gives a great color,” he says. “It gives it that roasted smoky flavor and takes the acidity out.”
Reginelli offers an efficiency tip: cook the peppers and tomatoes in the morning during prep — place them in the oven, turn off the conveyor and don’t forget to set a timer. a few quick tricks of the trade from rose- Geiger, Thirion and Reginelli:
Keep seasonings basic (salt, pepper, olive oil) to bring out the vegetable’s natural flavors
Keep careful watch while roasting
Test shapes of veggies for optimal cooking time
Offer roasted items across the menu to limit waste.
Now get roasting!
Roasted Vegetable pizza
11/2 pounds red and yellow bell pepper
11/2 pounds Roma tomatoes
1 pound zucchini 1 pound red onion 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Salt to taste
Fresh rosemary to taste
Fresh oregano to taste Fresh basil chopped to taste
1/2 cup fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
Pizza dough
1/2 cup whole milk mozzarella, shredded
Garlic/herb/olive oil sauce
Place vegetables in a bowl. Add salt, herbs and olive oil. Completely coat vegetables with mixture.
Place vegetables on a roasting pan in 400 F oven for 45 minutes. (Oven temperatures may vary. Vegetables may need longer or shorter cooking times.)
Place pan on a cooling tray, about 15 minutes, until steaming stops. Place vegetables in cooler until ready to use.
Throw out fresh pizza dough. Using a pastry brush, brush on garlic-herb-olive oil sauce, covering the dough. Layer vegetables (reserving leftovers) and lightly sprinkle on cheese, Then bake.
Roasted Pepper & Tomato Pizza
1 12-inch pizza shell
1/2 pound shredded Asiago or fontina cheese (about 2 cups)
6 (3/4 pound - 1 pound) large fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup roasted red bell peppers cut into strips
15 (about) leaves fresh basil Extra-virgin olive oil
Sprinkle half the fontina evenly over the pizza crust. Arrange the tomatoes evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle on the Parmesan. Lay the bell pepper strips in a pattern on the pizza. Add the remaining cheese. Bake the pizza.
After the pizza comes out of the oven tear or snip (with scis- sors) the basil leaves and scatter them over the pizza. Drizzle some olive oil over the pizza.
Denise Greer is associate editor at Pizza Today
In This Issue
Photos by Josh Keown
Ricotta is one of the most versatile cheeses that is so abundantly available and incredibly easy to use. if you’re not taking advantage of ricotta and its many uses, it’s time to give it a serious look. over the years through the magazine, Pizza Today web site and Pizza expo, I’ve shown more than a dozen different ways to use ricotta and today I’ll take you on yet another culinary expedition to explore even more creative ways to use this smooth and sultry cheese. here are some quick and easy uses:
Ricotta gnocchi are fun and easy to make. by making ricotta gnocchi, you eliminate need to boil, peel and rice potatoes, which takes time, space and energy. Ricotta gnocchi dough literally takes about two minutes, at most, to mix. roll out the dough, cut them into pieces and drop them in salted boiling water for about three minutes and you are ready to sauce them in the 100 different ways they can be sauced.
Consider using a super fine and smooth impastata-style ricotta for your house-made tiramisu, instead of the traditional mascarpone, which is not always easy to find and when you do it’s quite expensive in comparison to ricotta.
One of the first uses for ricotta that comes to mind is making your own cannoli cream. it takes under a minute to mix up and is better than anything you’ll ever buy. Use impastata-style ricotta, powdered sugar and almond extract.
Create a super-rich ricotta-based alfredo sauce using ricotta, cream, garlic and Parmesan with some cracked black pepper and salt. it is about as luxurious as you’ll get (unless you add some chunks of lobster meat, of course).
For breakfast you can mix some ricotta with an egg and a pinch of sugar and roll that filling into a crepe. Fold in the sides and roll it up and you now have a cheese blintz, which can be pan fried and topped with all kinds of fruit compotes.
Ricotta can be used in calzones and even on pizza. A small amount of ricotta can be the main ingredient in a calzone, but I like to marry other ingredients, which generally come from your pizza toppings. white pizza has many different angles and definitions depending on whose restaurant and region you are in. Sometimes a white pizza means there is no sauce whatsoever. other times, it means that there is just a little olive oil instead of sauce.
One more version of a white pizza has some ricotta cheese smoothed out over the crust then topped with the customer’s choice. and ricotta can be used as a mozzarella substitute by dropping spoonfuls of it onto the pizza and bake as normal.
Ricotta Fritta Pizza
Dough ball
¾ cup of superfine ricotta 3 eggs
¼ cup Parmesan
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon granular garlic
¼ teaspoon black pepper 3 ounces diced ham
3 ounces diced roasted red pepper 4 ounces chopped cooked spinach
4 ounces shredded or diced mozzarella provolone blend
Stretch the dough onto or into a 14-inch screen or pan. Make sure you leave a little bit of an edge to this so the mixture doesn’t spill out while baking.
Mix the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, spinach, roasted peppers and ham together with the salt, pepper and garlic. Pour it onto the dough. Sprinkle the mozzarella and provolone over the top. You’ll notice that this is much less cheese than a regular pizza (and that’s how I like it since there is ricotta in the filling already).
Bake as you would normally bake a pizza and serve as soon as it comes out. You’ll notice this pizza resemble the flavor of a good quiche.
Jeff Freehof owns The garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia. he is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today and a speaker at the Pizza Expo family of trade shows.
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Photos by Josh Keown
“There may be a hundred different stances and sword positions, but you win with just one,” said undefeated Samurai Miyamoto Musashi in 1643. Mushashi would have been a great pizza guy because he described pan pizza to the letter. Every town, village and territory in the world has their own pan pizza style: Chicago style; Sicilian Sfincione; Detroit Red Top; Tuscan Schiacciata; Old Forge style; French Pissaliadiere; Ligurian Pizza all’ Andrea; Philidelphia’s Tomato Pie; the Abruzzan Pizza Rustica from Renaissance times; stuffed pan pizza and pizza Pugliese. Even the centuries-old Chinese Scallion Pizza is baked in metal and some speculate that it was this idea that Marco Polo brought back to Italy to evolve into…(drumroll please) pan pizza!
For 13 years, I have used the 180 seasoned pizza pans in my small place to bake my own Athens-style pizza. Each pan sees action at least twice every day. During the rushes, they get tossed, slammed, slid, stacked and sometimes knocked over which, I will admit, is not a great way to treat the vehicle that crisps my pizza product (but each pan will again eventually don the high protein cloak of cold-fermented dough that it deserves). My pans have straight sides with a “nesting” indentation halfway up to stack the pans very high without harming the dough. I opted for this feature because I only have 1,200 square feet in my pizzeria.
Unlike pan pizzas on the East Coast, ours are not oiled but are just dusted with corn meal. These pans hold the dough crust vertically for a rustic look as it is docked, proofed, sauced, cheesed and topped before heading into our 475 F conveyor ovens. The pan heats up from 390 to 400 F after seven minutes, pushing the crust temperature to 315 F for a nice browning effect. It isn’t as hot as a wood-fired oven but heats up the 19 ounces of proofed dough nicely!
There are as many pizza pan designs as there are styles. If you are buying more than 50 at once, some companies may discount your order or deliver for free. Always ask (I only use credit cards that offer miles also!)
To find the one best pan pizza for your pizzeria, consider these factors:
- Your comfort zone. Are you and your staff willing to enthusiastically craft new pan pizza styles to generate more revenue?
- Your customer. What are they used to? How far can you stretch their culinary comfort zone? u Your market. Who has the best pan pizza in your area? (Be honest.) How can you beat them? These are very personal considerations for you and your pizzeria, but if you wish to take the leap to pan, let’s first concentrate on where the metal hits the road.
- Steel pans. Old-school steel pans are sometimes found in all their black seasoned beauty in the dark corners of used restaurant stores, these are the undisputed kings of golden crispy pizza pan crusts. The steel is strong (but does not conduct heat as quickly as aluminum) and they have better cook-ability and hold the heat longer. With thicker pizzas and larger pans, they don’t have a middle “skip” zone of un-doneness that aluminum pans have because of bending under heat. Some old pan pizzas were made in tin-plated steel pans, but remember that tin melts at 450 F, so these aren’t good for today’s high-heating ovens. I like the steel pans because some high seasoned sides seem to force a nice heat into the upper cornicione, or crust, of the pizza.
- “Nekkid” steel pans. New “bare” steel pans can be cheaper than coated steel pans, but buyer beware: thicker pizza pans with gauges below 16 are getting harder to find these days. If you are buying online, always ask what gauge the pan is. The lower the steel gauge number, the thicker the pan. These new bare steel pans need to be seasoned, which means you crank up your oven and coat each pan with a thin layer of lard, (really old school) vegetable oil or shortening. These have a low smoke point and you must ventilate your place well while doing this all day long until they turn color and eventually get blackened with carbon. (NOTE: never wash seasoned pans or bake with any liquid on the seasoning. If you absolutely have to wash them, use warm water and a weak soap quickly, then rinse and immediately run through another seasoning session.)
- Aluminum pans. Aluminum transfers heat four times faster than steel but I’ve found from personal experience I get a better golden brown crust in a deck oven from the steel. Because non-coated aluminum heats up fast, there is sometimes a “stickability problem.” Large aluminum pans tend to buckle in one corner under brick oven heat and that can affect cooking also.
- Coated pans. Aluminized steel pans offer both the durability and speed at heating up, while the “Anodized” aluminum pans coated with PSTK or pre-seasoned Tuff-kote improve durability and baking performance. These can either be as an electro-chemical process that converts the outside of the pan to aluminum oxide, or through multiple layers of sealant sprayed on an aluminum base that is absorbed into the pores for a tough, non-stick surface. This pan coating comes under numerous names depending on the company but they are all are twice as expensive as “bare” pans and, as I am finding out, will last forever — 11 years and counting for my pizzeria.
As you can see, many options are available for your perfect pizza pan. I’ve barely touched the surface here and most of my information just comes from personal experience. The best pan information will come from the company itself. If you are looking to open a new pizzeria, consider having multiple styles of pizza and don’t forget the pan.
In the next issue, I will delve into the differences in pan pizza dough styles and how the two most important aspects are achieved with the marriage between dough and pan: taste and texture.u
John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio. He is also a speaker at International Pizza Expo and a member of the World Pizza Champions.
In This Issue
If we extend the logic that sausage is one of the most popular pizza toppings and that bacon is a pork product, then there’s no good reason why bacon shouldn’t be pursued with more vigor when an array of pizza toppings are menu listed. However, bacon can also play an important flavor role in pasta dishes, sprinkled on salads, and used effectively in sandwiches, so if you are don’t have bacon in your restaurant, it’s time you started bringing home the bacon.
Bacon, as we know it, the sliced strips that we love with eggs, has some very close relatives that need to be recognized. For example, Canadian bacon (it’s closer to ham than bacon –– lean and slightly sweet –– but it is a pork product) and pancetta. Pancetta (pahn CHEH-tah) is Italian bacon that is cured (but not smoked the way American bacon is) with salt, pepper and spices.
So when we consider the range of possibilities above, the options for expanding the flavor profile of pizza, pasta, salads and sandwiches are virtually endless.
Here are a couple of tasty tidbits relative to pancetta. If you have a BLT on your menu, why not try a PLT (pancetta, lettuce, tomato)? Simple sauté thin slices of pancetta (cut off the roll, since pancetta usually comes rolled), until just heated through and beginning to crisp up. And I will always use pancetta when making spaghetti carbonara because of its deeper flavor and it is less fatty than regular bacon.
While I am high on pancetta, there are tons of ways that regular bacon can be used and here are a few tips on how to get it right. Generally, the only time I sauté bacon is when I want some fat that I need to incorporate into a particular dish. Most other times, I use a microwave oven to prep bacon. To microwave, use a microwave safe plate and sandwich strips of bacon between layers of paper toweling. I can prep a whole lot of bacon in a very short time using a microwave oven, aAnd I can control the crispiness a lot easier using the microwave.
Of course, you can lay strips of bacon on a sheet pan and cook it in the oven (conveyor or deck, it doesn’t matter). Watch it, though, because the fat it throws off can be quite a lot. I know some restaurants that deep-dry strips of bacon. This causes the bacon to curl and get very crispy, but this method works great for crumbles to use on a salad or even as a pizza topping.
I know this may sound elementary, but you simply cannot use raw bacon as a pizza topping (it won’t cook right, and it throws off too much fat). Can you use Canadian bacon as a topping without first cooking it? Yes, but I like to dice it or cut it into chips (more coverage, less curling) and broadcast it over the pizza.
Also on the subject of Canadian bacon, there is still a great market for a Hawaiian pizza, which uses chunks of pineapple and ham, but I like to replace the ham with Canadian bacon as a topping. Here’s are a couple of recipes that are as simple as it gets.
The beauty of this pizza is the sweet and sour flavor profile. Also, this pizza works with any number of cheeses. I use provolone to enhance the smokiness. However, a blend of mozzarella works just fine. As does Asiago or fontina cheeses.
Hawaiian Pizza
Yield: One 14-inch pizza
One 14-inch pizza shell
8 ounces ground tomatoes or pizza sauce
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces shredded provolone
½ cup diced Canadian bacon
6 ounces pineapple tidbits or chunks
Spread the sauce over the pizza shell. Sprinkle on the red pepper flakes. Add the provolone, then the bacon, followed by the pineapple. Bake and serve.
Potato, Bacon & Provolone Pizza
One 14-inch pizza shell
Yield: One 14-inch pizza
3/4 pound red skin potatoes sliced almost paper thin (about 35 slices)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Rosemary
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
6 strips bacon, cooked crisp and coarsely chopped
5 ounces shredded provolone
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, garlic and rosemary
Arrange the slices of potatoes on the pizza crust in a circle, working toward the center, overlapping the slices.
Sprinkle the parmesan over the potatoes. Sprinkle on the bacon. Add the grated provolone evenly over the crust. Bake.
Spaghetti Carbonara
Yield: 4 servings (scale up in direct proportion)
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente, drained, kept warm
½ pound bacon, sauteed crisp, remove the bacon from the pan, drain off half the fat from the pan, coarsely chop the bacon. Reserve
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
8 ounces grated Parmesan
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Over medium-high heat, add the cooked spaghetti to the saute pan that the bacon was cooked in. Toss the pasta to coat with the bacon fat. Add the crushed garlic and pepper. Stir well. Turn the heat to medium.
In a bowl, fold the Parmesan into the beaten eggs and stir just to combine. Fold the egg and cheese mixture into the pasta, stirring quickly, until the eggs just coat the pasta, but do not scramble. Serve at once in heated pasta bowls.
Note: pancetta can be substituted for the bacon.
Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing
Yield: About 4 servings (scale up in direct proportion)
12 ounces fresh spinach, stems removed, washed, patted dry, torn
2 hard boiled eggs, each sliced into 6 pieces and set aside
8 slices bacon
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dijon-style mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
5 large white mushrooms, scrubbed, sliced
Put the spinach into a large bowl. Sauté the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and transfer to paper towels to drain.
Transfer about 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat to a small saucepan. Add the vinegar, sugar and mustard to the bacon fat. Over low heat, whisk to combine. Add salt and Add the mushrooms to the spinach. Crumble the bacon over the spinach Add the bacon dressing and toss to coat the spinach leaves. Add the slices of hard-boiled eggs.
Bacon is back. In the past few months I have come across no fewer than seven food articles in which bacon played either a main role or a supporting role in various dishes. Talk about pigging out. Did you know that there was a “Bacon of the Month Club?” Now you do.
And have you heard about the “Bacon Explosion?” Two pounds of bacon get woven through and around two pounds of Italian sausage, the whole of which is slathered in barbecue sauce. Talk about going whole hog.
Bacon is loaded with flavor (“everything tastes better with bacon” is pushing the envelope, but there is some truth there), so it does have a place in many dishes and styles of food. And to expand the possibilities, consider using pancetta. The Italian version of bacon, pancetta is a cured — but not smoked — pork product that should be considered when working up dishes where the idea of pork has merit. One example would be a PLT, or pancetta, lettuce and tomato panini. Buy baby pancetta (it is sold rolled and has the shape of, say, capicolla or salami). Slice it thin, crisp it in a saute pan and use the whole round slices to make a great panini.
I am also in favor of using bacon (or pancetta) in pasta dishes. For example, one of the tastiest pasta dishes around is spaghetti carbonara. Spaghetti carbonara uses just a few ingredients – cooked bacon (or pancetta), grated Parmesan, eggs, black pepper –that when tossed with the cooked pasta makes quite an amazing and delicious dish.
And don’t forget that bacon can be used quite effectively in a salad. For example, combine fresh spinach with crisp bacon, tomatoes, and slices of hard-boiled eggs. A balsamic vinaigrette dressing completes this delicious salad.
Cooking bacon is a no-brainer, but the simplest and easiest method is to microwave it. You can prep a whole lot of bacon in a short amount of time this way. If you do that, be sure to keep the cooked bacon in the cooler or prep table (covered). Even though it is cooked, bacon can go over the hill real fast, so I recommend you not cook more than you need for, say, four days.
On the other hand, if you need the fat that is rendered from the cooking of the bacon, use a saute pan and fry away. Or lay the bacon on a sheet pan and cook it in the deck oven (conveyor oven works too, but the grease splatters really do a number on the oven). There is also the possibility of deep-frying the bacon, should you want it extra crisp to use, say, as crumbles on a salad. The deep-frying does take most of the fat out, which you can take two ways: healthier, but with a loss of flavor.
So there’s an idea, thinking about that “Pork Explosion.” What about the possibility of using bacon and Italian sausage together as a pizza topping. Got a name for it? No. I do. “Pork Pie.”
Pork (Pizza) Pie
I have to admit right up front that this pizza is not low on calories or fat, but when it comes to flavor there is nothing quite like it.
Makes one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
10 ounces ground pork
2 teaspoons ground fennel
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
6 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, then chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces ground tomatoes or tomato puree
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
Spread the mozzarella over the crust up to 1/2-inch of the edge.
Mix the ground pork with the fennel, salt, pepper and press into a patty that is about 12-inches in diameter (in other words, very thin). Put the pork patty on top of the cheese.
Sprinkle the cooked and chopped bacon over the pork. Ladle on the tomatoes. Sprinkle the Romano cheese evenly over the tomatoes. Bake.
Bacon and Spinach Pizza
You will note that in this recipe I use the half-and-half cheese method – half the cheese directly on the crust, then add the toppings and finish with the remaining cheese. No tomatoes are used on this pizza. This method gives the pizza a lot more eye appeal since the toppings are visible. This pizza falls into the “Signature” category of pizzas. In other words, because it is made with premium ingredients you can charge a bit more. Your customers will agree, once they have had a slice or two, that this pizza is worth an extra buck or two.
Makes one 12-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 12-inch pizza shell
1/4 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and broken into pieces
8 ounces 50/50 blend mozzarella and provolone
½ pound (about) fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, sliced
10-12 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Spread half the cheese blend over the rolled out crust. Sprinkle the cooked bacon over the cheese.
Lay the sliced fresh tomatoes evenly over the cheese.
Spread the spinach leaves evenly over the bacon and tomatoes.
Drizzle the olive oil over the spinach, followed by the chopped fresh garlic.
Sprinkle on the remaining 4 ounces of cheese, followed by the toasted pine nuts.
Bake.
Caciocavallo (kah-ch'yoh-kah-VAH-loh). With a name like this it has to be good (to borrow a slogan). Caciocavallo, also known as “Horse Cheese,” is an interesting cheese. One theory behind how this cheese got its name is that it was designed to be carried on horseback, since it is usually sold in pairs, which could be slung over the horse's neck and carried to market. (“A cavallo" means "on horseback.”)
Caciocavallo is an important cheese in southern Italy, and southern Italian cooking. Generally it is made from cow's milk, but some smaller cheese makers in Italy make a version of caciocavallo from sheep's milk. Also, I have seen a smoked Caciocavallo in stores in Sicily. A close cousin in texture and flavor is scamorza (skah-Mor-t'zah).
After maturing for between three months and up to three years, this pear-shaped pasta-filata (cheese made by stretching the curds into strands before molding them…mozzarella is also a pasta-filata cheese) develops an interesting and intensive aroma. When eaten young it has a sweet and creamy taste. The flavor becomes more piquant the longer the cheese matures. And the more mature caciocavallos can be used as a tasty grating cheese.
Caciocavallo is a good alternative to provolone, and can be used in just about any recipe that calls for provolone. For example, caciocavallo can be blended with mozzarella to make a delicious cheese pizza. Or it can be used quite effectively in an antipasto salad or as a grating cheese for pasta.
San Giovanni's Pizza
This pizza is very Sicilian in style and presentation. However, as it goes with regional Italian cooking, it also happens to fall smack into the category of a sfincione (thick-crusted pizza of Palermo, Sicily). It can be listed on your menu under “Specialty Italian Pizza,” which will give your customers something new and different to try.
Makes 1 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza shell
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow or Spanish onion
1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped ripe Roma tomatoes, or
canned plum tomatoes, squeezed dry and chopped
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
3/4 cup diced caciocavallo
olive oil
Sheet the dough and put it on a screen or pan. Brush the dough lightly with olive oil. Pinch the edges of the dough to form a raised edge. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Sauté the onion until it becomes translucent. Add the tomatoes. Cook for about 7 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Can be prepped up to this point and held.
Spread half of the breadcrumbs over the pizza crust. Spread half of the tomato sauce over the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle on the remaining breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the pizza. Drizzle some olive oil over the cheese. Bake.
Note: In classic preparation of this pizza, anchovies are mashed in with the tomatoes. It does add immensely to the flavor of this pizza, but not everyone loves anchovies.
What’s the deal with stuffed crust pizza anyway? Should you or shouldn’t you consider adding it to your list of pizza choices? If you are already offering stuffed crust, how is it selling? What about the added food cost with a stuffed crust pizza, considering all the extra cheese (or other ingredients) required? What about the added work necessary to put together a stuffed crust pizza that has some panache? Will your customers understand and enjoy the extras that go into a stuffed crust pizza? Ah, the devil is in the details.
There are a few negatives in the questions I just posed, but don’t let that sway your thoughts, because the possibility of putting out a fine-tasting stuffed crust pizza –– even if it becomes only a daily or weekly special –– has merit (your competition loves to revive stuffing a crust on a regular basis).
There are several ways to approach the stuffed crust idea, and it isn’t always about cheese. And it isn’t always about simply folding cheese into the crust around the raised edge of the pizza. The Italian name for the raised edge or border of a pizza is “il cornicione” — or “large frame.” Keep that in mind as we explore one aspect of stuffed crust pizza. Also, keep in mind that the crust is the crust. So we will look into not only using some kind of stuffing in the raised edge, but in the rest of the crust as well.
How do we do that? I could be glib here and say “very carefully.” But it really does have to do with using care and an understanding of your dough to make a stuffed crust pizza worth the trouble. Otherwise forget it.
The most basic and simplest way to make a stuffed crust pizza is to lay long pieces of string cheese (mozzarella string cheese or similar) just inside the edge of the crust all around, then fold the crust edge over the cheese and pinch the dough to seal. Or you can use any type of shredded cheese –– mozzarella, a blend of mozzarella and provolone –– and follow the same procedure. Once you have done that, the rest goes the same as any other pizza –– tomatoes, more cheese, selected toppings, etc.
That’s how you stuff a crust for a round, thin-crust pizza; however, that simple approach is, to me, well, kind of boring. So let’s push the edge of the dough (so to speak) just a bit. If you are going to introduce a stuffed crust pizza, why not change the shape? Instead of round, how about rectangular? In other words, a Sicilian Stuffed Crust Pizza: rectangular thick-crust pizza in which, say, the cheese is folded into the raised edge or border?
Another very important aspect is to consider the flavor combinations. Here are some to consider:
• If the pizza has chicken as a topping, we could blend crumbles of bleu cheese with shredded mozzarella and use that combination in stuffing the raised border.
• If the pizza has chicken as a topping, we can blend a prepared pesto sauce with, say, shredded mozzarella or provolone. How about brushing the string cheese with olive oil and rolling the “logs” into a blend of herbs (oregano, basil)?
• Consider a buffalo chicken stuffed crust pizza where we dip the cheese “logs” or sticks in buffalo chicken sauce?
• If you already have cheese sticks on your menu as an appetizer, use those to stuff the crust.
• Want to create a Mexican stuffed crust pizza? Use a combination of shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses to stuff the border. Top the rest of the crust with salsa, black beans, chorizo and more Monterey Jack and cheddar. Top the cheese with finely chopped cilantro.
• Consider combining ricotta cheese with shredded mozzarella (or a mozzarella and provolone blend) to stuff the crust.
• Instead of stuffing the border of a round pizza, stuff the whole pizza. Roll out two thin sheets of dough (any size you wish). Sprinkle shredded cheese over the bottom crust up to one-inch of the edge. Lay a second sheet of pizza dough over the cheese. Fold and roll the crust edge (like for a pie). Now add your sauce and other toppings. Presto! A whole stuffed pizza, not just stuffed crust pizza.
• Create a “Choke and Cheese” pizza (adapted from Digger’s Restaurant in Fish Creek, Wisconsin). Stuff the crust edge with artichoke hearts that have been tossed in olive oil and oregano. Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese over the crust. Lay thin slices of fresh tomato over the ricotta. Sprinkle crumbles of feta cheese over the tomatoes.
Make it happen, jazz it up, or fugetaboutit!
Cheddar and BBQ Chicken Stuffed Crust Pizza
Yield: one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
8 ounces cooked chunks of chicken
1 cup barbecue sauce
½ cup red onion strings (poach thinly sliced rounds of red onion in water for 2 minutes, drain, pat dry and separate into “strings”)
2 cups shredded cheddar or shredded smoked mozzarella
1 14-inch pizza shell
In a mixing bowl, toss the chicken with the barbecue sauce and onion strings.
Use half the shredded cheddar for the crust stuffing. Lay the cheese just inside the edge of the crust. Fold the crust over the cheese and pinch the edges to seal.
Spread the chicken mixture evenly over the crust up to the sealed edge. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar evenly over the chicken and barbecue sauce. Bake.
American Cheddar is generally made from pasteurized cow's milk. Cheddar is often referred to as the "big cheese" of American cheeses. Its popularity is quite evident, since the average American consumes about 10 pounds of cheddar cheese each year. The process of milling and piling of the curds (cheddaring) before pressing gives cheddar its name. Most American-made cheddar gets its color from a dying process using annatto (a special form of food coloring).
Colby is a cheese that was created in Colby, Wisconsin, sometime around the turn of the 20th century, and is quite similar in flavor and appearance to Cheddar. One of the big differences between Colby and cheddar is that Colby is softer and has a somewhat lacy texture. Also, cheddar requires some aging whereas Colby does not. Colby goes by the name of "Longhorn" when it is cut into half-moon shapes.
The similarities of these two cheeses rule out the idea of blending them. But you can take advantage of their similarities by using them interchangeably. Each cheese on its own can add some interesting flavors and textures. For example, I would use cheddar in a ham and cheese panini. I would definitely use cheddar (sharp or mild, it doesn't matter) blended with Monterey Jack on a Mexican pizza. On the other hand, it wouldn't make much sense to blend cheddar and Colby in, say, a macaroni and cheese dish.
Try both of these recipes to get into the tasty pleasures that cheddar and Colby delivers.
Spinach dip
Makes about 3 cups of dip
8 slices bacon
1 pound fresh spinach, cleaned and stemmed, or two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 pound shredded Colby cheese (mild or sharp)
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cook the bacon until it is crisp. Drain, crumble and set aside.
In a saucepan set over medium heat, cook the spinach. Drain excess water from the pan. Add the ricotta, cheddar, and tomatoes to the pan. Cook and stir until the cheeses blend with spinach. Blend in the salt and pepper. Mix in the crumbled bacon.
Serve with large chunks of crusty bread or crackers.
Pizza Arrebba
Makes one 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza shell
2/3 cup bottled chunky salsa
11/2 cups drained and rinsed black beans
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Spread the salsa evenly over the crust, leaving about a 1/2-inch border all around. Spread the beans over the salsa. In a small bowl, combine the two cheeses. Sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle on the cilantro. Bake.
Not too many years ago, you could have any cheese you wanted on a pizza as long as it was mozzarella. Sure, there might be grated Parmesan or Romano on the table to sprinkle on top, but that was about it. Going beyond pizza, mozzarella made its way onto the table, showing up in dishes like chicken or veal Parmigiana. In the realm of pasta, the cheeses of choice were, yes, you guessed it — Parmesan. Ricotta was another basic cheese, essential to lasagne, manicotti and stuffed shells. The interesting aspect to all of this was that cheese combinations always boiled down to the same few.
Then the clouds parted, and in on rays of sunshine rode a whole new approach to cheese usage and combinations with the intent of developing flavor profiles that added even more pizzazz to pizza, pasta and beyond (such as the trend-popular panini and ubiquitous sub sandwich).
Indeed, before we could smile and say “cheese!” we were enjoying the flowing tastes of a four-cheese pizza and pasta with multiple cheeses. Savvy operators were among the first to understand that a pizza could be a lot more interesting if provolone was added to the mozzarella. How about adding some Parmesan? Wait, let’s add some Romano. Presto! A four-cheese pizza. That’s a fine-tasting four-cheese blend, but before long it was rather basic again, so the repertoire was expanded.
Think about how many different cheeses are available, and you will quickly understand that coming up with tasty cheese combinations is simply a matter of how many you wish to keep on hand. Other factors have influenced how we use various cheeses and in what combinations. For example, the rising popularity of Mexican food gave issue to blending cheeses with a Latin flare and flavor. The same thing happened when Mediterranean cooking came on strong. In each instance, it wasn’t long before “new” cheeses and cheese combinations took center stage in this interesting play that could easily have been titled “Cheeses That Please.”
We are all familiar with the basic four-cheese blend — mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, Romano. And, believe me, there is nothing wrong with using that blend on pizza or for a four-cheese pasta dish. However, with the wealth of interesting cheeses out there, it is good to think beyond the proverbial cheese block. In another story on cheese on page XX, I talk about using provola, or smoked mozzarella, along with fresh mozzarella to fashion a classic Neapolitan cheese flavor. It works beautifully and you should give it a try.
In my 1995 cookbook “The Ultimate Pizza,” I explored quite vigorously the idea of cheese combinations. For example, in the chapter on cheese I list no fewer than 20 different cheeses that could be used on pizza. From Asiago to Tallegio I was looking at the idea of combining cheeses on an aggressive scale, but using common sense. And common sense is what it comes down to when looking at cheese blends.
It is important when coming up with cheese combinations to consider the predominant flavor that each cheese would bring to the taste party. At the same time, combining two strong cheeses doesn’t work, because the flavors cancel each other out. For example, blending a bleu cheese with smoked Gouda wouldn’t work because both of those cheeses have an aggressive flavor. However, combining bleu cheese with Havarti delivers, because each cheese strikes a different flavor note.
Similarly, a combination of Fontina and Gruyere is ripe with a buttery and nutty taste. This combination of cheeses works great for a panini and oven-toasted sub sandwich. Another factor to keep in mind when combining cheeses as a pizza topping is color. For example, I do a brunch pizza (recipe to follow) that incorporates cheddar, Monterey Jack and Asadero. The cheddar adds flavor and color, the Monterey jack a mild counterpoint of flavor, while the Asadero, which is a great melting cheese, brings in a tangy flavor similar to provolone. If you want a great pizza for brunch service you need to try my brunch pizza below.
Also, when considering cheese combinations keep in mind the other toppings and how the cheeses flow and are compatible with what else is on the pizza. For example, I do a chicken/ blue cheese /Parmesan pizza. That combination of cheeses gives a real flavor boost to the chicken.
As always, common sense must prevail. I am seeing some recipes come out where five and six cheese combinations are used. When you get that many cheeses going it gets expensive and there is a flavor overload (and the average customer won’t get it anyway).
Some interesting cheese blends for a pizza topping include Fontina and Gruyere, smoked gouda and Parmesan, Muenster and Blue, Feta and mozzarella. On an antipasto tray I would include aged or mild provolone, Asiago, fresh mozzarella and Gorgonzola.
Bruno’s Brunch Pizza
Yields: Makes 14-inch pizza. Scale up in direct proportion
¾ pound chorizo
1 14-inch pizza shell
½ cup canned refried beans, thinned with 1 tablespoon warm water
¾ cup medium-hot bottled salsa
6 eggs lightly beaten
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cup shredded Asadero cheese
In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the chorizo, breaking up the larger pieces, about 5 minutes. Drain all the fat from the pan. Reserve.
Spread the refried beans over the pizza shell, leaving a ½-inch (one-half inch) crust edge. Spread the salsa over the beans.
In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, scramble the eggs just until they are set and no longer runny. Spread the eggs loosely over the salsa. Sprinkle the cilantro over the eggs. Combine the three cheeses and sprinkle evenly over the eggs. Sprinkle the reserved chorizo over the cheese, pushing it into the cheese with your fingers.
Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
This pizza will hold nicely on a buffet table for up to an hour.
One of my cookbooks on pizza, The Great Chicago-Style Pizza Cookbook,
first came out in 1983. If my math is correct, that was 25 years ago.
Holy pepperoni, pizzaman, that’s a long time ago. Yes, even though this
book is still in print, I honestly admit that it is in dire need of an
update. And the reason I am thinking that way is because so much has
changed over the years relative to Chicago pizza. Nevertheless, all of
the pizza restaurants that I mentioned in my book are still in business,
which is a testament to not only the popularity of pizza, but the idea
that if you make a good pizza people will come (and come, and come).
Each of the restaurants in the book have a different style of pizza:
deep-dish; stuffed; thin crust; Italian bakery and variations on all of
those themes. What are not in the book are pizza places using
wood-burning ovens. The reason for that, believe it or not, is that
there weren’t any pizza places with wood-burning ovens in Chicago in
1983. Hard to believe, but it’s true.
I am here to tell you that all of that has changed. There are (at least,
as I write this) a dozen pizza places that are working with
wood-burning ovens. On top of that there are countless restaurants using
ovens with chambers that are gas-fired. In short, the landscape of
Chicago-style pizza has changed dramatically.
The earth may have moved here in Chicago, but the foundation of
Chicago-style pizza is still rock solid. And that foundation was built
when Pizzeria Uno opened in 1943, and Chicago was introduced to
deep-dish (also known as pan) pizza. It tasted good back then and it
still tastes good today, and this deep-dish pizza became the benchmark
on which all pizzas (at least those after 1943) were measured. How so?
It had to do with every part of that pizza: crust, cheese, tomatoes,
toppings, the finished product. Also in the deep-dish game we find
Gino’s East, which got going in 1966. Another big hit right from the
start.
The hits just kept on coming. Next on the deep-dish scene was Lou
Malnati’s (Lou worked at Uno’s for a number of years). Another fine pie.
Malnati’s opened its first location in Lincolnwood, a suburb of
Chicago, in 1971, and now has some 25 locations spread around
Chicagoland.
On the thin-crust side, we have to look to Home Run Inn and acknowledge
its contribution to the Chicago pizza scene. Home Run Inn got going in
1947. Actually it was a bar on Chicago’s near south side that just
happened to serve pizza. I first tasted Home Run Inn when I got to
Chicago in 1967. I got hooked on this pizza back then and I am still
hooked on it today.
Relative to stuffed pizza, we go into the same year as Home Run Inn ––
1967. For those not in the know about stuffed pizza, it’s like a
deep-dish pizza (same style of pan is used), but there are two crusts.
One crust is fitted into the pan (the dough overlapping the sides of the
pan). The filling (toppings in other words) goes into that deep well.
Another thin sheet of pizza dough goes over the filling and the two
pieces of dough are crimped together (like a two-crust fruit pie). Now
the tomato sauce goes on top and the pizza gets baked.
But –– and there’s always a but in situations like this –– all of these
new pizza places, and I am referring to those new woodburning oven
places that are serving Neapolitan-style (a.k.a. thin crust) pizzas, are
getting their slice of the pie, so it’s boiled down to which place can
do a pizza better than that place. Pizzeria Uno (and its sister
restaurant, Pizzeria Due) will always get its share of business (the
crowds waiting outside to be called to a table are testament to that),
and so will institutions like Giordano’s, Home Run Inn, Lou Malnati’s,
Gino’s East and the rest.
The variety and style of pizzas that are so abundant in Chicago makes my
home city a very unique place, so the idea of what Chicago Style pizza
is all about anymore is this: It’s all about a city where pizza is part
of the atmosphere, part of the fabric, part of our daily lives. And that
is what makes Chicago the Pizza Capital of the World (sorry, Naples,
but it’s true).
Here is a recipe for deep-dish pizza, the pizza that made Chicago famous.
Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza
Yield: One 12-inch deep-dish pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
8 ounces of sliced part-skim low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 11 slices)
10 ounces ground pork, mixed with 2 teaspoons fennel seed, 1 teaspoon
salt, 1 teaspoon pepper. (Press the meat into a patty that is almost as
big as the pan.)
1½ cups ground tomatoes mixed with 1 teaspoon oregano and1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons grated Romano cheese
The dough
1/4 ounce active dry yeast (not instant)
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup corn oil
2½ cups flour (11-12 percent protein, a soft flour)
2 teaspoons salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend the yeast into the water. Add the
sugar and corn oil. Mix to combine. Add the flour and the yeast. Mix to
combine and run the mixer for about 4 minutes at medium speed. The dough
should clean the sides of the mixing bowl.
Rub the dough ball all over with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp
cloth. Let the dough rise for 2 hours. Do not punch it down.
Spread and push the dough across the bottom and up the sides of a 12-inch by 2-inch deep pizza pan.
Lay the slices of cheese over the crust, overlapping the slices to cover
the dough. Add the pork sausage patty. Spread the tomatoes over the
sausage. Sprinkle on the Romano cheese.
Bake in a preheated 475 F oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is
golden brown and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let the pizza sit
for 3 to 4 minutes before cutting.
What is it about wings? They have become so popular that I wouldn’t be surprised if some scientist is at work trying to figure out how to come up with a chicken that has four wings. It’s no surprise people love them — they’re fun, fast and qualify as finger food.
But not all wings are created equal. I have had Chicken wings that were so scrawny I figured they might have come from a pigeon. I have even had wings that didn’t even taste like chicken. And I have had chicken wings that were so lacking in flavor it was an insult to the name, let alone the chicken.
Here are some of the basic facts: The secret is in the sauce (s). But I figured you already knew that, or you would simply be serving fried chicken wings. The ingredients? The chicken wings, of course. And the rest: hot pepper sauce, white vinegar, butter and salt. The level of heat is determined by the amount of hot pepper sauce used. Flour and cayenne pepper are also basic ingredients for consideration. For me personally, I like to add a bit of garlic (or garlic powder) and to play around with flavors.
That said, sometimes basic is best. Here’s a simple recipe that’s sure to please.
HOT WINGS
Yield: 24 wings, or about 3-4 servings (scale up in direct proportion)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup vinegar-based hot sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
12 whole meaty chicken wings (chop off the tips and discard.
Cut each wing in half at the joint)
This is basically a five-step process.
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients – flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt.
2. In a sauce pan, melt the butter, hot sauce and the black pepper. Keep the sauce warm.
3. Toss the wings in the flour mixture to coat.
4. Deep fry the wings (375 F for 10 -12 minutes should do it) and drain.
5. Toss the fried wings in the hot sauce to coat.
That’s it. Simple. Now serve the wings with a dipping sauce on the side (blue cheese sauce or dressing and celery sticks are standard).
Quick `n’ Easy Blue Cheese Dressing
Combine 8 ounces of a softened blue-veined cheese with ½ cup sour cream and ½ cup heavy whipping cream. Use a fork to mash the blue cheese as you add the sour cream and whipping cream to combine. Whip it up to smooth it out. If you want to zip the dressing up a bit add some cayenne pepper.
Chicken Wing Pizza
This is such a good-tasting pizza you will wonder why you never thought of it before.
Makes one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
Make the chicken wings, following the basic recipe, through Step 5.
Pull the meat off the bones (you will need about 10-12 ounces of meat). Combine pizza sauce with Louisiana hot sauce (adjust heat to taste). Spread (lightly) the sauce over the crust.
Add the pulled chicken wing meat to the pizza, spreading it evenly.
Top the pizza with shredded mozzarella and blue cheese (to taste, but I use a ratio of 2/3 mozzarella to 1/3 blue cheese). Bake and serve.
Alternatively, for this pizza, instead of combining the mozzarella with the blue cheese, just go with the mozzarella. After the pizza is baked, and just before serving, drop dollops of the blue cheese dressing (see recipe above) on top of the melted mozzarella. And if you want to get really fancy you can garnish the pizza with celery sticks.
Are wings simple?
Yes. But what should you watch out for? What little problems could cause your wings to crash instead of fly high?
Problem: If the wings are moist or too wet (say the wings came in frozen and were holding a lot of moisture) the flour mixture will not adhere properly and your wings will have a gummy taste. Not good.
Solution: Lay the wings on a sheet pan and pat them dry with a paper towel. Turn them over and pat dry again. And then again.
Problem: If the wings come in frozen and you have not fully defrosted them, you will not only have the moisture problem, but you will have a longer cook time to get them fully cooked — which might result in a burned look on the outside and uncooked inside.
Solution: Lay the wings on a full sheet pan to defrost for 1-2 days in the cooler. Pat the wings dry of any excess moisture.
Problem: You don’t have a deep fryer.
Solution: Bake the wings. Toss the wings in a combination of cooking oil and cayenne pepper (to taste). Lay the wings on a full sheet pan and bake at 425 F for 20-25 minutes. While the wings are still warm, toss them with a combination of white vinegar and hot sauce. Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Recently I dropped in on a wine and cheese festival in Wisconsin. Several cheese producers were exhibiting their wares, so (naturally) I did some sampling, and chatted a bit with those manning the booths. I asked about a particular pizza cheese that is becoming quite popular in restaurants that are doing classic pizzas in the style of Naples (Pizza Napoletana). The cheese in question is provola. Provola is a cousin to Provolone (a large provola is provolone). To put it another way, provola is smoked mozzarella (provola affumicato). Mozzarella is a pasta filata cheese, as is provolone, so the processing steps are similar.
Provola is one hot cheese and it is gaining status fast, so I was amazed when neither of the gentlemen manning that cheese booth ever heard of this great cheese. Great? I predict that provola will be THE hot cheese in the coming months. I have been using provola in a number of ways, but no way is better than when I use it in conjunction with fresh mozzarella to fashion an authentic Margherita pizza. In fact, provola is used extensively in pizzerias in Naples. Take my word for it. So what if you can’t find provola? Answer: use aged provolone. It will boost the flavor of your pizza by leaps and bounds. Caution: a little bit of aged provolone goes a long way, and it is not to everyone’s taste, so use it judiciously.
Gorgonzola is my choice for the next-in-line hot cheese in the year ahead. Widely distributed from coast to coast (most of the domestic Gorgonzola production comes from Wisconsin and California), I can tout Gorgonzola as a pizza cheese (blended with, say, mozzarella) — but a stronger application is to use it as an add-on in a salad along with ripe pears (see recipe below). The earthy and tangy flavor of this blue cheese offers a pleasing taste counterpoint to the pears. Some cheese processors are packaging Gorgonzola crumbles, which makes it quite easy to sprinkle it over a salad.
Gorgonzola also steps up to the plate and hits it off with customers when used as part of an antipasto plate. I like to pair it with roasted red peppers, olives, capers, and anchovies, along with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Next, lets take a look at mascarpone (mahs-kar-POH-neh). There are countless ways to use this outstanding cow’s milk cheese (actually mascarpone is not a cheese in the sense that no starter or rennet is used in its production), which is the guiding taste ingredient in a properly made tiramisu. Though similar to cream cheese in texture (and often mascarpone is referred to as a cream cheese) it is worlds apart in taste. Mascarpone has a fat content that ranges from 70 to 75 percent, so count the riches of this great cheese.
Other than its proper place in tiramisu, I like to use mascarpone in pasta dishes. For example, swirl just a tablespoon of mascarpone in a marinara sauce and you will be amazed at how beautifully it cuts some of the acidity in the tomatoes. Mascarpone is one of the “secret” ingredients in penne alla vodka (again, just a small amount worked into the pasta and sauce in a sauté pan works wonders).
Another delicious way in which to use mascarpone is to serve it with fresh fruit for a light dessert. Combine equal amounts of mascarpone, ricotta (make sure the ricotta is drained of any excess water) and sugar, to taste. Whip the mixture gently to a cream smoothness. Layer the mascarpone with sliced fresh strawberries or fresh blueberries in a sundae glass. Add a sprig of fresh mint on top, and you have a fine looking, fine-tasting dessert.
Two more cheeses that I see in the hot bin for this year are Asiago and fontina. I have been touting these two cheeses for years. Either cheese can be blended with mozzarella for pizza, or as part of a four-cheese pasta dish; however, because these two cheeses are so unique, I like to use them as part of a cheese or antipasto tray. I am not high on either one for blending for pizza cheeses, but when it comes to straight out eating both of these cheeses are excellent. That said, I lean in favor of fontina, which can be used as a panini cheese with great effect. Another way that I use fontina is to sandwich it between two lightly pounded boneless chicken breasts, followed by a quick sauté in butter and olive oil.
Classic Pizza Margherita
Yield: One 14-inch pizza
14-inch pizza shell
6 ounces all-purpose ground tomatoes or tomato puree
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
2 ounces grated provola or mild provolone
Fresh basil leaves
Ladle the tomatoes over the stretched pizza shell. Evenly distribute the mozzarella slices over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the grated provola evenly over the mozzarella. After the pizza has been baked, arrange the fresh basil leaves over the melted cheeses. Serve at once.
Insalata con Gorgonzola e Pere
Yield: 6 servings (Scale up in direct proportion)
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ (one-fourth) cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
Combine the ingredients in a glass jar and shake to combine. Let set while assembling the salads. Strain the dressing to get rid of the garlic.
12 ounces young salad greens (mesclun)
3 cups peeled, diced pears (Comice would be a good choice)
6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 cup pine nuts, toasted
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Arrange the salad greens on six chilled plates. Distribute an equal amount of the pear and the Gorgonzola over the greens. Sprinkle an equal amount of the pine nuts over each serving. Drizzle an equal amount of the dressing over each salad.
If you're in Chicago and "the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie," you can bet that most of the time that pizza is of the deep-dish persuasion.
What is this pizza called Chicago deep-dish, and what makes it so different from other pizzas? In the truest sense, deep-dish pizza (pizza-in-the-pan is the alternate nom de pizza) is a first-generation descendant of what Italian-Americans commonly referred to as "tomato pie." A sideline of Italian bakeries at the turn of the century, a tomato pie was baked in a large rectangular pan with 1-inch-high sides. It had a crust two fingers thick and a generous layer of seasoned tomato puree that was dusted with grated Romano cheese just before it went into the oven.
So the thickness of the crust and the overall heft separate deep-dish from, say, thin-crust pizza. Another difference is that deep-dish pizza is formed and baked in a deep-sided (usually 2 inches high) pizza pan that has been seasoned to the point that it is black. Also, the size and amount of dough require that the pizza be baked longer that a thin-crust pizza (while some shortcuts involving parbaking the crust have been tried, this doesn't work in favor of a well-made deep-dish pie). The fact is that the longer oven time tremendously enhances the flavor.
Chicago-style deep-dish pizza came into being in 1943 when two savvy entrepreneurs, Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, opened Pizzeria Uno on the corner of Wabash and Ohio. It was a time when a restaurant serving only pizza was unheard of.
The story goes that it took six months of experimentation to produce that "cheese, tomato, and meat pie" called deep-dish pizza. It was so thick that it required the use of a knife and fork-which brought down another wall of pizza tradition: Pizza had always been something that you ate with your hands. Utensils to eat pizza? Incredible.
And what a sumptuous, mouthwatering pie it is. Freshly-made dough flows across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Slices of mozzarella cheese are layered over the dough, followed by a red blanket of seasoned tomatoes, then by sausage, pepperoni, etc. The indescribable aroma and sheer gusto of this pizza, when presented tableside in all of its pizza glory, is something to experience. Is it any wonder that visitors to Chicago from all over the world want to sample this magnificent pizza?
Size-for-size, the food costs to produce a standard deep-dish pie is not much more than that for thin-crust pizza. It takes more dough and slightly more tomatoes to construct a deep-dish pie, but other toppings – sausage, pepperoni, vegetables – are relatively the same. For example: It takes 26 ounces for a 14-inch deep-dish pizza (a 14-inch thin-crust pizza uses about 16 ounces of dough). It takes about 14 ounces of tomatoes for a deep-dish pie (a 14-inch thin-crust pie will take about 8 ounces of tomatoes).
Market fluctuations, especially with cheese, makes it difficult to pin down actual food costs. To average it out, let me suggest that the food costs for a 14-inch deep-dish cheese pizza should run no more than 22 percent.
Points to keep in mind: The dough recipe for deep-dish pizza has a much higher percentage of oil than a thin-crust pizza (so factor that into your final cost). The idea is that deep-dish pizza dough gets close to what we call a "short-crust," one that after baking is crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. To accomplish this, it is necessary to use a flour that is low in protein. (See recipe below).
10-steps to a perfect 14-inch deep-dish cheese pizza:
1) Make the dough at least one day ahead. Keep it in the cooler in one mass (do not scale it).
2) Two hours before the first order is due to come in, bring the dough out of the cooler.
3) Scale the dough to 26 ounces and place the dough balls in a lightly oiled deep-dish pizza pan. Turn the dough ball to coat with the oil.
4) Set or stack the pans in a warm part of the kitchen
5) To order, push and spread the dough across the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
6) Lay the sliced mozzarella on top of the dough (about 12 slices, each about 1 ounce), so that the slices cover the bottom crust completely.
7) ladle on the tomatoes (about 14 ounces of all-purpose tomatoes, seasoned, or crushed plum tomatoes, seasoned).
8) Sprinkle grated Romano cheese and oregano over the tomatoes.
9) Bake the pizza for 20-22 minutes at 450 degrees F. (oven style-conveyor, deck, rotating-must be taken into consideration).
10) Cut the pizza into wedges and bring the pizza in the pan to the table. The server serves each person one piece to get the ball rolling.
Deep-Dish Pizza Dough Recipe
Yields: about 38 pounds of dough
25 pounds Flour (11 to 12 percent protein)
91/2 pounds water (70-80 degrees F.)
3 oz. Active dry yeast
4 oz. Salt
5 oz. Sugar
4 lbs. Vegetable oil
Optional: 3 ounces of egg shade (a liquid food colorant) to the above dough recipe will give the dough a rich golden color.
1. Scale the flour. Pour the water into the mixing bowl. Add the yeast, salt, and sugar. Mix with a whisk to combine. Add the flour. Run the mixer at speed 2 for 3 minutes to combine. Add the vegetable oil. Mix for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough cleans the side of the bowl. The dough must be soft and pliable, not stiff.
2. Put the mass of dough (cut it into several parts if necessary) into deep plastic containers. Cover the dough. Put the dough in the cooler. The next day, follow the 10 steps for perfect deep-dish pizza dough, and you are off and running.
Watch to watch out for: Tomatoes too watery will make the pizza soggy. Dough too dry will make it hard to stretch in the pan. If you use oregano in your seasoned tomato mix, do not add additional oregano.
Here’s the short list of topping –– tomatoes, cheeses, and beyond –– that I feel fall into the “gourmet” category:
• Tomatoes: San Marzano, fresh plum, roasted plum, any type of heirloom tomato
• Cheeses: Tallegio, burrata, smoked mozzarella, scamorza, provola, ricotta salata, Gorgonzola
• And Beyond: exotic mushrooms (oyster, hen-of-the-woods, porcini, shiitake);
fancy greens (arugula, radicchio, mesculn, rapini, spinach); vegetables (artichokes, zucchini, eggplant, cherry peppers, giardiniera, celery root); meats (speck, prosciutto, salami, capocollo, pancetta).
That’s quite a list, but it is the short list. The possibilities go even further, but I think you get the idea. What about fresh mozzarella and mozzarella di bufala? And what about fresh basil? I figure those toppings have already made it into the mainstream; they are all still “gourmet” in a sense, but none of them necessarily catch the eye or command the higher price of true gourmet toppings.
A lot of newer pizzerias have set up a separate menu section and are designating it as “gourmet pizza,” and that’s a good thing. First of all, it separates the gourmet idea from the rest of the pizza offerings. Also, that idea appeals to the foodie of the party. And, of course, with the “gourmet” designation you can charge a higher price.
I also see this on menus: “Gourmet Pizza of the Day.” That idea requires a lot more planning, and it might not go over as well as you might think. That approach is a bit dicey, because you might end up with a bunch of toppings that might go to waste. However, if the idea of getting extra creative on a daily basis is appealing, then go for it.
Now, where can you go with this, the gourmet topping idea? It really depends on the market you are in and the clientele you serve. In Chicago, where I live, there is no shortage of pizzas with gourmet toppings. At Sapore di Napoli, for example, a pizza called “Arucola” has these toppings: mozzarella, arugula, cherry tomatoes and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. And you can add Prosciutto di Parma for a slight upcharge. That’s gourmet to the max. At Quartino restaurant in Chicago, a pizza called “Trevisella” is topped with prosciutto, radicchio and balsamic syrup. And the “Valtellinese” has beef breasaola, wild arugula and grana. Both of those go gourmet and then some.
Common sense needs to prevail when considering how far you should take the gourmet topping idea. Let’s face it: you can pile almost anything on top of a pizza crust. But you don’t want to wind up with a bunch of exotic toppings with nowhere to go. I like to think that you can add two or three gourmet toppings to your mix and still come up with several gourmet pizzas.
When it comes to exotic, some still consider seafood pizzas to fall into that category. I’m not sure I do, but I will say that seafood is the trickiest of toppings to deal with. Making a clam pie is a no-brainer provided you used canned chopped clams instead of fresh. Shrimp is another topping that is easy to work with as well. The problems and concerns with seafood as a topping are cross-contamination, spoilage and costs. If you can get a handle on those concerns, then give it a try.
In one of my pizza cookbooks, The Ultimate Pizza, I reached far and wide to come up with some creative toppings. I am not sure I would label them “gourmet,” but many of them do have mass appeal. I picked one to give you an idea of where you might want to go.
Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza
There are a few things that I like about this pizza: It only requires (possibly) that you need to add one ingredient –– eggplant–– to your inventory of toppings. Also, eggplant is available year-round and is relatively low in cost. And I do this pizza in a rectangular pan to give it a different look. And by going to that shape you will cut the pizza into squares, which in turn allows for a by-the-slice option. Give it a try using this test recipe:
Yield: one 12- by 15-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-15 ounce dough ball
1 eggplant (about 1 pound), washed, sliced into rounds about 1/8-inch thick
1½ cups all-purpose ground tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons gated Parmesan cheese
½ pound shredded mozzarella or 50/50 blend mozzarella and provolone
Spread the dough into a lightly oiled 12- by 15-inch pan. With your palm and fingers, press and stretch the dough to fit the pan, pushing it snugly up against the sides. Set aside.
Place the slices of eggplant on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Put the pan under the broiler or run it through the oven until the eggplant just starts to take on come color. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the tomatoes evenly over the pizza crust. Arrange the eggplant slices over the tomatoes. Drizzle the olive oil over the eggplant. Sprinkle on the Parmesan, followed by the mozzarella.
Bake the pizza until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and begins to take on color. Slice into squares.
Have fun with this “five-course” summer special: appetizer, salad, pizza, pasta, and dessert. I have a lot of recipes to cover, so let’s get right to it. Each of these recipes can be scaled up in direct proportion.
APPETIZER
Mozzarella Cheese Puffs
These golden puffs are flavorful and fun. Kids, especially, love these. You just might have to move them from a special to the regular menu.
Makes 12 puffs
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 pound shredded mozzarella
Combine the flour and the salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Fold in the mozzarella cheese. Add the flour mixture and combine thoroughly. Shape the mixture into small balls (around the size of a golf ball) by rolling them in the palms of your hands and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. Oven for 15-20 minutes or until the balls puff and are golden brown. Serve with a warm marinara dipping sauce.
SALAD
Bean and Tuna Salad with Radicchio
A cool, light and refreshing salad that works particularly well in the summer months. Put layers of thinly-sliced fresh tomatoes on the plate to form a flavorful and colorful base on top of which you can portion the salad.
Makes 4 servings
2 ½ cups canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups coarsely chopped radicchio
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup water-packed Albacore tuna, drained, flaked
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium-size bowl, combine the beans, radicchio, onion, parsley, and tuna. Toss gently to combine. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar until completely blended. Add salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
PIZZA
Pizza alla Funghi (Mushroom Pizza)
Earthy, flavorful, delicious. Call it a “Mushroom Lover’s” Pizza if you care to.
Makes one 14-inch pizza
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound shiitake mushrooms
½ pound portobello mushrooms, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
½ pound cultivated (white domestic), sliced about 1/8-inch thick
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 14-inch pizza shell
8 Ounces shredded mozzarella or combination of mozzarella and Provolone
In a large saute pan set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and cook and stir until the mushrooms give off their liquid, about 4 minutes. Add the oregano and combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the mushrooms out of the pan and reserve (can be made several hours ahead).
Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the pizza curst. Sprinkle on the cheese. Bake.
PASTA
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Mac ‘n’ Cheese is one of the hottest dishes around. And this is my version of this classic dish. I use a combination of cheeses instead of the usual sharp cheddar. But the all-important flavor kicks — dry mustard and cayenne — are still included.
Serves 6-8
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Pound cavatappi or similar corkscrew shaped pasta
1/4 pound shredded provolone cheese
1/4 pound shredded Asiago cheese
1/4 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
In a heavy sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes. Add the milk in a steady stream, whisking steadily, and bring to a boil. Add the mustard, cayenne, and salt, and whisk to combine. Whisking the sauce, simmer until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until it is almost al dente. Drain well.
While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a shallow 3- 4-quart baking dish.
In a large bowl, stir together the cooked pasta, white sauce, provolone, Asiago, mozzarella, and 1 cup of the Parmesan, then transfer the mixture to the buttered baking dish. Smooth off the top with a spatula.
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, oregano, and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and sprinkle it evenly over the pasta. (This recipe can be prepared several hours in advance, covered and put in the cooler. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
Bake the pasta in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
DESSERT
The standard trinity of Italian desserts consists mainly of tiramisu, cannoli, and gelato, so maybe it’s time to think outside the box. Here’s a quick and easy dessert that offers relief from that boring old box.
Ricotta all’Espresso
This is a dessert you can count on for whipping up (no pun intended) real fast. Creamy and rick-tasting with a mousselike consistency, it’s one that adults and children alike will enjoy. If you don’t have espresso in house, simply use strong black coffee (or even instant espresso coffee).
Serves 4
2 cups ricotta cheese (not low-fat)
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup espresso or strong black coffee, cooled
2 tablespoons sambuca (optional)
½ cup finely chopped pistachios
Put the ricotta, sugar, coffee and optional Sambuca in a food processor or blender and process until creamy and thick. Spoon the mixture into tall serving glasses and refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours, until thoroughly chilled.
Just before serving, sprinkle some of the chopped pistachios on top of each serving.
Another option to jazz up this dessert would be to fold mini-morsel chocolate chips into the cheese after it has been chilled.
Giardiniera (jahr-dee-N’YEHR-ah) is one of those situations where even if you stumble through the pronunciation, it still comes out sounding really good, as in appetizing. Here’s another way you can master all those consonants wrapped in vowels. Just say “jar-dee-nearer” and it will be close enough.
The giardiniera family can be quite interesting. If it appears as “alla giardiniera,” it implies “garden style,” or a dish made or served with chopped cooked or fresh vegetables. Some references to giardiniera call it a “relish,” which it is in a broad manner of speaking. And to take it one step further, a “pickled relish.” And “condiment” is another term associated with giardiniera. What’s in a name as long as it comes out delicious?
If you walk into an Italian beef stand in Chicago and you ask for a beef sandwich “hot,” it will get dressed with a giardiniera that has been stoked with chopped vegetables — carrots, sport peppers, celery, cauliflower, jalapenos — all done up with herbs, olive oil and white vinegar.
It is not uncommon for a giardiniera to be made in house, which means that the ingredients can vary widely. Crushed red pepper flakes might show up here but not there. Capers, as well, and ditto for chopped olives and red bell pepper. Vegetable oil often is used instead of olive oil. Soybean oil is used as well. And, yes, in some instances all three oils — olive, vegetable, soybean — have ended up in a giardiniera. It’s this kind of free-wheeling style that makes giardiniera so enticing and interesting.
Giardiniera, whether it is made in house or purchased (and there are many good ones available in jars and cans), can be used in any number of ways: pizza, sandwiches, salads, antipasto. And if we take the sandwich category alone, there are many ways (subs, heros, grinders, muffaletta) to use a giardiniera to crank up the flavor engine.
You can use the recipe below to make a fine giardiniera from scratch. On the other hand, if you want to jump start the process, simply purchase giardiniera from a supplier that is ready to go. Giardiniera in the jar comes in either a hot or mild version, which allows for taste (and heat) enhancement.
All of this means there are no excuses for not adding a pizza giardiniera to your menu, or giving it a try as a daily pizza special. Or for adding a tasty giardiniera to one of your sandwiches (giardiniera will not replace an olive salad used in a muffaletta, but it comes very close). Also, it is interesting how well giardiniera works with a grilled fish sandwich. And recently I had a sandwich in which chopped portobello mushrooms were mixed with giardiniera. Served on an Italian roll with provolone, the sandwich had some real zip to it.
Giardiniera
Yield: about 5 cups (scale up in direct proportion)
½ cup finely diced carrots
½ cup sliced (1/8-inch thick) on the bias sport peppers
½ cup very small cauliflower florets
1½ cup sliced (1/8-inch slices) on the bias celery
½ to 1 cup sliced jalapenos, as desired for mild or hot flavor
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
½ cup olive oil
½ cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
In a non-reactive bowl or container, combine all the vegetables with the oregano and garlic. Add the oils and the vinegar and toss to combine. Cover and store in a cool place, but do not refrigerate. Giardiniera should be made at least one day ahead of use to allow the flavors to infuse. Shelf life is one week, stored covered in a cool place.
Pizza Giardiniera
The combination of giardiniera, Italian sausage, and provolone cheese makes this a must-try pizza. Sliced provolone goes over the crust to keep it from getting soggy from the oil in the giardiniera; then more provolone goes on top of the giardiniera. And that’s all you need to make this delicious pizza. As noted, you can adjust the heat of the giardiniera by adding more jalapenos or crushed red pepper flakes.
Yield: One 12-inch pizza (Scale up in direct proportion)
1 12-inch pizza shell
7 slices provolone (or 5 ounces shredded)
½ cup giardiniera, excess oil drained
½ pound cooked sweet Italian sausage crumbles
5 slices provolone (or 3 ounces shredded)
Lay the slices of provolone over crust, up to 1/2-inch of the crust edge
Combine the drained giardiniera with the cooked sausage crumbles and spread this mixture evenly over the layer of cheese up to 1/2-inch of the crust edge.
Lay the remaining 5 slices of provolone evenly over the sausage/giardiniera mixture.
Bake the pizza until the top layer of cheese melts into the giardiniera and the cheese takes on brown speckles.
There are countless variations to this pizza. You can use mozzarella instead of provolone, but I really like how the smoky characteristic of provolone works with the spiciness of the giardiniera. You can add chopped pepperoni to the sausage mixture. Also, you can add chopped fresh or canned plum tomatoes to the giardiniera just before spreading it on the pizza.
If you want to make a vegetarian giardiniera pizza. Add other vegetables–chopped tomatoes, olives, onions, bell pepper–to the basic giardiniera and eliminate the sausage.
A spoonful or two of giardiniera on a plate with salumi (cured meats) or as an addition to an antipasto platter is a nice touch.
Giardiniera, as noted before, is an essential condiment for an Italian beef or Italian sausage sandwich.
The importance of and interest in foods that speak with a Mediterranean accent has never been stronger. And it is a lot more than basic popularity or diet that continues to drive this trend. Mediterranean-inspired dishes are marked by a depth of flavor and are consumer friendly.
The ingredients that would go on a Greek pizza are not unknown to a wide range of diners (of all ages). Plus, there is an Italian connection to back it using Mediterranean dishes in your pizzeria or Italian restaurant. Oregano, for example, is used widely in Greek cuisine. So is olive oil. And garlic. Herbs, olives, and cheeses are all common to the popularity and interest in this style of cooking. These are ingredients that are staples in many households, so there is a sense of familiarity, which means that there is little question as to what is going on here. To put it another way –– directly to you, the operator –– it wouldn't be necessary to bring into your inventory a whole lot of new products to launch a few tasty Greek pizzas, and it wouldn't be a big selling job either, since the ingredients are familiar and quite acceptable.
First let’s look at some of the primary ingredients that make a pizza a Greek pizza. One of those ingredients is cheese, and the most familiar to use on a Greek pizza is feta. There are many different styles of feta, and not all feta is made the same. For example, imported feta, which is made from sheep’s milk, tends to be a bit saltier than domestic feta. Domestic feta, which is made from cow’s milk, is generally milder (and not as salty) than its imported cousin.
Another consideration is the use of olives, which I believe is also a critical ingredient of a Greek pizza. Obviously the olives need to be pitted. More important, however, is the flavor and “meatiness” of the olives. I find that a combination of olives (color and style) add to the goodness and overall appeal (presentation especially) of the pizza.
It would probably be a good idea to start off by offering a Greek pizza as a special, to see how it goes. After some customer feedback you can adjust (as necessary) to incorporate certain comments and suggestions. It should simply become a matter of some subtle tweaking to get where you want to be on this pizza.
I am not only high on Greek pizza, but would suggest it might be appropriate for some establishments to dedicate an entire subsection of the menu to Mediterranean pizza. This section could include the famous pissaladiere, or onion pizza, of Nice, France; a Spanish pizza with fresh tomatoes and ham; and the Greek pizza recipes that follow. My approach would be to make this kind of big splash right off, since it would be an ideal way to attract customer attention, not to mention the signal you are sending out that you are serious about all of this.
Another way to approach this introduction of specialty Mediterranean pizzas is to set up a day-by-day selection of specialty pizzas. It might go something like this: Monday –– pissaladiere. Tuesday –– Eggplant Parmigiana Wednesday –– Greek Pizza. Thursday –– Spanish Pizza. Friday –– Seafood pizza. And so on. Keep that arrangement in effect for, say, a month or two to get your customers coming in on a particular night for that particular specialty pizza that they have grown to love.
Magnificent Greek Pizza
The flavors of Greece and the Mediterranean stand out most vividly in this pizza. However, to get the real bloom of Greek flavor you should used brine-cured Greek olives such as Atalanti (aka Royal), Kalamata, or Amfissa. An alternative would be brine-cured Greek olives from California.
Yields: One 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza shell
1 pound fresh spinach, washed and trimmed of thicker stems.
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup pitted, sliced brine-cured green olives
1/2 cup pitted, brine-cured black olives
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
Put the spinach and water in a large pot and cook over medium-high heat, covered, until the spinach wilts, about 6 minutes. Drain the excess liquid from the pan. With the cover off, cook and stir the spinach for about 2 minutes to allow some of the moisture to evaporate. It is essential to get as much moisture out of the spinach as possible.
Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, oregano, salt, and pepper to the spinach. Cook and stir over medium heat for 4 minutes. Set aside.
Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the pizza crust. Sprinkle the olives evenly over the spinach. Sprinkle the feta over the pizza. Bake.
Pizza alla Greco
This Greek pizza gets its tasty kick from garlic and lemon juice. It also features authentic Greek cheeses, Manouri (nutty in flavor, and similar to the Italian ricotta salata) and myzithra. If neither of these cheeses is available, substitute kefalotyri (it is similar to Romano, and grates nicely) or kasseri.
Yields: Two 8- to 9-inch pizzas
2 pizza shells, each about 9 inches in diameter
1 pound fresh, dead-ripe Roma or plum tomatoes, sliced about 1/8-inch thick
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 pound Manouri
1/4 pound myzithra
16 oil-cured olives, pitted, sliced in half
In a large mixing bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, oregano, garlic, and lemon juice. Divide this mixture evenly between the two pizza shells.
In that same mixing bowl, combine the Manouri and Myzithra cheese. Toss to combine. Divide this cheese mixture evenly between the two pizzas.
Arrange 8 of the sliced olives on each pizza. Bake and serve.
Note: Fundamentally, the Greek family of cheeses, several of them as noted, can be mixed or matched accordingly to add authenticity to a Greek pizza. Sample each cheese first to get the idea of flavor (mild, strong, saltiness) before using and adjust accordingly.
On one of my trips to Italy we were on Highway A14, the auto strada that runs between Rimini and Bologna. It was on a Sunday evening in the month of July, and the traffic coming back from the coast (Rimini is on the Adriatic Sea) was bumper-to-bumper. It was pretty slow going, so my wife suggested we pull off and take the old two-lane highway, figuring, at the very least, we would get to enjoy scenery that would be a lot more attractive than that of the bumper in front of us.
It was on this road that I had my first taste of piadina. Just about every 100 yards or so there was a hand-lettered sign touting the goodness and delicious aspects of this unique snack. The car windows were down and the aroma from those roadside food stands was incredible.
My wife and I put away a pretty fair number of these delicious piade, stopping here and there along the way. Needless to say, it took us a while to get back to Bologna, but in the process we were stuffed, satisfied, and feeling pretty smart about what we had done.
The point of this vignette is that the piadina is the forerunner to grilled pizza; and in Italy, this round of grilled dough has had a presence for several years. I say this with all due respect to George Germon and his wife and partner, Johanne Killeen of Al Forno in Providence, Rhode Island, who started the whole grilled pizza craze in this country.
A piadina is made by slapping a very thin, round, piece of dough on a hot earthenware disk (testo), or a grill. The dough is cooked briefly until it is golden brown and invariably charred a little. While it is still hot, pieces of meat and cheese are laid on top. It can be eaten straight up or with the dough folded over the toppings.
The idea of grilled pizza, which is unique in every way, is that it offers an alternative to regular thin-crust pizza.
If you have a grill in your operation, you can get into grilled pizza without too much effort.
Going Grilled
You can use a basic thin-crust pizza dough. The important part is that you get the dough rolled out to a thickness a bit less than 1/8 of an inch. A dough sheeter works great, but you can also use a rolling pin. I suggest you keep the diameter of the dough under 12 inches, since anything larger is hard to manage. In fact, a 10-inch piece of dough is ideal.
Brush one side of the dough with olive oil, which adds flavor and keeps the dough from sticking to the grill.
Drop the dough onto a hot grill. This can be the trickiest part of the procedure, but with a little practice you can handle it. Don't worry if the dough doesn't end up on the grill perfectly round. In fact, you can make it an oval if you care to; the irregular shape adds character.
The amount of time the dough needs to be grilled on each side is relative to the heat of the grill. In most cases it works out to be about 2-3 minutes of grill time on each side.
Now flip the dough and grill it on the other side. If the dough gets charred here and there, all the better. Grill as many as you think you will use, and stack the grilled pizza shells.
Icing on the Cake
Once the foundational shells have been made, you have a variety of different options.
One method is to add toppings, including cheese(s), and finish off the pizza in the salamander or broiler. I do not recommend adding any toppings while the pizza is still on the grill, since you will more than likely burn one side of the pizza in the time it takes you to accomplish this.
Let your creative juices flow. Use this elegant round of grilled pizza dough as a palette on which you can create a colorful, interesting and delicious array of "artistic pizzas." Here are a few ideas to get you started:
• Margherita. Arrange thinly sliced fresh tomatoes over the grilled pizza shell. Over the tomatoes you will arrange thinly sliced fresh mozzarella. Now Drizzle some olive oil over the cheese and tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle torn pieces of fresh basil over the tomatoes. Serve.
• Napoletano. Use canned plum tomatoes. Crush them by hand (to get rid of some of the water) and spread them over the grilled pizza shell. Drizzle some olive oil over the tomatoes. Add finely diced mozzarella or provolone. Sprinkle on some dried oregano, followed by grated Romano or Parmesan cheese. Serve.
• Insalata & Company. For this pizza I use a basic tossed salad (chopped lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives, etc.,) that has been dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Now I simply arrange the salad over the grilled pizza shell. Sprinkle on some grated Parmesan. Serve.
A variation would be grilled Caesar pizza. Use Romaine lettuce and a Caesar dressing (anchovies optional). You can leave out the croutons, but you should finish it off (tableside, if you can) with a shower of grated Parmesan cheese.
A variation on that theme would be a grilled chicken Caesar pizza. Simply add strips of grilled chicken to the basic Caesar.
There are countless variations to consider, including a white clam pizza (chopped clams, olive oil, garlic, thyme, parsley) or a vegetable pizza (grilled zucchini, eggplant, squash, asparagus, olive oil, herbs, grated Parmesan). Let your creative juices flow.
Canadian bacon is not bacon at all –– it is ham. Canadian bacon is made from the ribeye of the pork loin (eye of the loin). In the United States, pork belly becomes the cut most often used to make Canadian bacon. In Canada, Canadian bacon is known as "back bacon."
I am aware of the fact that a number of pizzerias list Canadian bacon as an optional topping, but, unfortunately, that is where it comes to a screeching halt, and it shouldn't. There are many ways to use Canadian bacon, as you will see from the recipes that follow. So if you are already using Canadian bacon in your operation, explore using it even more.
The basic idea behind all of this is that you can and should use Canadian bacon as you would ham. When I was doing work in Spain and Mexico, one of the best selling pizzas was a Hawaiian pizza. The combination of ham and pineapple is highly favored in Latin countries: smoky meets tangy sweet, and that result equals real enjoyment.
At first, the idea of pineapple in conjunction with a tomato-based pizza sauce seems a bit strange, but it works quite nicely. However, if you are not tuned into the Hawaiian pizza (ham and pineapple) idea, try the recipes that follow where Canadian bacon is used in a number of delicious ways.
A few thoughts:
• When using pineapple to make a Hawaiian pizza, use pineapple chunks, not slices. Slices might look better on the pizza, but normal slicing of the baked pizza poses problems (the pineapple slices tends to slide hither and yon, and some slices might end up with a big portion of pineapple, while other slices get short shrift).
• When using Canadian bacon as a topping, slices (depending on size) can be put on whole. However, by dicing the bacon, or cutting the slices into quarters, you will get more coverage overall.
• Hawaiian pizza made with a 14-inch pizza shell will require about 6 to 8 ounces of Canadian bacon, and 8 to 10 ounces of pineapple chunks. Try the following recipe. The idea here is put the pineapple chunks on top of the cheese, not buried underneath the cheese. This allows the heat of the oven to give the pineapple a slightly charred look, which enhances the flavor tremendously. It is not that we want the pineapple to glaze, since that would require it being basted (or sautéed) with sugar; instead, we want the pineapple to be heated through to enhance its sweet and smoky flavors. Experiment with different size pineapple chunks until you get to where you want to be.
Hawaiian Pizza
14-inch pizza shell
6 ounces seasoned pizza sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
6 ounces Canadian bacon, diced or sliced
8 ounces pineapple chunks
Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella. Add the Canadian bacon followed by the pineapple chunks. Bake.
Canadian Bacon Pizza with Spinach & Mushrooms
14-inch pizza shell
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces coarsely chopped Canadian bacon
8 ounces domestic mushrooms, sliced about 1/8-inch thick
4 ounces fresh baby spinach
6 ounces seasoned pizza sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
2 ounces grated Parmesan
Basic Prep (can be held one day): In a sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and sauté only until the bacon begins to take on a light crisp.
Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms lose most of their moisture and begin to firm up.
Add the spinach leaves and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the leaves just begin to wilt.
• Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the crust. Add the reserved spinach and Canadian bacon mixture. Add the mozzarella and the Parmesan. Bake.
CB& Frittata Panini
Yield: 4 large panini
This tasty panini is easy to make and quite delicious. Once the frittata has been made, it can be held for 2-3 hours at room temperature. To order, the panini is assembled and put in the panini press. Also, the frittata part can be made ahead and put in the cooler and stored covered for up to 3 days.
To make the frittata
8 extra-large eggs
4 tablespoons skim milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 ounces diced Canadian bacon
1/2 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
1/2 cup diced Roma or plum tomatoes
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella and provolone blend
8 slices panini-style bread*
In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, skim milk, and mustard. Whisk to blend. Add the Canadian bacon, bell peppers, tomatoes and cheese blend. Stir well to combine the ingredients.
Pour the egg mixture into a lightly greased (or sprayed) baking pan that measures about 9 inches x 9 inches. Bake in a 375 F oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the eggs are set and there is firmness to the frittata when pressed with your finger.
Allow the frittata to cool for about 20 minutes. Turn it out of the pan and cut into 4 equal squares. Place each square between two slices of panini-style bread. Put the sandwich into a panini press to toast the bread. If you don't have a panini press, toast the bread in the oven.
Nobody had to twist my arm to write this column. I am a meat lover from way back, a protein proponent without equal. When I was, oh, about 16 years old, I didn't have any Italian sausage in the house, so I opened a can of Spam, cut the whole thing into cubes and put it on a pizza. My mother almost threw me out of the house, but I have to say the pizza wasn't all that bad.
The Spam idea today would not be all that far-fetched. In fact, one of the most popular pizzas in Latin countries is the "Hawaiian." Ham and pineapple are the toppings that give it the Hawaiian moniker.
Although it is generally the case, a Meat lover’s pizza doesn't always imply loading up a pizza with several different kinds of meat. Just by upping the regular amount of a particular kind of meat (sausage, pepperoni) brings a pizza into the meat lover’s category.
Common sense must be used, however. A pound of meat on a 10-inch pizza is overkill, and would probably turn most people off. On the other hand, I recently had an encounter with a whopping 18-inch pizza that was loaded with chunks of Italian sausage –– probably a pound in all. And it was a very good pizza for a couple of reasons.
The crust was thick enough to hold up under the weight of the meat, sauce and cheese. Also, the sausage was quality all the way (worst case scenario would be to load a pizza with meat that was not top quality). I have always been a proponent of balance (a harmonious relationship among the toppings, sauce, crust, and cheese), but with a meat lover’s pizza, that idea doesn't always work.
A few suggestions to consider should you be thinking about dipping your toe into the meat lover’s pizza water:
• Consider the compatibility of the meats being used. It wouldn't make much sense to used barbecued beef and pepperoni, or andouille sausage with Italian sausage. On the other hand, the combination of sausage, pepperoni and meatballs on a Meat lover’s pizza would work great.
• The thickness of the crust should be in proportion to the amount of meat (and cheese and sauce) being used. If you load a lot of meat onto a cracker-thin crust, nothing good will happen. The very weight of the toppings will make the crust groan with pain, make the pizza almost impossible to eat and, at that point can you really call it a pizza? You might just as soon serve the meat alone and leave the crust out.
• Think outside the box. We all know that the two most popular pizza toppings are pepperoni and sausage. So take a different look at how to use the two important toppings. For example, instead of putting the pepperoni on the pizza in the regular way –– sliced –– use coarsely chopped pepperoni and spread it out, along with the sausage, across the entire crust. Also, some meat purveyors will sell you diced pepperoni. I have been using a lot of diced pepperoni lately and find that it really does deliver good pepperoni flavor from one side of the pizza to another (and no problem in everybody getting a good taste of pepperoni once the pizza has been cut into slices).
Alternatively, for a Meat lover’s pizza, bring in sandwich pepperoni. Sandwich pepperoni is two to three times larger in diameter than standard pepperoni. Using this larger cut will enhance the whole idea of a Meat lovers pizza, and will allow you to really lay it on for a truly robust flavor and presentation.
• Don't try to put together a Meat lover’s pizza by using two (or three) different kind of Italian sausages. The whole idea of that will get lost on the customer, since there is not enough difference in flavor to make a difference. On the other hand, if you bring into the mix another style of Italian sausage (luganega comes to mind, and so does soppressata), then the idea works.
Or, instead of using Italian sausage the way it is ordinarily used, you change the style of cut. By that I mean buy link Italian sausage and cook it off in the oven. Then slice the sausage into rounds or lengthwise for a topping that looks and tastes a lot meatier.
• Picking up on the sausage theme, here is a recipe for an Italian cold cut pizza, that falls smack into the Meat Lover’s pizza category. The Italian word for cured meats or cold cuts is “salumi.” Salumi, as an appetizer, has become a very popular antipasto in Italian restaurants, so why not take it one step further and use it to create a Meat Lover’s pizza?
PIZZA CON SALUMI
Makes one 14-inch pizza
4 ounces pizza sauce
6 slices Genoa salami
6 slices capocolla
6 slices mortadella
6 slices sandwich pepperoni (bigger in diameter than standard pepperoni)
1/2 pound shredded mozzarella, or combination of mozzarella and provolone
Grated Romano and Parmesan
Spread the sauce over the crust (it will be less sauce than you might ordinarily use on this size pizza).
Sprinkle half of the cheese over the sauce.
Now lay each of the salumi (cold cuts) on top of the cheese, overlapping the slices, starting from about 1/2 -inch in from the edge of the crust, bringing the slices into the center of the crust in a spiral fashion, to cover the cheese completely. (The idea here is that by overlapping the cold cuts, it builds or adds heft to the pizza.) Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
Sprinkle on some grated Romano or Parmesan cheese. Bake.
Note: the above recipe works great, too, in a deep-dish pizza. Also, if you want to whet your customers' appetite even more, do this salumi pizza in a rectangular shape instead of round. Use the same technique of overlapping the slices of meat, but alternate the meats to allow for a taste of each when the pizza is sliced.
What’s it going to be for that meat lover’s pizza? Three meats? Four meats? Five meats? Be careful –– don’t turn that pizza into a meat casserole or a grease trap.
Common sense must prevail when putting together a meat lover’s pizza. Balance is also a key issue, as more is not always better. What exactly does the idea of a Meat Lover’s pizza imply? In some instances, it is simply a lot more meat –– double the usual amount in some instances. But be aware that too much of a good thing just might offend the sensibilities of the customer instead of attracting them.
But (and this is one big but) where is it written that a meat lover’s pizza has to have three, four, five different kinds of meat? Why can’t a meat lover’s pizza have but one or two meats and still make the grade (pepperoni and sausage continue to remain the most popular toppings). For example, why can’t we call it Steak Lover’s pizza? People love steak, steak is meat. Presto! Meat Lover’s pizza. Or how about using ground and seasoned beef. People love a good hamburger, so it would seem to me that this would work.
Ok, there is room for compromise here, so let’s take a look at a meat lover’s pizza that uses several different meats and then a couple of pizzas that use either one or two meats.
Knowing that sausage is one of the most popular pizza toppings, we need to go with sausage that has been precooked to avoid a lot of excess fat. But it’s not just about sausage alone. The same considerations should apply for most meats — steak, ground beef, ground turkey, ground lamb and pancetta. Exceptions being, say, meatballs (which would be precooked anyway), prosciutto, and ham (which is precooked or smoked). The point of all this is to eliminate as much fat as possible.
One example of a meat lover’s pizza uses four different meats: chips of ham, cooked bacon, cooked crumbles of Italian sausage and pepperoni. Using this combination of meats will result in a very flavorful pizza that will not end up being a greasy mess.
Another four-meat combination for a Meat Lover’s pizza would be prosciutto (trim some of the fat off the edges and cut the slices into strips), cooked ground beef crumbles, cooked bacon and pepperoni.
I also make a meat-lover’s pizza that is a bestseller, and it includes sausage and meatballs. For this pizza I used cooked meatballs (a 2-ounce meatball is just about the right size). I cut the meatballs in half and arrange them –– cut side down –– on top of tomatoes. Next I sprinkle cooked Italian sausage crumbles around the meatballs. Next I add a combination of shredded mozzarella and provolone, but I use less cheese than normal (about 6 ounces for a 14-inch pizza) so as to not cover the meatballs totally (the effect of the dome of the meatballs with the cheese melting around them is quite appetizing). A sprinkle of Romano cheese over the top is the “frosting” on this delicious pizza.
Steak & Mushroom Pizza
Makes one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
8 ounces all-purpose ground tomatoes (or your pizza sauce)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire or steak sauce
5 ounces grilled or cooked flank steak, shredded or thinly sliced
1 cup (about) sliced fresh mushrooms
8 ounces shredded mozzarella (or combination of mozzarella and provolone)
Combine the tomatoes with the Worcestershire sauce. Set aside. Cook the steak to medium rare. (Both of these steps are done ahead for prep).
To order, spread the sauce over the pizza shell. Add the steak evenly over the tomatoes. Spread the mushrooms over the steak. Sprinkle on the cheese. Bake.
Beef & Pork Picadillo Pizza
Picadillo implies some type of shredded meat or poultry. I am using a combination of meats to create a very flavorful Meat Lover’s pizza.
Makes one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 pound ground round
1/4 pound ground pork
½ cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed
6 ounces all-purpose ground tomatoes or tomato puree
8 ounces shredded provolone
2 teaspoons dried oregano
In a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the onion, bell pepper, ground round and ground pork. Cook and stir until the meat is no longer red, about 4 minutes. Drain the fat from the pan.
Add the olives, cilantro and capers and tomatoes to the sauté pan. Cook and stir to blend and reduce any excess moisture from the tomatoes (about 3-4 minutes). (This is your prep. You can make big batches ahead and keep it on the pizza prep table).
To order, spread the tomato and meat mixture over the crust. Sprinkle on the provolone cheese. Sprinkle on the oregano. Bake.
Simply saying the word "Mediterranean" as it pertains to pizza sets into motion a wealth of tasty possibilities. The palette of ingredients that can be used to fashion a Mediterranean pizza are as colorful and as rich in texture as the countries that make up the Mediterranean community itself. And if we focus solely on, for example, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, we will have more than enough on our plate; or in this situation, on our pizza.
First let's look at the ingredients we might find in a Mediterranean cupboard. Once we have set up our cupboard, we can decide how we want to use them in various pizza applications.
Our basic Mediterranean ingredient list would include olives (Kalamata, Nicoise, Arbequina), capers, tomatoes, eggplant, artichokes, spinach, olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, anchovies and onions.
Our basic Mediterranean cheese list would include feta, fresh mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, Manchego, and provolone.
Other ideas come to mind. For example, we can bring in seafood--shrimp, tuna, and clams-to add even deeper interest.
Now that are cupboard is full of interesting choices, let's see how we can use some of those ingredients in ways that are creative and interesting. (In a menu situation, I would take two or three of these ideas, box them in, and title them "Gourmet Mediterranean Pizza." The subtle message to these pizzas reads "healthy" and, in most every instance "vegetarian ) Also, considering that some of these ingredients carry a higher food cost, you can easily charge more for a full-flavored Mediterranean pie.
To turn out a range of Mediterranean pizzas, it is not necessary to alter your crust in any way. The real flavors are to be found in the toppings.
PIZZA ATTSA NICE
This is my version of a pissaladiere, the famous onion pizza that is so highly favored in Nice and along the French Riviera. The interesting aspect concerning this pizza is that is does not have any tomatoes. Anchovies are a part of the original creation, but I left them off. But feel free to add them. You can offer anchovies to your customer as an option.
Makes one 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza shell
2 large onions, julienned (about 3 ∏ cups)
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 teaspoon dried0
∏ cup chicken broth or stock
1 cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
18 (about) brine-cured olives, pitted
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions and garlic in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the thyme, tarragon, and chicken broth. Cook and stir for about 4 minutes or until the onions are soft and limp and all of the chicken broth has evaporated. Set aside for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Spread the onion mixture evenly over the pizza crust. Sprinkle on the sun-dried tomatoes. Arrange the olives on top. Sprinkle on the remaining olive oil. Bake.
Note: if using anchovies, arrange them spoke-like on top.
Shrimp Marinara Pizza
This pizza bursts with Mediterranean flavors. Use fresh thyme if you can, since it enhances the flavor profile dramatically
Makes one 14-inch pizza
14-inch pizza shell
8 ounces tomato puree or all-purpose ground tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled, or two tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons capers
8 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined and sliced in half lengthwise
∏ cup sliced pitted brine-cured green olives
∏ cup sliced pitted brine-cured black olives
π pound feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
Spread the tomatoes evenly over the pizza crust. Drizzle on the olive oil. Add the garlic. the thyme and the capers. Arrange the shrimp evenly over the pizza. Add the green and black olives. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top. Bake.
PAN CON TOMATE, JAMON Y QUESO
(Tomato Pizza with Ham and Cheese)
In my journeys to Spain I went nuts over a first plate or tapa called pan con tomate (bread with tomato) that is common to most restaurants. In its classic form, pan con tomate is simply grilled or toasted bread that has been rubbed with garlic and fresh tomatoes (the pulp actually). Here is my version of pan con tomate translated into pizza.
Makes on 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza shell
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
≤ pound dead-ripe fresh plum tomatoes, sliced lengthwise, about
π-inch thick
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or ∏ teaspoon dried, crumbled
π pound Spanish ham (jamon Serrano) or imported prosciutto,
sliced almost paper-thin
∏ pound mild Manchego cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
Brush the olive oil over the crust, including all around the edge. Sprinkle on the
Garlic.
Arrange the sliced tomatoes evenly over the crust up to the border. Sprinkle the oregano over the tomatoes. Arrange the ham over the tomatoes and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the ham. Bake.
Spinach Pizza with artichokes and Tomato
This is what I call a full-flavored Mediterranean pizza. The combination of spinach, artichokes and fresh tomatoes make each bite one to enjoy and treasure. Without reservation, this pizza can be promoted as vegetarian.
Makes one 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza shell
1 pound fresh spinach, washed and trimmed of thicker stems
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
π cup finely chopped red onion
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Olive oil
14-16 thin slices fresh plum or Roma tomatoes
8 marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
π cup grated Parmesan
8 ounces shredded provolone (about 2 cups)
Saute the spinach with the olive oil, garlic, red onion and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
Brush the crust with olive oil. Arrange the spinach and mushroom mixture evenly over the crust. Arrange the tomatoes over the spinach followed by the artichokes. Sprinkle on the parmesan and provolone. Bake.
Note: a topping option here would be to replace the artichokes with slices of grilled eggplant.
Parmesan and provolone are as different as night and day, but both of these cheeses are as important to Italian cuisine as Sophia Loren is to Naples. Parmesan is a cow's milk cheese that is made in huge wheels and aged for a specific time. Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano is the esteemed Italian version, which by law must be aged for at least a year) is a grana-in-style cheese, which means that it is ideal for grating. However, a current trend in Italian restaurants is to cut (or break) the cheese into chunks and serve it as is alongside a selection of cured meats (salumeria).
One of the finest uses for grated Parmesan is to sprinkle it on top of soups (minestrone, pasta e fagioli) and pizza. Or as a luxury addition to a bowl of steaming pasta, or on top of a salad of mixed greens. Parmesan is an incredibly versatile cheese, one that no Italian restaurant should be without.
Provolone is, too, a cow's milk cheese, but in character it is much softer, moister and chewier than Parmesan. And in taste it is more piquant than Parmesan. In Italy provolone is aged (piccante indicates a stronger flavor; dolce a milder flavor). Provolone is a pasta filata (pulled or stretched curd) cheese similar to the technique used to make mozzarella.
Unlike Parmesan, provolone cannot be grated, but it takes quite well to shredding. Many pizza restaurants use a blend of mozzarella and provolone as a pizza cheese, a technique that I highly endorse (the sharp flavor of the provolone adds depth of flavor to the mozzarella). And to take that idea one step further, a blend of Parmesan, provolone and mozzarella can add a ton of flavor to any pizza.
Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza
This recipe combines, to great advantage, Parmesan and provolone. I chose to blend the provolone with mozzarella for two reasons: added flavor and a better melt.
Makes one 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza shell
1 eggplant (about 1 pound), washed and sliced into rounds about
1/8-inch thick
1 cup tomato puree or all-purpose ground tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4pound shredded provolone
1/4 pound shredded mozzarella
Place the eggplant slices on a sheet pan and brush lightly with olive oil. Place the pan under the broiler (or in the oven) and cook on each side until the eggplant just starts to take on color. Do not overcook the eggplant; the slices should retain some firmness. Set aside. (Batches can be prepped a day or two ahead.)
In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the tomatoes evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Arrange the eggplant slices over the tomatoes. Drizzle the olive oil over the eggplant. Sprinkle on the Parmesan, followed by the provolone and mozzarella.
Bake and serve.
Here’s the story: An overgrown crimini mushroom goes by the name of portobello. To put it another way, once the brown crimini gets to be around 4 to 6 inches in diameter it becomes a portobello. Here, we are dealing with a big brown mushroom with broad appeal, and one that can be used in more ways than any other fungi out there.
The portobello mushroom can be grilled, roasted, sauteed, stuffed, used as a “sandwich,” and as a bird bath (just kidding). The word “versatile” comes immediately to mind when working with portobellos. And because of it’s texture and density, the portobello has been labeled as “vegetarian meat” or the “steak of veggie burgers.”
The name portobello more than likely comes from the Italian word “cappellone,” which means “big hat.”
When purchasing portobello mushrooms, look for those that are firm and solid; limp caps will not do. Also the underside of the mushroom (where the gills are) should not be overly dark or shriveled, since that indicates that the mushroom is headed over the hills.
As it goes with all mushrooms, the portobello should not be subjected to excessive washing or submerged in water. When working with the portobello, simply snap off the stem, tap the cap on a work surface to shake off any matter that might have found its way into the gills, then brush the cap with a soft brush or a damp paper towel.
Now we are ready to use this versatile mushroom. Let’s focus first on how to use the portobello on pizza and in pasta dishes, then move on to other possibilities.
Because of its high water content, it would be a good idea to precook portobellos before using them as a pizza topping. To do this, simply brush the cap and underside with olive oil, line them up on a sheet pan, cap side up, and roast them in the oven. Once cooled, you can slice the caps into strips and use them as a pizza topping or as part of a pasta dish (see recipes below). The wonderful thing about portobellos is that the longer they are cooked (within reason), the “meatier” they get.
Portobello caps also take quite nicely to grilling, so again you would brush both sides of the mushroom with olive oil and grill until cooked through (4 to 5 minutes on each side relative to how hot the grill is).
However, beyond using just olive oil in the prep process, the addition of garlic, herbs, onions and peppers to the cooking process greatly enhances the overall flavor. Try out these recipes:
P & P Pizza (Portobello & Peperoni)
Yield: one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 Portobello mushroom caps, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 clove garlic, minced
1 14-inch pizza shell
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella (or mozzarella and provolone blend)
In a large saute pan set over medium high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the red and green bell peppers, the mushroom slices and the garlic to the pan. Stir and cook for about 5-6 minutes until the peppers soften a bit. This is the prep.
To order, brush the pizza shell with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the crust. Add the cooked mixture of peppers and mushrooms. Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella. Bake.
Note: Peperoni (one p) as in peppers, not pepperoni (with two Ps) as in, well, pepperoni.
Pasta and Portobello
Yield: 4 as a pasta entreé (scale up in direct proportion)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms (2-3 caps, relative to size of caps)
1/3 cup chicken broth
4 fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3/4 pound short pasta (penne, rigatoni, farfalle)
Chiffonade of fresh basil
1 cup grated ricotta salata
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are tender (6-8 minutes). Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it is al dente. Drain the pasta, and toss with the mushroom and tomato mixture. Divide the pasta among four heated pasta bowls. Sprinkle an equal amount of fresh basil and ricotta salata over each portion. Serve at once.
Note: Ricotta salata is a mild and nutty sheep’s milk cheese that I like to use when I want a milder version of Romano cheese. If you can’t get ricotta salata, use Romano.
Portobello Pizzas
In this recipe I use the cap as a pizza crust, so think outside the crust here for a moment and have some fun.
The prep is the roasting of the caps. Remove the stem of the mushroom and brush the mushroom clean. Brush both sides of the mushroom with olive oil. Roast the caps in the oven, cap side up, for about 8 to 10 minutes in a 400 degree F. oven. Set aside.
Now you can stuff the caps with just about anything that you might use as a pizza topping. For example, cooked Italian sausage, pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms, olives, etc.
Try this: Paint the inside of the mushroom cap with your pizza sauce. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan or Romano cheese over the sauce. Put a patty of cooked Italian sausage in the cap. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the sausage. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted. Figure one cap per person as an appetizer.
The repertoire of Italian sauces is loaded with classics like Alfredo, Bolognese, arrabbiata, marinara, and oil and garlic. The one sauce that stands just as tall and is just as versatile is pesto. I was always of a mind that pesto sauce never got the respect it truly deserves, even when it is used to sauce pasta (which is where it most often shows up). Lately, however, I have seen pesto coming to the fore in dishes like bruschetta, swirled into minestrone, in panini and as part of a stuffed chicken breast.
The one place I would love to see a pesto sauce used with more frequency, though, is on pizza. In fact, in one of my cookbooks, “The Ultimate Pizza,” I promoted the idea of a pesto pizza for which I make a fresh pesto sauce and employ for toppings some of the ingredients that go into a classic Pesto alla Genovese.
In Genoa, in the Ligurian region of Italy, the smell of fresh basil hangs fragrant in the air. Basil grows merrily in window boxes, clay pots, coffee cans — you name it. The people of Genoa love their basil and use it in every way imaginable. Pesto, that sublime combination of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and grated cheeses, is the most popular Genovese contribution to the culinary world.
The recipe for pesto sauce that follows is a classic in every way, and I encourage you to at least try it, so that you get the feel, the texture and taste of a well-made pesto sauce. However, I know full well that fresh basil can be expensive at times and in some cases difficult to procure on a regular basis. Also, the actual making of the sauce requires a bit of labor.
The alternative is, of course, to buy a pesto sauce that is ready to go. I have used several ready-made pesto sauces over the years and have hardly ever been disappointed in them. Generally they will come to you frozen, so the shelf life is quite long. Also, the sauce is concentrated, so a little bit goes a long way. In other words, along with ease of use, there is value, so it will be a simple matter to start offering a pesto pizza as a special to get customers into it. I would also suggest you add pesto sauce to your usual “additional toppings of your choice” selection.
This pizza is a variation of the famous pasta dish pesto alla Genovese, in which trenette pasta mingles deliciously with pesto sauce, potatoes, and string beans. Here I use sun-dried tomatoes instead of string beans and mozzarella to tune up and balance the flavors
Pizza alla Pesto
Yield: One 14-inch pizza
Pesto Sauce
(Yield: 1½ -2 cups)
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
¼ (one-quarter) cup pine nuts
½ (one-half) cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Place the basil (reserve about 8 leaves for garnish), garlic, cheeses, and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse the machine 10-12 times or until the ingredients are combined thoroughly. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Should you wish to thin the sauce a bit, add hot water to bring it to a creamy consistency. The sauce can be made ahead and kept in the cooler, well covered, for several days.
1 14-inch pizza shell, ready to top
1½ (one and one-half) pounds new potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
½ (one-half) cup pesto sauce
½ (one-half) cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
Reserved basil leaves
Place the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water. Cook until barely tender, 8-9 minutes. Drain well.
Spread the pesto sauce evenly over the pizza crust up to the border. Sprinkle on the sun-dried tomatoes. Arrange the potatoes evenly over the pesto sauce. Sprinkle on the mozzarella. Bake. Just before sending the pizza out, sprinkle the fresh basil leaves on top of the cheese.
Now that you have the basic idea of how to construct a pesto pizza, let’s take a look at some options, and by adding various ingredients, build some delicious pesto pizzas.
One very popular sandwich making the rounds these days is chicken pesto (grilled chicken breast, pesto sauce), so let’s capitalize on that popular sandwich and put together a pesto pizza with chicken. For one 14-inch pizza, spread ½ (one-half) cup pesto sauce over the crust. Over the pesto sauce sprinkle 2 cups cooked chicken strips or cubes. Sprinkle 8 ounces Fontina cheese over the chicken. Bake.
Now we can take the pesto pizza with chicken and add one more ingredient — artichoke hearts — to make it even more interesting. To the pesto pizza with chicken add 6 ounces of sliced artichoke hearts.
Finally, here’s yet another idea. This one employs some of the ideas above. This pizza I like to call:
Four Seasons (Quattro Stagione) Pesto Pizza
Yield: One 14-inch pizza
One 14-inch pizza shell (you will be creating four sections in the shell by rolling a small pieces of pizza dough into two ropes, about the size of a pencil, to cover the shell from one end to another)
½ (one-half) cup pesto sauce, spread over the pizza crust
Lay the dough ropes over the pizza crust crosswise, so that you have four quarters.
In one quarter put some cooked chicken. In another quarter put some sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. In another quarter put some artichoke hearts. In another quarter put mushrooms and olives. Sprinkle cheese (your choice—mozzarella, fontina, provolone, asiago) lightly over each of the quarters (lightly, so that when the cheese melts, all of the toppings are visible).
And, as you have figured out by now, this makes a very tasty vegetarian pizza. Buon Appetito!
Salad pizza, or pizza insalata, has so much going for it I often wonder why more restaurants don’t offer it. Obviously, pizza insalata is not a style of pizza that you would want to deliver, but it works great as a lunch option or as a dinner appetizer. Simply put, a salad pizza is a refreshing way to have a salad and a pizza at the same time, so in some fashion you can also promote the idea of having your pizza and eating it too — healthy implications notwithstanding.
You undoubtedly already have all the necessary ingredients — pizza crust, salad greens, cheese, salad dressing — so it’s not like you have to link together a whole new food chain to get into it.
Making pizza insalata is as simple as taking a pizza shell, brushing it with olive oil, adding cheese and baking the pizza until the cheese is melted and speckled brown. I hope you noticed that no pizza sauce is used. And none is needed.
The other great advantage to offering pizza insalata is that you can prep most if it ahead. Bake the pizza and set it aside. A speedy lunch dish evolves by simply slicing the pizza and arranging it on the plate with a tossed salad.
Here’s how it goes:
Pizza Insalata
If the pizza is to be served as a first course, it will serve four people easily. As a salad entrée it will serve two generously. I am listing the ingredients for a simple Italian salad dressing, but you can use any style of good Italian dressing.
Makes one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
6-7 cups mixed lettuces (red leaf, leaf, radicchio) or mesclun
¼ (one-fourth) cup sliced red onion
4-5 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and cubed
½ (one-half) cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 14-inch pizza shell
6-8 thin slices of provolone cheese (or 6 ounces of a shredded Mozzarella/provolone blend)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuces, onion and tomatoes. Set aside, or prep several hours ahead.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Lay the slices of cheese evenly over the crust up to the border.
Bake the pizza until the crust is golden brown and the cheese starts to take on brown speckles. Allow the pizza to cool for 10 minutes or more (can be prepared to this point and held for up to 2 hours then reheated just a bit just before serving).
To order, toss the salad with the dressing. Cut the pizza into four wedges. Arrange a wedge (or two) or a large plate. Put the salad in the center of the plate. Sprinkle the greens with grated Parmesan (optional). Serve.
Now you can expand the possibilities by adding other ingredients. For example, draping thin slices of prosciutto over the salad. On occasion I will add other ingredients — roasted red peppers, olives, anchovies — to the basic salad to jazz up the flavor and to expand the selection.
You may have heard this story before (and surely from me at one time or another, either at International Pizza Expo or in the pages of this magazine), but it bears retelling. When pizza Margherita came along, it was a seminal moment in the history of the very business we are in. And here, one more time, is the story.
As the 19th century was coming to a close, pizza –– pizza baked in coal-fired ovens that reached temperatures upward of 750 F –– became as important to Naples as Sophia Loren was some 60 years later. Pizza was being sold from stalls and eaten on the street with great relish from midday until the wee hours of the morning.
Pizza ascended to another plateau in 1889, when King Umberto I made a visit to Naples. At his side was Queen Margherita, who immediately wanted to try this food she had heard so much about. The story goes that, of course, the queen wasn’t going to a humble pizzeria, so the pizza was brought to the palazzo where the royal couple was staying (probably the first record of a pizza delivery).
The pizza was delivered by Raffaele Esposito, owner of the famous pizzeria Pietro il Pizzaiolo. Esposito went with his wife, Donna Rosa, who was, in fact, the pizza maker. They brought enough ingredients to make three kinds of pizza, and after sampling all three, Queen Margherita selected as her favorite the pizza made with tomatoes, fresh bufala mozzarella and fresh basil. To this day the Margherita remains one of the most popular pizzas sold in the United States as well as Italy.
At first glance, with but three basic ingredients, putting together a fabulous pizza Margherita is simple.
Maybe.
What we are going for here is the perfect pizza Margherita. After all, we have over a hundred years of tradition to honor and respect. Here’s the question: Can you use one type of dough for the perfect pizza Margherita, no matter what kind of oven you have? Yes. I am not here to change your whole dough-making procedures for the sake of one style of pizza.
It’s true, however, that a pizza dough made with a softer flour, such as bread flour or 00 flour, has a better chance for perfection in most ovens (wood burning, particularly) than say, a harder (higher protein) flour. However, that’s assuming that the pizza is going to be eaten on the premises (not taken out, not delivered), because a pizza made with softer flour is at its best when served within minutes of coming out of the oven.
So now we need to look for a happy medium that covers all the bases, and that leads me to an unbleached all-purpose flour. In some applications, however, I choose to use a blend of flours: combining 70 percent low protein flour (bread flour or 00 flour) with 30 percent high-protein flour. I know the idea of blending flour is getting a bit out there, but when striving for perfection we have to go the extra mile.
Now about the tomatoes. Here’s the scoop. The tomatoes that go on a classic Margherita pizza should be plum (canned, crushed and drained) or fresh (skinned and pureed) or an unseasoned light, ground, all-purpose tomato. Regardless of which type of tomato you go with, put it on lightly –– just a smear, half of what you might ordinarily use.
When it comes to the cheese, you have two choices: Fresh bufala mozzarella DOP, or fresh mozzarella (fior de latte). Dice it, slice it, whatever works best for you. Again, use a light hand. The key is balance.
Remember to use fresh basil, and it is to go on the pizza only after it comes out of the oven. In fact, a classic pizza Margherita comes to the table (in most places) with but one leaf of fresh basil stuck in the very center. However, use your good judgment as to how much basil you will add. One pizza place in Chicago serves a chiffonade of fresh basil on a separate plate with a pizza Margherita, which allows the customer to put on as much or as little as they please.
That’s it. Nothing else, I repeat, nothing else, goes on a classic pizza Margherita.
Pizza Margherita
Test recipe for dough. Makes 2 13- to 14-inch pizza shells
1/4 ounce active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-110 F)
3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour or 00 flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Blend the yeast with the water to combine. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Divide the dough in half. Cover and let rise overnight in the cooler.
The next day take the dough out of the cooler and give it a minimum of 2 hours bench or proof time before making the pizza (do not punch it down). Stretch each piece of dough to about 13-inches in diameter.
Brush each shell with olive oil. Top each shell with about 6 ounces (3/4 cup) of tomato puree, followed by 5 ounces of fresh mozzarella, sliced thin or chopped coarse. Bake the pizza.
Shortly after the pizza comes out of the oven add the leaves of fresh basil. Serve.
Ever since the first BBQ Chicken pizza hit the scene in the 1980’s, consumers have gone stir crazy over it. Since then barbecue sauce has gone from an oddity to a regular on pizzeria menus. It makes a fantastic pizza base and provides regular customers with a nice alternative when they need a break from tomato sauce.
Chicken isn’t the only topping you can use on a barbecue pizza, either. Let’s branch out and explore a pulled pork BBQ pizza, a creation that turns an ever-popular Southern sandwich into a specialty pie without rival.
Since the sauce is really what makes this pizza pop, we’ll start with it. When it comes to bottled sauces, there’s no shortage of available options. The key is to determine what your customers like, because barbecue sauces come in many flavors ranging from smoky to sweet. You may even want to mix two different sauces to create the optimum flavor profile. Either way, you’ll want to test market extensively to see what will work best for your customers. You can’t afford to mess up the sauce, because if it’s off this pizza will not sell.
From there, you’ll want to go with a high-quality pork. To save labor, buy packaged pulled pork instead of committing time to pulling it yourself. Red onions, jalapeno peppers and tomato slices will round out a the flavor, and a bit of fresh cilantro will push your recipe over the edge. While you can go with a smoked mozzarella — which is preferred on a BBQ chicken pizza — try a mixture of mozzarella and Monterey Jack to give your pulled pork pizza a unique taste.
This pizza has a lot of appeal and is great to market during the summer months, when business traditionally drops as customers enjoy their own back-yard barbecues. Give the adjacent recipe a try, and don’t forget to up sell beer with it, because this pizza pairs with beer as well as any pizza on your menu.
Pulled Pork BBQ Pizza
14-inch pizza crust
8 ounces barbecue sauce
¼ cup red onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
7 ounces pulled pork
½ tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup jalapeno peppers, sliced
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Spread barbecue sauce evenly over the crust. Add onion, cilantro, tomatoes, pulled pork, jalapeno peppers and cheese. Bake at 500 F until cheese melts and bubbles.
Considering the fact that sausage is the second most popular pizza topping, it’s interesting that all too often we take this major money maker for granted. And because sausage is one of the most popular topping requests, we should be doubly sure that we are doing the right thing.
The “right thing,” in this instance, is the right sausage –– the sausage that gets the job done, the sausage that adds flavor, the sausage that totally enhances the total pizza eating experience.
What sausage would that be? Let’s find out. I am not here to try and convince you to use a sausage that’s different than the one you’re using now, especially if your customers are in love with your sausage pizza. But what if you have been having second thoughts about the sausage you are using? What if you are just starting out in the business? What if the distributor that supplies your sausage is changing to a different brand, and you are not satisfied? Or what if you simply want to shake things up a bit by trying something a little different?
Let’s first take a look at the different styles and types of Italian sausage. In Chicago I see just about every type of Italian sausage you can imagine. Mild, sweet, hot. Fennel, no fennel. Pepper, no pepper. Spicy, not spicy. Coarse-ground, fine-ground, chunks, patties, pinched, raw, precooked. Grind your own? Whew! Bulk, patty, link, rope? Frozen, refrigerated, fresh? That’s a lot to deal with.
Let’s narrow things down a bit by posing a few questions: Is the sausage going on the pizza raw or precooked? Do you want the pizza to show a chunky sausage or something a little finer? Are you considering a sausage patty (as used in most Chicago restaurants that serve deep-dish pizza)?
What about the fat-lean ratio? When putting the sausage on the pizza raw (instead of pre-cooked), I favor a ground product that is about 80-85 percent pork and 15-20 percent fat. This ratio allows for enough fat to develop a good flavor, but not so much fat that it makes the pizza greasy. And, relative to food costs, less fat equals a higher price (more fat, lower price).
Putting sausage on raw, safety issues aside, can cause a few problems relative to speed (raw sausage sticks to your fingers) and messiness.
I have noticed that more and more restaurants are using precooked sausage. And there are a number of reasons for this, including: safety in handling and overall usage; consistency; the ability to specify the chunk or style you want to use; the shelf life is longer; and the fat/grease problem is practically eliminated. On the other hand, there are a good number of operators who swear that the only way to really punch up the sausage flavor of pizza is to start with raw sausage.
Sausage crumbles (tiny pieces of sausage) are my least favorite. You get more coverage, but you get less flavor. There’s not a whole lot to bite into, and there isn’t much for the teeth and taste buds to get acquainted with when using small crumbles.
You and you alone have the final say relative to the Italian sausage you want to use. For example, if you want to put forth a healthier approach for your customers, you can still offer a sausage topping, just go with a sausage that has less fat and more lean pork. Choose carefully, though, because most of your customers will judge the worth of your pizza relative to the sausage you use.
Testing the product is a good idea before you order a lot and find out that it doesn’t work for you. To determine if a raw sausage product works for you, first cook some off in a sauté pan (do not add any oil to the pan) and see how much fat is thrown off. Taste for flavor and texture. Also, determine the amount of shrinkage, because this is how it will ultimately end up once the pizza is cooked. When testing a pre-cooked product do the same thing. Cook some off to develop the flavor. Check for shrinkage. Taste.
When putting raw sausage on a pizza here’s an important tip. Pinch each piece between the thumb and forefinger as it goes on the pizza. This will insure even and thorough cooking.
Should you wish to explore sausage options other than Italian, there are plenty of possibilities, such as turkey or chicken sausage (healthier implications), andouille (for a Cajun-Creole pizza spin) and lamb sausage (for a Greek or Mediterranean approach)
Classic Sausage Pizza
In simplicity lies goodness. There is nothing new or fancy about this recipe, but it is quite delicious. Use good tomatoes, good sausage, and good cheese. Presto! Great sausage pizza.
1 14-inch pizza shell
6 ounces all-purpose ground tomatoes
8 ounce blend shredded mozzarella and provolone
¾ (three-fourth) pound mild or sweet Italian sausage with fennel seed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Spread the tomatoes evenly over the crust (this is less tomatoes than you are used to using, but go with it). Sprinkle on the cheese blend. Pinch pieces of the sausage and flatten between your thumb and forefinger. Place sausage over the cheese evenly, pressing the chunks into the cheese a bit. Sprinkle on the oregano. Bake.
After the pizza comes out of the oven, and just before sending it out, drizzle on the olive oil.
Note: If using precooked sausage, the method is the same. Use a version called “Pinched Italian Sausage.” It has a pleasing chunky appearance and is fully flavored.
Scamorza is the Rodney Dangerfield of cheeses –– it gets no respect. But it should –– this is a cheese that restaurant owners should take a hard look at. Just the idea of offering, say, a specialty pizza using scamorza will get the attention of any customer simply because the name is not one that they are accustomed to seeing every day.
Scamorza is a cow's milk cheese, and it is quite similar to mozzarella in many respects. Like mozzarella, scamorza is a pasta filata cheese. Beyond that, though, the texture of scamorza is chewier and has quite a bit less moisture than mozzarella. Also, the flavor of scamorza is more piquant than mozzarella, and that definitely adds interest. In addition to giving it a try on pizza, it is an excellent cheese for an antipasto tray or appetizer (using cold cuts, olives, peppers, etc.). And a panini made with scamorza and prosciutto is quite a treat.
In Southern Italian dialect the word scamorza means “dunce.” Probably this relates to its shape (somewhat like a pear), with its prominent and distinct pointed "head” which is formed by the cord that is used to hang the cheese while it is being processed.
All Scamorza sold in the U. S. is imported from (mostly) the Lombardia region of Italy, where I have seen it in cheese shops (especially around Easter and Christmas) in a variety of bird and animal shapes (pigs being one of the most popular shapes).
Barbecue Chicken & Scamorza Pizza
This may sound like an unholy alliance, combining a classic and rare Italian cheese with good ol' American barbecue sauce, but it works just great. Smoked mozzarella is the cheese typically favored for a barbecue chicken pizza. Be adventerous, however, and try scamorza — the piquant flavor may yield just the flavor profile your customers seek.
Yields: two 12-inch pizzas (recipe can be scaled up in direct proportion)
2 12-inch pizza shells
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1 cup bottled barbecue sauce of your choice (I prefer K.C. Masterpiece)
1 cup chopped red onion
11/2 cups shredded scamorza
In a skillet set over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil for 1 minute. Add the chicken. Stir and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve. (Can be prepped ahead and held in the cooler).
In a large bowl, toss the cooked chicken with the barbecue sauce to coat. Divide the chicken equally between the two pizza shells. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of red onion evenly over each pizza. Sprinkle an equal amount of the cheese on each pizza. Bake.
The white clam pizza is one of the best seafood pizzas going. But, there has always been a cloud hanging over the idea of seafood in conjunction with pizza. However, two or three really good tasting seafood pizzas can add another dimension to your all-star pizza line-up.
Seafood and pizza are a happy flavor marriage — provided you go about it the right way. Here are some tips, tricks and recipes to get you going.
Good Pair
The types of seafood that work best for seafood pizzas are chopped clams, shrimp and squid. However, at various pizzerias in Naples, Italy, I have seen mussels and clams in the shell arranged on top of pizza, as well as anchovies and sardines.
Using anchovies as a topping constitutes a love-hate relationship for most people. Using several anchovies is not a good topping idea, because the flavor is too pronounced. However, anchovies paired with onions, olives and selected fresh herbs make for a tasty pizza.
Smoked salmon and flaked tuna are two more excellent topping choices for seafood pizza. Lobster and crab work, too, but now we are getting into some higher food costs. I suppose if certain restaurants in New York City can charge thirty bucks or more for a designer hamburger, a premium can be attached to a succulent lobster pizza.
And, at one time, seafood distributors couldn't give away squid. Now it is one of the most popular appetizers in Italian restaurants. With that in mind, I am suggesting you try using fried or grilled squid as a topping for seafood pizza. However, you need to fry or grill it ahead, then add it at the end just before sending out the pizza. A spicy red sauce as a tomato base would work great with the fried calamari. Extra-virgin olive oil would be the ideal addition to a grilled squid pizza.
Prep Time
In some situations I like to cook or grill the seafood ahead — shrimp, scallops, for example — and add it as a topping after the pizza comes out of the oven. This helps me control the doneness of the seafood I am using. Some seafood really dries out from the high heat of the oven. There is a trade-off, though, and that is you will miss out on some of the natural flavor that comes from having the seafood bake along with the pizza.
Secret Sauce
There is a secret seafood pizza ingredient: clam juice. It will give any seafood pizza a huge flavor boost. Sprinkle it on before or after baking.
Say Cheese
Let’s talk about the subject of cheese with a seafood pizza. There is a possible happy marriage between seafood and cheese on a pizza, but common sense prevails. In other words, you can use cheese with a seafood pizza, but use it sparingly or not at all. In fact, often enough, just a sprinkling of grated Parmesan does the trick. Another technique is to incorporate the cheese into a sauce, such as a pesto sauce.
Going Rate
Using what you’ve learned so far, try these recipes to take your seafood pizza making expertise to a whole new level.
Shrimp Pizza alla Genovese
Genoa, Italy is famous for its pesto. Just about every home, apartment terrace, restaurant and car wash has pots in which fresh basil is being grown. The basil leaves soon are to be transformed into a delicious pesto sauce. In this recipe, the combination of shrimp, roasted red peppers and pesto sauce illuminates the goodness that can be captured with a seafood pizza.
Makes two 12-inch pizzas
8 ounces pesto sauce
8 ounces medium shrimp (peeled, deveined, butterflied)
1 1/2 cups julienned roasted red bell peppers (if using the canned or jar peppers, rinse and pat dry)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
Divide the ingredients between the two pizza shells. Pesto goes on first, followed by the shrimp, the bell peppers, and the olive oil. Bake and serve.
Shrimp and Black Bean Pizza
I came across a version of this pizza in a seaside village in Mexico. Another name I use for this pizza is "surf and turf." The bean and pepper mixture can be prepped once or twice a week and kept in the cooler, covered tightly.
Makes one 14-inch pizza
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound fresh plum tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 14-inch pizza shell
6 extra-large (16-20 per pound) shrimp, shelled, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed under cold water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
In a large bowl, combine the beans, onion, cumin, chipotle peppers, plum tomatoes, and scallions. Add the olive oil and toss to combine.
Spread the bean mixture evenly over the crust up to the border. Arrange the shrimp evenly over the beans. Sprinkle on the cilantro. Bake.
Pizza Vongole
(clam pizza)
To keep this pizza simple I use canned chopped clams.
Makes one 14-inch pizza
1 14-inch pizza shell
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped clams
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons dried thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
clam juice
Brush or rub the crust with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Distribute the clams evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle on the garlic, red pepper flakes, parlsey and thyme. Sprinkle about 5 tablespoons of clam juice over the toppings. Bake.
Putting together a seafood pizza can be somewhat problematic (but you can bet that once you put shrimp pizza on your menu, it will be a best-seller). In fact, there are only a few types of seafood (food cost notwithstanding) that work as a pizza topping —among those, clams and shrimp are the most feasible. I have addressed the clam issue here in the past, so now it’s all about shrimp.
If I were giving a seminar on shrimp pizza I suspect that I would get some of the following questions: “What size shrimp works best?” “What pizza sauces work (or doesn’t work) with shrimp?” “Got any inside tips on how to make a shrimp pizza that eats large?” (A little play on words there.)
Those are all good questions, and here are the answers: Shrimp is ordered based on count. Shrimp is sold by size. Shrimp sizes are expressed in counts per pound. For example, 16/20 means 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. The smaller the count, the larger the size of the shrimp, and generally, the higher the price. Small sizes of shrimp, like coldwater cooked and peeled, will have counts ranging from 150/250, 250/300, etc.
Sizes are sometimes, too, expressed as names instead of numbers: Jumbo, large, medium, but the number system is a lot more accurate. Also, counts are different when applied to peeled and/or cooked shrimp. The term “finished count” refers to the actual number of peeled shrimp per pound in the package.
The size shrimp you will end up using is based on the size pizzas you offer. I would not offer a shrimp pizza in any size less than 12-inches, because you will be fighting a price issue. For example, a 14-inch pizza loaded with shrimp will command a premium price (and the customer will go for it).
Generally speaking, you will receive shrimp that is fresh frozen and peeled (peeling shrimp for a pizza topping is totally out of the question, so order peeled shrimp). The shrimp should have a clean smell (the smell of ammonia is a dead giveaway that the shrimp is over the hill). To defrost, simply put the shrimp in a bowl and run cold water over the block until the shrimp separates. Keep the shrimp in ice cold water until ready to use. When not in use, shrimp should be kept lightly covered (on crushed ice if possible) in the coldest part of the walk-in.
Blot moisture with paper towels before proceeding. Devein if the shrimp are large to jumbo. With smaller shrimp deveining is not necessary. Once defrosted, shrimp should be used within three days. Do not (repeat: do not) use cooked shrimp on a pizza. The oven heat will render the shrimp totally dry and tasteless.
What sauces work with shrimp? As you will see in the recipes, I have one pizza with sliced fresh tomatoes, one with no sauce at all, and one with a spicy red sauce. One more suggestion: An oil and garlic sauce works great with a shrimp pizza. I am not big on using too much cheese when constructing a shrimp pizza, since too much cheese will mask the clean flavor of the shrimp.
Shrimp and Black Bean Pizza
A version of a pizza that I encountered a few years ago in a seaside village in Mexico. It has surf-and-turf connotations — beans and shrimp — with just the right blend of herbs to pump up the flavor.
Yield: One 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
2 cups canned black beans, drained, rinsed
¼ cup chopped red onion
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons finely chopped peppers in adobo sauce
1 clove garlic minced
½ pound fresh diced plum or Roma tomatoes (about 1 cup)
¼ cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 extra-jumbo (16-20 count, about 18 shrimp to a pound) shrimp cut in half lengthwise, deveined (if necessary), rinsed under cold water, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
In a large bowl, combine the beans, onion, cumin, chipotle peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and scallions. Add the olive oil and toss to combine. Spread the bean mixture evenly over the crust (leave about ½-inch border). Arrange the shrimp evenly over the beans while pushing them into the beans (this will prevent the shrimp from being overcooked). Bake. Just before sending the pizza out, sprinkle on the cilantro.
Shrimp and Avocado Pizza
Yield: One 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 14-inch pizza shell
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic
6 ounces diced avocado
6 ounces peeled rock shrimp, chopped
4 ounces shredded Fontina cheese
Chiffonade of fresh basil
Brush the entire pizza shell with the olive oil. Sprinkle the garlic evenly over the crust. Sprinkle on the diced avocado and the rock shrimp. Distribute the cheese evenly over the pizza. Bake. Just before sending out the pizza, sprinkle on the chiffonade of fresh basil.
Shrimp Pizza Arrabbiata
Arrabbiata translates from the Italian as “angry,” so in this shrimp pizza the tomato sauce gets a spicy kick from crushed red pepper flakes. The smoked mozzarella tames the spiciness just a bit and adds a delicious flavor dimension to the pizza.
Yield: Two 12-inch pizzas (scale up in direct proportion)
2 12-inch pizza shells
12 ounces pizza sauce or all-purpose ground tomatoes
4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup chopped red onion
8 extra-jumbo shrimp (16-20 count), cut in half, deveined, rinsed under cold water, each half cut in half
1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella
Divide the sauce, the red pepper flakes and the red onion evenly between the two pizza shells. Now sprinkle on the shrimp, an even amount between each of the pizza shells (visualize how you will cut the pizza and get enough shrimp on each pizza shell so that every piece has a good amount). Divide the smoked mozzarella between the two pizza shells. Bake.
28-ounce sourdough ball
4 ounces garlic ranch sauce
5 jalapeno pepper slices, finely chopped
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon tequila
1 ounce parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped onions
25-30 bay shrimp, fresh or frozen
1 ½ cups mozzarella
½ avocado
½ cup diced tomatoes
8 sprigs cilantro
Juice of ¼ lime
Sheet or slap out sourdough ball to 16-inch round crust. Cover and let rise until doubled.
Roll edges to make crust, forming a rim. Top dough with garlic ranch sauce, followed by jalapenos and parsley flakes. Then pour tequila on top. Next, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and top, in order, with onions, baby shrimp, and mozzarella.
Bake at 420 F for 10 minutes-12 minutes.
Slice pizza and transfer to a serving plate. Top each slice with 1 slice avocado, diced tomatoes and cilantro, and squeeze juices from ¼ lime over top.
Ah, the joys of Sicilian pizza. I was eating this style of pizza even before I was eye-level with the top of the table in my Mother's kitchen, so I do know of what I write and eat.
What exactly is Sicilian pizza? Before I answer that question, keep in mind that in certain parts of the country (New York City, especially), this style of pizza also goes by the name of Grandma's Pizza, or Nonna’s Pizza. In one of my pizza cookbooks, “The Ultimate Pizza,” I use the words “Italian Bakery” as an identifier, because it was that style of pizza that was made in the Italian bakery next door to where I grew up (hence, my early connection with this style of pizza).
Another facet to this jewel of a pizza is that many of the Italian immigrants (my father was part of that wave) that came to this country at the turn of the 20th century started their own business. Italian bakeries flourished in New York City. An offshoot of the business of selling bread was making and selling pizza (you got the dough, you can make a pizza). And those pizzas were not round, but square or rectangular.
To carry the Italian bakery idea one step further, there is an Italian bakery here in Chicago, D'Amato's on West Grand Avenue, that makes pizza in the Sicilian style. Here, the pizza comes out of the oven in full sheet pan size. You can buy it by the slice, or you can buy the whole pan. (However, the story does not end there. In fact, I noted recently that an upscale pizza chain is using the term "Sicilian Pizza," and the pizza is round and has a very thin crust. I believe that we will all be seeing the word "Sicilian" tossed around a lot in the pizza business in the year ahead.)
What is Sicilian pizza? First of all it is not round; it comes in a square or rectangle. OK, so Sicilian pizza has a different shape. What else? The crust is thicker and breadier than, say, thin-crust pizza. The breadier connection has to do with the fact that the dough used to make Italian bread was also used to make pizza.
What else? As a rule, a Sicilian pizza does not suffer under a load of toppings. In fact, the original concept of an Italian Bakery (Sicilian) pizza was simply this: thick crust, tomatoes, basil, oregano, grated Romano cheese. Mozzarella? No, it was not done. Even today, D'Amato's Bakery does it the way I just described. But in a concession to the times, it does offer its pizza with sausage.
Also, the tomatoes used for a Sicilian pizza are combined into a puree, or all-purpose ground. The herbs –– basil and oregano –– are dried, not fresh. The idea behind using grated Romano instead of Parmesan was that Romano was less expensive, but there is more to this than meets the dollar signs –– using Romano, which is a sharper-tasting cheese than Parmesan, you get a pizza that has greater depth of flavor. And I have always enjoyed the beautiful taste connection that takes place when Romano cheese meets sweet tomatoes. So, as you can see, a Sicilian pizza is as simple as the natives of Sicily are complex.
Unless you have already done so, try thinking Sicilian. Keep in mind that a “pie” does not always have to be round. Pies that are squared just might open your customers' eyes and keep your name on their lips.
Here is a basic dough formula for making Sicilian pizza. Keep in mind that a good way to go is to have the dough balls take one rise in the cooler overnight, then, the next day, after the dough is pressed into the pan, give it another rise for about two hours before topping and baking.
Sicilian-Style Pizza Dough
Yield: 37-38 pounds of dough
3 ounces active dry yeast
4 ounces sugar
12 to 13 pounds water
12 ounces vegetable oil
4 ounces salt
25 pounds flour: Use a low-protein flour (11 to 12 percent)
In the mixing bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and 12 pounds of water. Whisk to combine. Add the vegetable oil and salt. Whisk to combine
With the mixer running at speed 2, gradually add the flour. Add additional water as needed to bring the dough mass together. Mix for 10 minutes at speed No. 2., until the sides of the mixing bowl are clean and the dough is soft and pliable.
Scale and balls as needed (if using a half sheet pan or a full sheet pan)
Proof overnight, covered, in the cooler. Remove the dough balls as least 2 hours before you plan your first bake of the day.
Cook’s Note: I like to use a vegetable oil, olive oil blend to enhance the texture and the flavor of the dough.
Some tips:
• Glaze the sheet pan (half or full) with olive oil.
• Press the dough (the dough that you took out of the cooler, as noted in the above recipe) into the pan, pushing it up against the sides of the pan to form a cuff or frame.
• Next, brush olive oil over the dough.
• I will make up as many pans as I need, and slide each pan into my rolling bakery rack. If you have a cover for the rack, it is a good idea to use it, especially if your shop is hot.
• I like to use a quality all-purpose tomato puree, or ground tomatoes.
• Spread the tomatoes, lightly, do not swamp the dough with the tomatoes that have some pulp.
• Sprinkle on the basil and oregano. Add cheeses sparingly (grated Romano, shredded mozzarella) and other toppings, if used.
• Bake as needed.
The overall idea behind a Sicilian pizza is to give the finished product a rustic, homemade look. Sometimes I use sliced black olives and anchovies. Other times, I will use capers along with the olives. And last but not least, Sicilian pizza works great if you selling slices.
If you are of a certain age you will easily make the connection between spinach and Popeye, the comic book character. When he was in trouble and needed a jolt of extra power and strength, Popeye would open a can of spinach and toss it down in one fell swoop. Eating canned spinach? Hmmmm. It’s pretty obvious that Popeye wasn’t much of a gourmand; on the other hand, if the original comic strip were still around, I would bet a buck or two that Popeye would be making a spinach pizza (and gulping it down in one big bite, not by the slice).
If we go back a few years, say, around 1982 or 1983, the idea of spinach pizza was not such a strange idea. In fact, in my book “The Great Chicago-Style Pizza Cookbook,” which came out in 1983 (and is still in print), I offer a recipe for stuffed spinach pizza. The idea of spinach and pizza has come a long way since then and in recent years has become not only quite popular but also the variations on this “green” theme seem to be endless. I am going to approach the idea of spinach pizza from both the thin crust and stuffed styles.
The first and most obvious consideration is the spinach. Popeye might have liked his canned spinach, but we aren’t going there — canned spinach is pretty ugly stuff, and it doesn’t even taste like spinach. “Fresh” is the operative word when making a spinach pizza, regardless of style. I will make a concession to using frozen chopped spinach, but it has to be prepped with care.
Pre-washed fresh baby spinach is the easiest way to kick-start a spinach pizza since it needs little or no prep. Fresh spinach (not the baby kind) works fine, too, but you have to get rid of those thick stems. When using regular fresh spinach it’s a good idea to prep the spinach by wilting it (a small amount of water and the spinach in a covered pot over medium heat does the trick). Frozen leaf spinach needs to be thawed out (no need to cook it), but you must drain off all that excess moisture (squeeze and squeeze again) or you will end up with a soggy pizza.
Once the prep on the spinach has been dealt with, the road to making first-rate spinach pizza is easy.
Magnificent Greek Pizza
Yield: one 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 pound fresh spinach, washed thoroughly, thicker stems removed
½ cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)
1 14-inch diameter pizza shell
½ cup sliced pitted brine-cured green olives
½ cup sliced pitted brine-cured black olives
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
Put the spinach and the water in a large pot and cook over medium-high heat, covered, until the spinach wilts. Drain the excess liquid from the pan. With the cover off, cook and stir the spinach for 2 minutes to allow more of the moisture to evaporate.
Add the olive oil, garlic, onion and, if using them, the red pepper flakes to the spinach. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add pepper to taste (no salt because of the feta, which can be salty).
This is the prep. Hold up to 3 days in the cooler or use at once.
To finish, spread the spinach mixture evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the olives evenly over the spinach. Sprinkle on the feta cheese. Bake.
Stuffed Spinach Pizza
(This is the pizza that started a whole chain of restaurants in and around the Chicago area.)
Yield: one 12-inch stuffed pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
20 ounces of dough
5 cups (about 3/4 pound) fresh, pre-washed baby spinach, chopped coarse
3/4 pound shredded low moisture, part-skim mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups all-purpose ground tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cloves of garlic put through a garlic press
In a mixing bowl, combine and toss thoroughly the spinach, mozzarella and Parmesan. Set aside.
Roll out 12 ounces of the dough and press it into a lightly oiled 12-inch by 2 inches deep pizza pan. The dough should fall over the sides of the pan by at least an inch. Roll out the remaining 8 ounces of dough to about 13-inches in diameter.
Put the spinach mixture into the pan and even it out. Put the second piece of dough on top of the filling. Press down on the dough and filling with your hand to level the top. Press the two pieces of dough against the side of the pan to seal all around to form a shallow well. Trim off the excess dough. Roll and seal the edge of the two pieces of dough all around. Cut a slit in the middle of the dough with a sharp knife to allow the steam to escape.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, oregano and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the tomatoes over the top of the pizza. Bake at 475 F for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
CHEF’S NOTES: For a unique flavor, crumble 1/4 pound of dried ricotta (ricotta salata) to the spinach mixture. To the basic spinach mixture, add sliced fresh mushrooms or artichoke hearts. Add cooked sausage crumbles to the spinach mixture. Cooked and shredded chicken can also be added. The possibilities are endless.
Photos by Rick Daugherty and Josh Keown
Have fun with this “five-course” summer special: appetizer, salad, pizza, pasta and dessert. I have a lot of recipes to cover, so let’s get right to it. Each of these recipes can be scaled up in direct proportion. ❖
APPETIZER
Mozzarella Cheese Puffs
These golden puffs are flavorful and fun. Kids, especially, love these. You just might have to move them from a special to the regular menu.
Makes 12 puffs
2 cups fl our
½ teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 pound shredded mozzarella
Combine the fl our and the salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Fold in the mozzarella cheese. Add the fl our mixture and combine thoroughly. Shape the mixture into small balls (around the size of a golf ball) by rolling them in the palms of your hands and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the balls puff and are golden brown. Serve with a warm marinara dipping sauce.
SALAD
Bean and Tuna Salad with Radicchio
A cool, light and refreshing salad that works particularly well in the summer months. Put layers of thinly-sliced fresh tomatoes on the plate to form a flavorful and colorful base on top of which you can portion the salad.
Yield: 4 servings
2½ cups canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups coarsely chopped radicchio
1⁄4 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fl at-leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup water-packed Albacore tuna, drained, flaked
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper, to taste
In a medium-size bowl, combine the beans, radicchio, onion, parsley and tuna. Toss gently to combine. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar until completely blended. Add salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
PIZZA
Pizza alla Funghi (Mushroom Pizza)
Earthy, flavorful, delicious. Call it a “Mushroom Lover’s” Pizza if you care to.
Yield: one 14-inch pizza
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound shiitake mushrooms
½ pound portobello mushrooms, sliced about 1⁄4-inch thick
½ pound cultivated (white domestic), sliced about 1⁄8-inch thick
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 14-inch pizza shell
8 ounces shredded mozzarella or combination of mozzarella and Provolone
In a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and cook and stir until the mushrooms give off their liquid, about 4 minutes. Add the oregano and combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the mushrooms out of the pan and reserve (can be made several hours ahead). Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the pizza crust. Sprinkle on the cheese. Bake.
PASTA
Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Mac ‘n’ Cheese is one of the hottest dishes around, and this is my version of this classic dish. I use a combination of cheeses instead of the usual sharp cheddar. But the all-important flavor kicks — dry mustard and cayenne — are still included.
Yield: 6-8 servings
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup all-purpose fl our
4 cups milk
1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1 Pound cavatappi or similar corkscrew shaped pasta
1⁄4 pound shredded provolone cheese
1⁄4 pound shredded Asiago cheese
1⁄4 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
In a heavy sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the fl our and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes. Add the milk in a steady stream, whisking steadily, and bring to a boil. Add the mustard, cayenne, and salt, and whisk to combine. Whisking the sauce, simmer until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Set aside. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until it is almost al dente. Drain well. While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a shallow 3 to 4-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, stir together the cooked pasta, white sauce, provolone, Asiago, mozzarella, and 1 cup of the Parmesan, then transfer the mixture to the buttered baking dish. Smooth off the top with a spatula. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, oregano, and remaining 1⁄4 cup Parmesan and sprinkle it evenly over the pasta. (This recipe can be prepared several hours in advance, covered and put in the cooler. Bring to room temperature before baking.) Bake the pasta in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
DESSERT
The standard trinity of Italian desserts consists mainly of tiramisu, cannoli, and gelato, so maybe it’s time to think outside the box. Here’s a quick and easy dessert that offers relief from that boring old box.
Ricotta all’Espresso
This is a dessert you can count on for whipping up (no pun intended) real fast. Creamy and rich-tasting with a mousse like consistency, it’s one that adults and children alike will enjoy. If you don’t have espresso in-house, simply use strong black coffee (or even instant espresso coffee).
Yield: 4 servings
2 cups ricotta cheese (not low-fat)
3⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1⁄4 cup espresso or strong black coffee, cooled
2 tablespoons sambuca (optional)
½ cup finely chopped pistachios
Put the ricotta, sugar, coffee and optional sambuca in a food processor or blender and process until creamy and thick. Spoon the mixture into tall serving glasses and refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours, until thoroughly chilled.
Just before serving, sprinkle some of the chopped pistachios on top of each serving.
Another option to jazz up this dessert would be to fold mini-morsel chocolate chips into the cheese after it has been chilled.
Pat Bruno is Pizza Today’s resident chef and a regular contributor. He is the former owner and operator of a prominent Italian cooking school in Chicago and is a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
In This Issue
Take and bake pizza has finally grabbed the attention of mainstream operators and questions abound on how to make take and bake pizzas. They are really not that difficult to make as evidenced by the fact that some operators don’t do much more than just dress a dough skin placed on a piece of parchment paper and send it out with the customer to be baked in their home. There are some things that can be done, though, that will help to make your take-and-bake pizzas more consumer friendly and perform better at the same time.
The main challenge in making high quality take-and-bake pizzas is being able to give the consumer a pizza that will tolerate the type of abuse that it will ultimately be exposed to. For the most part, this will be some form of time and/or temperature abuse.
When we make a fresh pizza at our store, we have complete control over the entire operation. We know how old the dough is, and if there is any question or problem regarding the dough we can make adjustments or take action to compensate for it. With a take-and-bake pizza, however, the entire pizza is sent home with the consumer to be baked (hopefully) in a timely manner according to our enclosed instructions. As we all know this is mostly wishful thinking. The consumer may buy a take-and-bake pizza with the intention of making it for dinner that same night — only to discover that other dinner plans have already been made. The pizza is refrigerated for dinner on another night. The challenge is to have a pizza that will still bake-up light and crispy even after a couple of days in the refrigerator.
It is also troublesome when the take-and-bake pizza is subjected to an unusually long period without refrigeration. This can easily happen when the pizza is placed into the trunk of a car along with other groceries on a shopping trip. The heat and 30-plus minutes can begin proofing the crust, causing it to rise prematurely. When the pizza finally arrives at its destination it might look something more like a 20-pound Michelin Man stuffed into a five-pound plastic bag –– not a pretty sight.
Either of these cases can result in customer dissatisfaction and, if you’re lucky, a customer returning the offending pizza for another one. If you are not so lucky, the customer might just write your pizza off as a total failure and you end up losing a customer.
So, what can we do to increase tolerance to this kind of abuse? Let’s keep things simple and stay with our regular dough formula, but make a few changes to the formula and procedure to give the dough/pizza that needed level of tolerance.
To give the dough improved tolerance to aging, first mix the dough fresh daily. Immediately after mixing the dough temperature should be in the 80 to 85 F range. Scale the dough to desired weight pieces and form into balls. Allow the dough balls to ferment for 2 hours and shape into dough skins. The dough skins can be placed on screens and put into the cooler for rapid cooling. After the skins are thoroughly cooled (60 minutes) they can be stacked with a piece of parchment between each skin and placed into the reach in cooler under the prep table for immediate use. Remember, if you use dough that has aged in the cooler overnight, that will just be one day less shelf life that the pizza will have in the hands of the consumer.
The dough formula can also be modified to some extent. By keeping the yeast level to 1 percent or less of the flour weight (for compressed yeast, or 0.5 percent for active dry yeast, or 0.35 percent for instant dry yeast) you can help to give the dough better tolerance to both excessive temperatures and storage times. The addition of about 1 percent (based on flour weight) of a fat encapsulated chemical leavening system will function to provide additional leavening with the reduced yeast level. Also, since it will not fully react to leaven the dough/crust until it is baked in the oven, it will provide a level of assurance that the dough will always rise to an acceptable level even if the pizza is subjected to extremes of storage time or temperature in the hands of the consumer.
When making fresh baked pizzas, we normally don’t like to work with cold dough since it exhibits a pronounced tendency to blister or bubble during baking, but in this application it is a distinct advantage to build the pizza on a cold dough skin since this further helps to prevent premature rising of the dough during transport to the consumer’s home refrigerator. Don’t worry about the cold dough blistering or bubbling excessively in the home oven. This is only a problem in our much hotter pizza ovens. The cooler baking home ovens generally don’t exhibit this tendency.
While we’re discussing those home ovens, don’t forget that those lower home baking temperatures will make the dough somewhat more difficult to color-up during baking. To correct, you will need to increase the sugar content in the dough to at least 5 percent of the flour weight. If you find that the finished crust has an objectionably sweet taste you might consider reducing the sugar back down to more normal levels of 1 to 3 percent and then adding 3 to 5 percent sweet dairy whey. Whey is high in lactose sugar, also known as milk sugar. This type of sugar will color-up readily during baking, but because of the low sweetness level of lactose, it will not impart a sweet taste to the finished crust like other sugars do.
Aside from the dough you should also take a look at your sauce. A sauce that is too thin and watery will tend to separate and soak into the dough with time, resulting in the development of an undesirable gum line. To forestall this, keep the sauce on the thick side (14 to 16 percent solids) and brush the dough skin with a little oil before applying the sauce. The oil application will help to create a barrier to further prevent moisture from migrating into the dough.
By following some or all of these guidelines you can make take-and-bake pizzas that will contribute to your bottom line and won’t disappoint any of your hard-earned customers.
All of us in this business are well aware of the excellent canned tomatoes at our disposal, so it goes without saying that we use them –– a lot –– in various ways, whether it be a sauce for pasta, or to ladle onto a pizza crust. For a different flavor, however, keep in mind that a signature pizza using fresh tomatoes offers a nice change of pace.
There are now a number of fresh tomatoes –– slicing, grape, Roma, plum, Strawberry and Campari –– that give the pizzaiolo any number of options to create a range of pizzas. And most of those tomatoes are now available all year long.
A few issues to keep in mind, however, when using fresh tomatoes on pizza. Slicing tomatoes (those are the big round ones) provide the greatest coverage, but they give off a lot of moisture, so you have to protect the crust from getting soggy. The best way to prevent a soggy crust when using slicing tomatoes is to first lay down a base of cheese on the crust (note that technique in the recipes that follow).
Smaller tomatoes, such as plum and Roma, have less water content, but you still need to avoid the soggy crust syndrome. In using these tomatoes, I like to slice them in half and scrape out the seeds using the tip of a small spoon. Now I can use them as a slice (each half) or dice before scattering over the cheese base. You can prep a large amount in a short time, so don’t worry too much about the time involved.
Fresh plum tomatoes were the tomato of choice when I was doing pizza-consulting work in Mexico City. It was less expensive to use fresh plum tomatoes than to bring in canned tomatoes from the states. So another option at your disposal is to process fresh plum tomatoes as a sauce to use on pizza. I am not suggesting that you go whole hog on this, however. On a limited basis, let’s say during the peak fresh tomato season, you can do a special “Fresh Tomato Month.” Feature several pizza specials using fresh plum tomatoes. The idea draws attention to the “fresh” aspect of your restaurant, and gives you an edge over competition.
To process, wash the tomatoes thoroughly. Next, crush or process the tomatoes and drain off the excess moisture and use as you would a tomato puree.
The real small tomatoes, such as grape or strawberry, can be either cut in half (a labor intensive deal) or used whole (a much better way to go). In using these smaller tomatoes, I sometime like to toss them in olive oil before putting them on the pizza. Again, though, I lay a base of cheese over the crust and then add the other toppings (if used), then more cheese and the tomatoes. With these smaller tomatoes, the heat of the oven actually chars the tomatoes, and that releases a very interesting and intense flavor (in fact, these smaller tomatoes work great when baking a pizza in a gas-fired or wood-burning oven). In the recipes below, feel free to substitute grape or other smaller tomatoes if they are available at a reasonable price.
Another option when using fresh tomatoes is to roast, say, plum tomatoes in the oven. To process, cut the tomatoes in half and lay them cut-side-down on a sheet pan. Brush the tops with olive oil and roast in the oven until the skin chars. Pluck off the skin with the tines of a fork, and use them the same way as noted in the recipes below. You can jazz up these tomatoes and the resulting flavors even more by sprinkling on herbs or chopped fresh garlic.
Pizza with Tomatoes & Eggplant
Yield: One 14-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 small eggplant (about 3/4 pound)
½ cup olive oil
½ pound shredded part-skim low moisture mozzarella
1 14-inch pizza shell
6-7 (about 1/4 pound) fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Trim the stem end of the eggplant and slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Put the eggplant slices on a sheet pan and brush each slice liberally with olive oil. Broil the eggplant (or run them through the oven) on one side only until each slice turns a russet brown. Set aside.
Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the crust. Arrange the eggplant over the cheese. Lay the tomatoes evenly on top of the eggplant. Sprinkle the oregano over the tomatoes. Scatter the remaining cheese evenly over the tomatoes. Bake.
Roasted Pepper & Tomato Pizza
Yield: one 12-inch pizza (scale up in direct proportion)
1 12-inch pizza shell
½ pound shredded Asiago or fontina cheese (about 2 cups)
6 (3/4- 1 pound) large fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup roasted red bell peppers cut into strips
15 (About) leaves fresh basil
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sprinkle half the fontina evenly over the pizza crust. Arrange the tomatoes evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle on the Parmesan. Lay the bell pepper strips in a pattern on the pizza. Add the remaining cheese. Bake the pizza.
After the pizza comes out of the oven, tear or snip (with scissors) the basil leaves and scatter them over the pizza. Drizzle some olive oil over the pizza. Serve.
Tres quesos -- cotija, Asadero and queso blanco. These are some of the more important cheeses in the family of Mexican cheeses. They each lend a flavorful dimension to various dishes ranging from appetizers and pizza to pasta and salads. Even more, considering the popularity of Mexican and Latin dishes, these three cheeses have a place in any style of restaurant or café. All three are made from cow's milk. Generally speaking, the flavor of each one is mild, light, and fresh tasting.
Asadero is a slightly tangy cheese that I would compare in some fashion to provolone (though definitely not as firm or as sharp in taste). It is a great melting cheese, so you will often see it used for nachos or quesadillas. An Italian restaurant in Chicago serves "Italian Nachos," and uses a blend of shredded provolone and Asadero as the melting cheese.
Cotija, also known as queso anejado (or "aged cheese"), has a family resemblance to the Greek feta and Italian Parmesan. Flavor characteristics: slightly salty and mildly tangy (flavor varies a bit relative to the maker or brand). This is the cheese that you will usually see grated over pizza, soups, salads and tacos.
Queso blanco is the generic term for fresh white cheese. The flavor is rather mild. Texture is soft. This cheese softens nicely when subjected to heat (and the heat helps to develop the cheese's rather mild flavor).
Three-Cheese Mexican Brunch Pizza
In this recipe, considering the variety of textures and counterpoints of flavor that each cheese offers, there is an unusual yet enticing aroma to the baked pizza that lovers of Latin or Mexican food will find quite enjoyable. This is a great brunch or breakfast pizza and would be a great addition to any restaurant or café that serves breakfast all day. You can also use this pizza quite effectively on a lunch buffet, since it keeps well after baking.
Makes 1 14-inch pizza. Recipe can be scaled up in direct proportion
1 14-inch pizza shell
3/4 pound chorizo, crumbled
6 medium eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup refried beans, thinned with 1 tablespoon warm water
3/4 cup bottled medium-hot salsa
1/4 pound asadero cheese, crumbled
1/4 pound cotija cheese, finely chopped
1/4 pound queso blanco, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• Cook the chorizo, crumbling it even more as you go, into a sauté pan until it has given off most of its fat. Drain fat from the pan. Transfer the chorizo to a plate.
• In that same skillet cook the eggs, scrambling them until almost cooked through. Keep them a bit on the wet side. Set aside.
• Spread the refried beans evenly over the pizza to 1-inch from the edge of the crust.
• Spread the salsa over the beans.
• Evenly spread the reserved chorizo over the salsa, followed by the reserved eggs, spreading the eggs as evenly as possible.
• In a small bowl, combine the three cheeses. Sprinkle the cheeses over the eggs.
• Bake the pizza until the three cheeses melt into the eggs and the crust is toasty brown. Sprinkle the cilantro over the top just before cutting and serving.
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