Gourmet Hawaiian Pizza

Awhile back I had the most delicious hawaiian pizza at a restaurant in town, Farm Bloomington.  So I called them up the other day to check if it was still on their menu.  It wasn't.  The girl that answered the phone didn't even know what pizza I was asking about.  Blasphemy.  So that left me only one option... make my own.  What made Farm's pizza so deliciously memorable was the presence of macadamia nuts.  That nutty, fatty crunch really brings a lot to a pizza.  Seriously, nuts on pizza- try it.  Also, since I generally find Canadian bacon disturbing, I subbed pancetta-- a substitution I would highly recommend.  Overall, this is a pretty killer pizza-- I guess I can forgive Farm for taking it off their menu.

Brussels Sprout, Grape, + Goat Cheese Pizza

This isn't so much of a step-by-step recipe, but a list of ingredients that taste quite lovely together :)

For crust: 14-19 oz. Pizza dough (I use the 5-minute Artisan Crusty White Bread recipe).
Bake the crust without toppings for 8-10 minutes in a 500°F oven.

Sauce: 5-7 cloves of roasted garlic + 3 Tbs apricot preserves + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar + salt to taste
Mash it all together.

Spread the sauce over the crust, then add some shredded parmesan, brussels sprouts, halved grapes, pine nuts, goat cheese and another drizzle of balsamic.

Bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until brussels sprouts are roasted and crust is golden.

5 Cheese Pizza with Honey, Prosciutto, & Truffle Oil (Copy Cat Finch's Dordogne Pizza)

There are many things I love about Bloomington: the gorgeous landscape, the culture, the diverse (temperamental...) climate, the architecture, and most of all the food.  Bloomington boasts some absolutely delicious local restaurants; so knowing that my time here is waning, I've taken a greater interest in copying my favorite dishes.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, no? 
One of my absolute favorite menu items in town is from Finch's Brasserie, a restaurant that 'features local and organic products from area farms and cheese artisans'.  They have a really great seasonal menu, but I pretty much can't resist ordering my favorite pizza every time.  It's called The Dordogne, named after a region in France.  Their version has four cheeses, truffle honey, and prosciutto.  While my recipe isn't exactly the same (Anyone know where to find truffle honey in Bloomington?), the flavor is all there.

Apricot Goat Cheese Thin Crust Pizza

Sometimes I think I'm un-American.  I don't like grilled cheese, pizza, or chicken pot pie.  I don't drink beer, and I think Coke tastes like battery acid.  Then, an eclectic little pizza like this comes along to prove me wrong: thin crispy crust, rich aromatic roasted garlic, tangy apricot preserves, and salty pungent goat cheese all harmonize wonderfully.  So maybe I can call myself at least partially American, after all I really dig this pizza.

Thai Chicken Pizza

As I sit here writing, good ol' Ted Allen, host of Chopped, delightfully educated me that 93% of Americans eat pizza.  Tonight, I contributed to that statistic.  You know what else I contributed to?  The percentage of Americans that eat salad, which I can feel a little better about.  Seriously. This pizza is great, it's like the offspring of pizza + salad.  Once the pizza is out of the oven a tasty slaw finishes it off.  Subtle coconut, salty peanuts, tart lime, and savory garlic marry flawlessly resulting in a dynamic, fresh pizza, different than any pizza you've had before.  Or should I call it a salad?

Squapple Pizza

I realize this recipe calls for a strange ingredient (butternut squash pasta sauce...) but it's so tasty I have to post it! I am including the link so that you can get your own jar, although it is on my to-do list to develop my own recipe for a killer butternut squash sauce, till then, get your own jar here!

• Pizza crust dough
• 1/2 cup butternut squash sauce
• 1/2 apple in thin slices
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
  
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. In a skillet heat the vegetable oil, and when hot add the onions.
2. Add the sugar, and salt & pepper to taste.
3. Cook the onions until caramelized, and set aside.
4. Roll the crust to desired thickness, then spread with butternut squash sauce.
5. Top with apples, caramelized onions, and both feta cheese and Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake at 375° for 18-23 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Notes:

• You can make this pizza with a white sauce instead, but the squash really gives it a unique twist!

Yields ~5 servings

Shrimp Primavera Pizza

This is a great, quick recipe. I cut a lot of corners, and it still tastes totally gourmet!

• Pizza dough
• 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce*
• 1/2 small yellow squash, in slim rounds
• 1/2 small zucchini, in slim rounds
• 1/2 bell pepper, in squares or strips
  
• ~1/3 lb cooked shrimp
• 1/4-1/3 cup mozzarella cheese
• 2-3 carrots, grated
  

1. Roll out the pizza dough to approximately 1/2" thick.
2. Spread an even layer of Alfredo sauce onto the pizza, and add squash, zucchini, and bell pepper.
3. Distribute shrimp, and layer on the mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake in a 375° oven for 18-23 minutes, or until edges are golden.
5. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with grated carrots.
   

Notes:

• I really like Classico® brand Light Alfredo sauce, it's healthier (...still not calling it healthy) than your traditional super-heavy cream sauce.
• Shrimp can be replaced with chicken, or just taken out all together.

Yields ~5 servings, depending on the appetites.

Procrastinator's Pizza Crust

This is a great recipe because it needs no time to rise and is still absolutely tasty!

• 3 cups flour
• 1 (.25 oz) package instant yeast, or 2.25 tsp
• 2 Tbs vegetable or olive oil
• i tsp salt
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• Corn meal (optional)
  

1. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.
2. Add the water and vegetable oil, and mix well, I find my hands work the best.
3. Roll out and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet sprinkled with corn meal. Top as desired and bake 18-20 minutes at 375°

Notes:

• To health it up you can use 1.5 cups wheat flour to 1.5 cups all purpose
• Optional add-ins that are delicious include: garlic powder, Italian seasoning, rosemary, etc. Be creative!

Yields enough dough for approximately an 11x15 rectangular pizza with medium thickness crust.