Cooking with Cook: Pizza

3/27/08

Gwen Cook
Critic Staff

So I was getting ready to make pizza for dinner one night last week. My boyfriend suggested doing a couple different pizzas, sort of as an eating contest. I originally was dead set on only the regulars like pepperoni and ham but we started to get creative. Long story short, they were all super delicious and I thought I would share them with you.

Stuffed Crust Hawaiian Pizza
1 pre-made pizza dough
1 bag of shredded cheese
1 jar of pizza sauce
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
8-9 mozzarella sticks
1 jar of diced pineapple, drained
6 slices of ham, diced
1 tbsp. olive oil (optional*)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Flour your hands and begin rolling out the pizza dough on a lightly floured regular sized pizza pan or a 13in. by 9in. cookie pan. Don’t stop until the dough is hanging over the edges. Take the mozzarella sticks and place them about 1 inch in from the edge of the dough. Roll remaining dough over them and pinch to a close. *Lightly brush olive oil over the crust/edges.* Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the dough. Spread pizza sauce over the cheese. Sprinkle the shredded cheese next followed by the pineapple and ham toppings. Place in oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.

Broccoli Alfredo Chicken Pizza
1 pre-made pizza dough
1 bag of shredded cheese
1 jar of alfredo sauce
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
2 cups of fajita chicken, chopped
2 cups broccoli, chopped and boiled
1 tbsp. olive oil (optional*)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Flour your hands and begin rolling out the pizza dough on a lightly floured regular sized pizza pan or a 13in. by 9in. cookie pan. Don’t stop until the dough is hanging over the edges. Fold the overhanging dough over its self to make the crust. *Lightly brush olive oil over the crust/edges.* Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the dough. Spread alfredo sauce over the cheese followed by the shredded cheese. Scatter broccoli and fajita chicken pieces over the top. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.

They both require a stove to make but I’m sure the recipes could be changed so that they could be cooked as mini pizzas on English muffins. Be creative.