Tropical Pizza with Rucola

Tropical Pizza with Rucola

Friday is a long day for us, arriving at the office before 8.15am, reading competitor offers, attending a lengthy meeting bypassing the noon time, working hard till late evening though our offical working hours on Friday is 5pm.  Today, I planned a family time after work, family members sitting together for a pizza, another trial. I prepared the dough last night, let it ferment the first time, punched it and left it to rise again in the fridge overnight.  It did not grow much when I examined it this morning but it did when I was home again, a few hours sitting at the room temperature.  My mother and sister were waiting for me back.   My brother should leave home for a banquet but stayed.  I quickly preheated the oven, rolled out the dough, brush tomato sauce, laid mozzarella cheese, pineapple and ham on top.  It’s ready in 12 minutes.  Rucola was laid on top to appeal.  

Simple fresh food and family together.  It’s nice and enjoyable.    This pizza is more delicious than the first experimental one.  It’s got a thinner crust.  Pineapples added an exotic favour.   The bitterness of rucola complemented the other toppings.   It is a bold test to add rucola since my family quite sticks to Chinese food.  Luckily it was welcomed.  Well, you can skip it and have your pizza like this. 

Tropical / Hawaii Pizza

We are happy and sastisfied.  My sister asked for another one for tomorrow.  I am not sure if I want to have pizza again so soon even I have BBQ chicken as the topping in mind.

 

1st Homemade Pizza!

One day my mom wanted to eat pizza and asked if I could make one.  I never did it before and would try.  One evening I passed by an Italian Deli and bought a bottle of tomato sauce for the base.   Subsequently Danish Mozzarella, prosciutto, mushroom were stocked to make for the day.

The dough was made like bread but extra virgin olive oil added.  I used beer yeast brought from Italy.  The dough smelled differently, a sour aroma and superb.  The fermentation went for an hour.   The second rising took 10 minutes.   The dough was split and placed into 1 9-inch and 7-inch tart pan.  The base was brushed with tomato sauce, topped with mushroom,  Mozzarella, prosciutto, tomato and homegrown basil.    The baking at 240°C took only 12 minutes.

We, four people, left over one piece only.   We like it.  It’s not typical Italian pizza with thin crust.  It can be more crispy.  Well, the first time.  It’s good.   No salt nor pepper added but the taste was good.  It should be attributed to the prosciutto and cheese.

Learning, a key word nowadays in the business world.     No tomato as it adds too much moisture.  I will make free forms next time so that it will be a thin crust.  More juicy ham or prosciutto will be picked instead.   Mushroom is good and will remain.    The basil will be placed on top after the pizza is out of the oven, next time.

When I saw the pizza swelling in the oven I thought of Davide, an Italian friend who likes pizza with thick crust.  If there is a Pizza Hut nearby, he will go for one American pizza.  Well, next time when I visit.  No need to fly hours to America.  Ha ha!