Posts Tagged ‘provolone’
Cast Iron Skillet Brussels Sprouts Bacon Pizza
April 18, 2013 | 
Author It’s no secret that I am not a fan of summer weather in Memphis. You know, the season that starts in May and ends in October? Don’t be jealous unless you like 90+ temps, excessive humidity, and sweating at 7 am walking to your car. But for a few short weeks every year we get a small dose of spring. Granted it’s already hitting the high 80s some days so it’s not exactly spring weather, but this is the closest thing to spring I get before the inferno begins. During this time I drive everywhere with my car windows down while blasting music and singing at the top of my lungs (right now it’s Paramore’s new album). I freaking love spring and look forward to moving to a place where it lasts more than 2 weeks.
With the coming of heat waves and high electricity bills keeping it out of my 3rd floor apartment, recipes that require short cook times become more and more appealing. This recipes happens to be the fastest way to cook pizza ever. The prep time for making the dough and toppings is not short, but the actual cooking of the pizza is a whopping 2.5 minutes. Since you’ll end up with an extra ball of dough, throw easier toppings onto it and you will have a second pizza in under 5 minutes!
One year ago: Gnocchi with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Two years ago: Nutella Mousse
CAST IRON SKILLET BRUSSELS SPROUTS BACON PIZZA
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
CRUST (NOTE: this recipe makes TWO doughs for a 12-inch skillet pizza)
1-1/8 cups warm water
1 pkg. (2-1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
PIZZA (NOTE: these ingredients are for ONE pizza)
6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 shallot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, stems removed and thinly sliced
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz. provolone cheese, freshly grated
4 oz. fontina cheese, freshly grated
2 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work in the additional 1/2 cup flour, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Drizzle the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1-1/2 hours.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Divide the dough evenly in half. Place one dough on a well-floured pizza peel and roll out to about the size of your skillet.
- Heat a different large skillet than the one you are going to cook your pizza in over medium heat and fry bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and add shallot. Cook for 5 minutes until soft, then add garlic, sliced brussels, salt and pepper, stirring well to coat. Cook for 6-8 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place an oven rack directly under your broiler and preheat your broiler to the highest setting. Additionally, place your cast iron skillet on the stovetop burner, turning the heat on high. Heat the skillet for 10 minutes.
- While the skillet is heating, place the toppings on the dough. Add about half of the fontina and provolone cheeses, then cover with the brussels sprouts mixture and the bacon. Top with the remaining fontina, provolone and parmesan.
- Carefully slide the pizza into the skillet, dough side down. After about 30 seconds, turn off the burner, and place right under the broiler. Broil for 1 minute, rotate 180 degrees, broiling for only 1 more minute. Remove immediately and place on the stovetop. Let cool slightly for about 5 minutes, then use a large spatula to remove the pizza. Slice and serve.
Source: How Sweet It Is
Posted in Entree, Pizza | 
Tags: bacon, brussels sprouts, fontina, provolone, shallot, whole wheat | 
6 Comments »
Homemade Imo’s Pizza
Are you prepared to meet the thinnest crust ever?! If you are not a thin crust person, this pizza is not for you. Go on and just close the browser right now, I won’t be offended but I will scoff at you because I think this pizza could convert you. So on second thought please stay!
By a show of hands, how many of you have ever had Imo’s pizza? Okay, how many more of you have at least heard of Imo’s pizza? Anyone who did not raise their hand will not understand the craze that this pizza creates, but should still dive in and create this pizza at home. Especially if you don’t have the time to drive to St. Louis. Because today I give to you, homemade Imo’s Pizza.
So what makes this pizza so special, other than it’s geographical exclusivity? Well for starters it has a supremely thin crust, that is crispy yet a little floppy all at the same time. This crust is covered by a moderately thin layer of freshly made pizza sauce, then topped off by Imo’s very own brand of shredded cheese known as Provel – a mixture of white cheddar, Swiss and provolone, with a hint of hickory smoke flavor.
One benefit to living 4.5 hours from St. Louis, is that the grocery stores here happen to carry this fantastical cheese blend. But luckily for everyone else it is easy to fix up a homemade version of it. Granted it won’t be processed all together, but the flavors are all there and that’s what counts. So no matter where you are in the world, you too can experience Imo’s pizza!
For me, the cheese is the selling point. It gets so bubbly and the white cheddar brings such great flavor to otherwise traditional pizza toppings. And it just so happens to be one of my favorite kinds of cheese, and am amazed that I have not topped off any of my pizzas with it before (prepare yourself for more of it to come). Of course, don’t forget to slice it up into Imo-style small square slices, and prepare to fight over your favorite pieces. Are you a middle-crust or an edge-crust person?
One year ago: Avocado Fries
HOMEMADE IMO’S PIZZA
Makes 2-12″ pizzas
Ingredients:
CHEESE
2 cups Imo’s Provel cheese
OR
1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup provolone cheese, shredded
1 tsp liquid hickory liquid smoke
SAUCE
16 oz. whole tomatoes (diced into fine pieces)
6 oz. tomato paste
1-1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp crushed dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
CRUST
2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp dark corn syrup
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp water
TOPPINGS
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
Favorite pizza toppings
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with pizza stone* located on the bottom third of the oven.
- For the sauce: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
- For the cheese: If you can’t find Provel in your local market, it can be easily created. Toss cheeses in a large bowl with the liquid smoke until cheeses and smoke flavoring are completely incorporated.
- For the crust: In a large bowl, sift together the flour salt and baking powder. Add the olive oil, dark corn syrup and water and mix until thoroughly combined. The dough will be stiff. Divide the dough in half, shape into two round balls and roll out thin into two 12″ crusts. Move the crusts to a pizza peel lightly sprinkled with cornmeal.
- Top both crusts with half of the pizza sauce (save the rest for another time), and then divide the cheese between the two. Add your favorite toppings, and sprinkle the seasonings on top.
- Transfer one pizza onto the preheated pizza stone* and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the underside of the crust is golden brown, and the cheese is golden. You want the crust to be crispy but not too overdone or else it will start to become chewy. Repeat with the second pizza. Allow to settle before slicing into squares, as traditionally done at Imo’s Pizza.
*If you do not own a pizza stone, cook pizza on a thin baking sheet placed on the bottom rack of the oven.
Source: Adapted slightly from Food.com
