"New Mexican Veggie Head" Pizza

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Taste Level: GR
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 40-45 min.
Cook Time: 30-35 min.
Difficulty: 2

After my success with the "Athenian Pie" Pizza sauce I decided to flex my sauce making creativity a bit. I have found that it is not only the right cheeses but the right sauce that makes a great pizza. I decided that I would go with a more salsa themed marinara for this pizza. I used cilantro in place of thyme and oregano, added jalapeno, extra onion and some chipotle peppers to round out the flavor. I really liked the flavor but wanted just a hint of sweetness. We cut down on our usual tablespoon of brown sugar and only added just one teaspoon. I hope when you are enjoying this pizza you take the time to really taste the sauce!

(For instructions on how to make your own sourdough pizza skin check posting dated 7/7/09.)

Ingredients:
Toppings
1/4-1/3 cup Soy chorizo
2 green onions (chopped)
1 jalapeno (diced)
1/2 of a green bell pepper (Juliane then halved)
1 yellow vine sweet mini pepper (chopped)
1 red vine sweet mini pepper (chopped)
1 orange vine sweet mini pepper (chopped)
2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)
8 oz fresh mozzarella (shredded)
1/2 cup mild cheddar (shredded)
1/4 cup Jalapeno Jack (shredded)

Sauce
6-7 Chipotle peppers from a 7 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (rinsed under water for 1-2 minutes and then chopped)
2 garlics cloves (minced)
1/2 of a medium jalapeno (seeded, diced)
1/4 cup sweet onion (diced)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp olive oil

Crust
1 portion of sourdough pizza dough check posting for 7/7/09 or pre-made crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Tossing dough
What works best for me is I strongly throw the ball of dough down on a solid flat surface covered with a piece of wax paper until it is large and flat enough for me to easily balance on top of both of my fists. Then I make an X with my arms keeping my fists close together (backhand to back hand, the dough atop of them both) and I fling the dough upwards with my fingers as I simultaneously bring my arms quickly parallel (palm to palm) about 3-4 inches apart. As the dough falls I remake my fists and catch the dough atop them again in the X position and repeat until the dough has formed a 12-14 inch crust.

(Alternately you can lay dough on a solid flat surface covered with wax paper and squish flat with hands. Roll into a ball and slam the dough down onto your solid flat surface covered with a piece of wax paper. Using your fist mush the dough down repeatedly as if you were punching it softly but firmly (this helps get any air bubbles out of it.) Now using your finger tips press and stretch dough until you have formed a 12-14 inch circular pizza skin (you can also make an easier rectangle skin.)

Sauce
Heat olive oil in small sauce pan over medium heat. Saute garlic, jalapenos and onions until the onions start turning translucent (3-5 min,) add the rest of the ingredients and bring to simmer stirring frequently. Let simmer 10-15 minutes.

Pizza
Mix together green onion, jalapeno and sweet peppers in a small bowl.

Mix together cheddar and jalapeno jack cheese in a small bowl.

Sprinkle corn meal onto a baking sheet and lay skin on to it. Spread sauce evenly up to about an inch away from the edge of the crust (I find using a pastry spatula works great for spreading tomato sauce.) Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the sauce, then sprinkle soy chorizo over mozzarella evenly and then sprinkle your green onion mixture over the soy chorizo. Now arrange green bell pepper pieces evenly over pizza and finally top evenly with cheese mixture.

Place pizza on baking sheet lightly coated with corn meal. Arrange your oven racks to where they are on the upper and lower thirds of the oven.If you are using a baking stone as we do place it directly onto the floor of a preheated oven for 45 minutes (but you will be less likely to ruin your pizza stone if you place it on a rack at its lowest position.) Place baking sheet with pizza on the lower oven rack and bake for 7-10 minutes, move pizza on baking sheet to upper rack and bake 7-10 minutes (if cooking a second pizza you can put it on the lower rack now on a separate baking sheet.) Slide Pizza off of baking sheet directly onto baking stone and cook for 3-8 minutes or until crisp and bottom is browning (if you were cooking a second pizza you would move it to the top rack on its baking sheet once you slide the first pizza onto the baking stone and of course you would move it to the baking stone once you have remove the first pizza and cooked the second one 7-10 minutes on the upper rack.)

Slide pizza onto a cutting board or baking sheet and use a pizza slicer to cut into 8-10 slices and serve hot with your favorite pizza sides, seasonings and sauces!

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