Your Pizza Idea in our Next Book (CONTEST NOW CLOSED, WINNING PIZZA CHOSEN)
photo by Mark Luinenburg
We can’t stop thinking of pizza even though we made deadline for our upcoming pizza and flatbread book (Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day, Macmillan/Th Dunne Bks Oct 2011). Even though we’re technically done, there’s still time to put a new recipe or two into the book, and you can see that there are a world of ingredients that could end up on pizza other than mozzarella and tomato (though we love that too).
We’d love some help with new recipes. All we’d need is your concept, as in “how about yak sausage, lemon rind, and Slim Jim on a pizza?” We’re not looking for full recipes here, but something imaginative, like Zoe’s pizza with a fresh cracked egg and an assortment of Tuscan goodies:
The winning concept entry will be selected by a jury (Zoe, me, and our editor at Thomas Dunne Books), will win a copy of Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and have their concept published in our pizza book this October (see “Betsy’s Seeded Oat Bread” in Healthy Bread -first names only in the book). See rules for our contests, the most important being US entries only. In addition, for this contest, the Authors reserve the right to decline to publish any recipe in the upcoming book if none meets with the jury’s approval. Also, the winning entrant agrees to grant all copyright for the winning entry to Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. Five random entrants will also receive a free copy of Healthy Bread in Five. Contest CLOSED!
Be imaginative– it doesn’t have to be a main course, so even desserts are fair game. And remember that many of the ingredients and ideas you might think of are already in our almost-finished manuscript, so being creative increases your chance of selection. Entries are due anytime before January 19, 2011. Contest CLOSED!
celery on Pizza! zucchini and celery, eggplant (salted and drained) , puffballs (fried in butter first ) are all ingredients I’d like to find offered……
Back in Brazil where I was raised, they make dessert pizzas in the pizza oven with combinations such as: banana and chocolate sauce; apple and dulce de leche (doce de leite in Portuguese); Also, some savory combinations in Brazil are mozzarella and sprinkles of fried garlic (pizza de alho); arugula, tomato sauce and goat cheese (pizza de rucula); and, tomato sauce, mozzarella, olives, slices of onions & ham (pizza portuguesa).
i would puree some premade pie filling (apple would be my first choice) and spread it out like the pizza sauce. I would then put a crumb topping on (1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour blended together) after baking, i would drizzle a little powdered sugar/milk frosting over the top! It would go great with a scoop of ice cream!
It might require a different kind of dough, but what about a fruity dessert pizza–pineapple chunks, peaches, blueberries, maraschino cherries, and coconut flakes would definitely work. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that mini marshmallows would be fun, but that will require some experimentation: I’m not sure at what temperature they catch on fire!
When are the entries due?
Jeanne: Entries are due anytime before January 19, 2011; just updated the post to reflect that. Jeff
How about a middle eastern pizza:
olive oil, feta, zataar, black and green spiced olives ( whole, slices or in pieces)and some matboucha or harissa for a kick
I make an herbed flatbread I call focaccia out of the boule recipe. We also use it as a pizza. I flatten out the dough on a bake sheet that I’ve oiled with olive oil and then salted with some kosher salt. Then on top of the dough I add a bit more salt, cracked pepper, minced fresh garlic, rosemary, oregano, basil and a pinch of red pepper flake. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake at 450 for 20-30 mins. As soon as it comes out we grate parmesean over it. To make it a pizza, I add a bit of sauce or just olive oil the same ingredients as above and minced proscuitto and diced tomato then the bake time is the same and when it comes out I add the parmesean.
My favorite definitely doesn’t have tomato sauce or mozzarella! It has bacon, caramelized onions (lots of them!), fresh rosemary, a touch of gruyere and dollops of sour cream. Drizzle a bit of maple syrup on top…oh my! It’s so delicious! I know it sounds strange, but it’s quite lovely!
Sauce: Sweet potato puree and ranch
Toppings: Carmalized red onions, kalamata olives, bacon pcs., and shredded zucchini. And of course topped with cheddar and mozzarella cheese and then raw red onions on the top.
Oh I’m drooling just typing this
I wonder how caviar would taste on pizza?
A salmon “chowder” pizza might be fun. A thick chowder sauce with salmon, corn, celery….
Trying to think of a clever name for it but all I can think of is Roasted Potato/Vegetable Pizza. Using a white alfredo sauce with very thinly sliced leftover baked potatoes, bacon and some carmelized onions and maybe brie or gouda cheese…..Mmmmm! Delicious!
My kids do not like red sauce of any kind, but they will devour a pizza with nut-free pesto. One of their favorites is pesto, pulled chicken, black olives, broccoli, mozzarella, and garlic. Funny how my kids of 5 years, 3 years, and 20 months will eat that but not tomato sauce, cheese and pepperoni. I love them!!
One of my favorites is Chicken Cordon Blue with Chicken, ham, cheese and a light alfredo sauce…
My kids LOVE a cheeseburger pizza!!
I take some ketchup and hot sauce and mix that together for the “sauce”, then I add some browned beef, or turkey, then some chopped up red onions, then load on the dill pickles, sliced, and then shredded cheddar cheese! My friends love it too!!!
homemade barbecue sauce topped with grilled red onion, spicy chicken sausage and jalapenos. smoked gouda mixed with a little sharp cheddar sprinkled on top.
My favorite so far: I used the avocado guacamole dough to make the crust and topped it with cheddar and jack cheese.
I know it’s pretty simple, but we make pizza out of the light whole wheat dough. We use pesto for sauce, and I love shiitake mushrooms (salted), garlic stuffed green olives, kalamata olives, sliced banana peppers, and roasted red peppers, fresh mozz on top. Then, a minute before it’s done, fresh basil on it. If I’m getting totally crazy, I’ll drizzle just a very very little bit of white truffle oil over the top when it’s done.
The other week, I made an awesome pizza with thin-sliced sweet onion, thin-sliced brussels sprouts, and a little crumbled bacon, with queso blanco!
I make a breakfast pizza with cheddar cheese, bacon and whole eggs cracked on top. The trick is to leave the eggs a little runny. It’s the best!
Eggplant! No one makes it here. Eggplant parm. pizza, with breaded & fried eggplant, or cubes or carmelized eggplant. Both of these could be had back East. Sadly, I have to make my own here. I slice my eggplant, coat in olive oil, bake until carmelized and add it to a regular sauce/cheese pizza. SOOOOO good.
A dessert pizza sounds so interesting. Maybe something with butter and cinnamon or something with nuts in the crust and chocolate on top?!?!
I like making a whole wheat dough with a variety of grains in the mix for the crust. Then a quick guacamole of avacados, cilantro, line zest and juice for the sauce. For toppings we put pickled red onions, turkey bacon, pickled asparagus, diced tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives and topped with a small amount of mozzarella and asiago cheeses, and cilantro. once it has spent 12-14 mins in a 500 degree oven I top it with a light drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
I like a roast red pepper pesto ( cashews for the nuts) topped with pancetta. the pancetta should be put on top raw and will cook perfectly.
How about chimichuri sauce, black beans, and fried plantains?
An Eggs Benedict pizza with one egg, and one slice of Canadian Bacon placed on each portion. a light sprinkle of yourfavorite white cheese, topped with fresh chopped parsely, and cracked pepper.
Olive whole wheat dough rolled thin.
Top with tomato pizza sauce sprinkle with dehydrated garlic and fresh ground black pepper. Add 1/2 roasted red pepper and 3 roasted green onions diced. Add 12 slices of genoa salami diced. Top with frozen grated Mozzarella cheese, bake at 500 till crispy and golden brown
Anchovies, escarole, a fried quail egg, stracciatella cheese, and black pepper!
(the WW-flaxseed loaf is in my oven right now!)
One of my last unique pizzas I charcoal grilled a pork tenderloin and diced it afterward for the meat on the pizza. For the sauce, instead of a red tomato sauce, I mixed equal parts mayonaise and BBQ sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce or similar. Other ingredients include fresh mozzarella cheese and mushrooms. When I made this pizza I had fresh morel mushrooms. They are a bit subtle and hard to obtain so any favorite mushroom should do. The dough should be nothing more than unbleached all-purpose flour, salt, water and yeast. Substituting about a fourth of the flour with whole wheat goes well with the sauce. There is no need for any other kind of spices because the sauce will dominate.
Nutella, for sure. I’d do it with coconut and maybe bananas, with some chopped hazelnuts on top.
I am from Germany and we have a recipe that we call Salzekuchen.
It is boiled potatoes, mashed down, salt, pepper, . On top of the potatoes you put 2 eggs mixed with 2 cups of sour cream, small bacon pieces and if you like caraway seeds and chopped onions put them on too. Bake the pizza in the oven
Reuben pizza! Crust made with a rye dough, and for toppings — thousand island dressing for sauce, then corned beef or pastrami, well-drained sauerkraut, and shredded Swiss cheese. You can add a little cream cheese with the Swiss for a creamier, more melt-ey top.
Apples, Blue Cheese & Bacon!
Something I’ve wanted to try is a hearty vegetable curry (not too soupy) on top of a whole wheat pizza crust that has been brushed with ghee first.
Something spicy and Asian and veggie and mushroom. My imagination is using Thai peanut sauce. Now I’m hungry!
Sage sausage and pepperoni with good ol’ tomato pizza sauce, thin slices of tomato with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil sprinkled on top. You will not taste a better pizza than that!!!
Alfredo sauce instead of pizza sauce, topped with sliced leeks, roasted red peppers, cooked bacon, mozzarella and parmesan cheese?
Oops I meant to say olive oil from hb5
How about shredded chicken, radicchio, italian cheese, and balsamic vinegar.
My vote goes for a pizza with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh figs, prosciutto, and pecorino romano. Heavenly. Just be sure to get in season, ripe figs.
A Santa Fe style pizza with green chile, chicken, and a light chicken cream sauce much like an enchilada and topped with Monterrey jack cheese.
We make jalapeno popper pizza: Ricotta and crushed garlic spread on the base, a blend of mozzarella, cheddar and pepper jack on top, sliced fresh garlic, pickled jalapeno slices and bacon. MMMMM.
@Melissa – your flatbread pizza sounds delish. How much dough do you use and how thin/thick do you roll it out to?
I think a Swedish shrimp sandwich pizza would be fantastic! Mayo for the sauce. Shrimp, dill, lemon, thinly sliced cucumber and chopped or sliced hardboiled egg on top, served cold. YUM!
I like the idea of a Santa Claus pizza. Eyes (olives?), nose (mushroom?), mouth (red pepper slice?), beard/hair (mozzarella cheese!) Sauce could be some sort of white sauce with a bit of marinara mixed in to achieve the look of Santa’s rosy skin.
I’d love to see pizza incorporating apricot! It could be a dessert (scone-inspired) or savory, like a curry.
A Mexican pizza: Mashed black beans, salsa, cooked Mexican chorizo (or chicken or leftover fajitas), Monterey Jack cheese (or pepper jack). When the pizza comes out of the oven top with chopped romaine lettuce.
I like to make Chicago-style deep dish pizza with the whole wheat olive oil dough. The dough goes on the bottom, topped with a layer of cheese, a layer of sauteed onions, green peppers (and/or jalapenos), pepperoni, and sausage, followed by a layer of tomato sauce. It may not be classical Italian, but it’s good stuff.
How about sauted onions and garlic, rosemary, ham and mozzarella cheese.
Butternut squash sauce, fried sage leaves, carmelized onions, prosciutto and provolone
I’ve been making pizza with the ab5 dough and I think I’ve finally got it mastered – so delicious! One of my favorite topping combos is as follows:
mozzarella
sliced pears (or apples if I don’t have pears),
sliced dates
crumbled goat cheese
a drizzle of honey