Mexican Pizza – Recipe!

Pizza night is always a fun occasion – you invite some friends, roll out dough and cover it with some of your favorite toppings.  Traditional pies tend to have tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni however, why not get a little more creative and make them Mexican style?

The delicious foods of Mexico are roasted meats and fish, savory sauces and rice and beans, however American culture has taken it a step further with creative fillings for tacos, burritos and enchiladas.  Pizza night can share in some of the same fun flavors by creating pies topped with tomatillo sauce, chorizo, black beans and cheeses.

In my recipe, I start by preparing a simple dough with whole wheat and white flours with a hint of oregano.  Then, I prepare a freshly roasted tomatillo salsa, it only takes minutes.  The other ingredients are standard pantry items to create an festive pizza experience.  I like to serve my pies with a good tequila on the rocks with a ton of sliced lime, but a crisp white wine will pair nicely too.

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup whole wheat flour or whole wheat white flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon rapid rise yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2/3 cup room temperature water

Toppings

4 tomatillos, hucked and cut in half

2 scallions, sliced in half lengthwise

2 jalapenos, 1 sliced in half, the other minced

1 cup black refried beans

1 cup white cheddar cheese

1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese

2 ounces spicy pork sausage or fresh chorizo

1 avocado sliced in half

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

salt & pepper

semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting

vegetable oil

(Makes 2 Pies)

To Prepare:

1.  In a stand mixer, add whole wheat, all purpose flour, salt and yeast.  Mix flours on low speed to combine, about 1 minute.  Add oregano and water and mix on low, until dough comes together, about 3 minutes.

2.  Remove dough from bowl and knead several times, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.  Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel.  Let dough proof for 1 1/2 hours, or until almost doubled in size.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  While dough is proofing, make tomatillo salsa.  On an oiled sheet pan, add tomatillos, scallions and 1  jalapeno cut in half.  Roast for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly charred. Remove pan from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.  In a food processor, add roasted vegetables and puree until smooth.  Add a pinch of salt & pepper, set aside until ready to build pizzas.

4.  Increase oven to 500 degrees, or to hottest setting on oven and place other ingredients in bowls, so you are ready to build your pizzas.  Remove dough from bowl and divide in half.  Sprinkle semolina on a board or peel.  If you are not baking your pizza on a pizza stone, use a sheet pan and sprinkle it with semolina.

5.  Stretch dough carefully, allowing edges to remain thicker than center.  Place dough on board and spread half of black beans on top.

6.  Top with a third of tomatillo salsa.  Dot with half of mozzarella, followed by half of grated cheddar cheese. Top with half of raw sausage and sprinkle with half minced jalapeno.

7.  Slide pizza on pizza stone, or place sheet pan in oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and top is bubbling.  Remove pizza from oven. Add sliced avocado on top and sprinkle pizza with fresh cilantro.  Repeat to build a second pizza.  Serve Mexican Pizza with remaining tomatillo salsa.  Enjoy!