Cuban Pizza (Red) Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Yield: 6-8 servings (4 personal-size pizzas) serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer Cuban-style pizza, born in Havana and perfected at several shops in the Cuban beach town of Varadero. INGREDIENTS: Dough 1 tablespoon sugar 1 package yeast 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 1/2 to 3 1/4 cups white flour 1 teaspoon salt Sauce 1 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped 1 cup onion, finely chopped 1/4 cup olive oil 4 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon salt 1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground bay leaf Toppings 1 cup Gouda cheese, grated (more or less) plus: 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated (more or less) NOTE: blend cheeses together Pick one or more of the following: Spanish chorizo, sliced very thin pepperoni style or ground in a food processor or meat grinder portuguese chorizo diced ham cooked shrimp (olive oil, salt, pepper, and ground cumin -- see instructions) cooked lobster (olive oil, salt, pepper, and ground cumin -- see instructions) picadillo ripe plantains leftover lechón asado veggies: green bell pepper, mushrooms, onions, chopped garlic, black olives, green olives, red or green tomato slices For the Dough 1. Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the water in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes in a warm place—it should begin to foam. 2. Sift together the flour and the salt. Place the yeast mixture and the olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour, a little at a time, until you have a stiff, but pliable dough. Adjust the amount of flour, more or less, to achieve the right consistency. 3. Let the machine knead the dough for about 2 to 3 minutes. Place this smooth ball of dough into a greased bowl, cover, and set aside in a warm place to rise until double in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. 4. If you dont have a stand mixer, dont despair! You can easily mix the dough with a wooden spoon. Gradually add the flour, a little at a time, until you have a stiff, but pliable dough. Adjust the amount of flour, more or less, to achieve the right consistency. 5. Knead the dough with your hands for approximately 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough in half, knead, dust lightly with flour, and repeat this step about a dozen times. Properly kneaded dough will be smooth and not sticky. For the Sauce: 1. Use a large saucepan and sauté the green peppers and onion in olive oil until limp. Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute or two, stirring constantly. 2. Add the salt, tomato puree, lemon juice, sugar, paprika, oregano, and bay leaf. 3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 20 to 30 minutes. 4. Remove the sauce from the heat and let cool. Remove bay leaf. To make the pizzas: 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Punch down the dough. Remove it from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Work out the dough by hand to form 4 individual pizza rounds, about 6 inches in diameter. Turn and re-flour the dough as you form your crusts. The crust should be quite thick—about 1/2 inch. 3. Place the individual pizza rounds on a well-greased baking sheet. Liberally cover the dough with the sauce. Add your favorite topping (or toppings) and cover the pizza with the cheese. 4. Bake in the oven for approximately 14 to 18 minutes. The cheese should be melted and starting to brown slightly at the edges of the pizzas. Toppings Chorizo -- The classic Cuban pizza is made with Spanish chorizo. Most pizza places tend to grind this dry sausage to the consistency of taco meat. Use a meat grinder or a food processor with the metal chopping blade. You may also use it pepperoni style, sliced thin in rounds. Whichever style you use, spread evenly over the sauce and under the cheese. Portuguese chorizo -- is available in many markets. The spices are similar; however, this sausage is not as dry and is more tender than Spanish chorizo. It makes a great topping for pizza. Diced ham -- is also very popular. Use a good quality bone-in ham slice and cut it into bite-size pieces. Shrimp and lobster -- when we add shrimp or lobster (and sometimes both) to our pizzas, we like to sauté them first in a little olive oil. Remove the lobster meat from the tails and cut into chunks. Peel and devein the shrimp. Season the shrimp or lobster lightly with salt, pepper, and a little cumin. Sauté the shrimp or lobster pieces, flipping once after a minute or so, until they turn pink, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook! Plantains -- use very ripe plantains cut lengthwise in strips about 1/2 inch thick. Some people also use sweet ripe yellow bananas. If using plantain or banana, add to the top of the pizza during the last 5 or 6 minutes of baking. Arrange the slices on top of the cheese. They will soften and brown slightly from the oven heat. Leftover picadillo and lechón asado are also popular toppings. Vegetables -- Cuban pizzas feature all of the same vegetable toppings that are popular on American pizzas. You should slice your green peppers in rings. Cut your onions in rings and then cut the rings in half. Select one or more of these vegetables or add them all for the ultimate Cuban pizza with everything.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 10:46:36 +0000
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