Smokey Fast Pizza

© Dec. 31, 2006 P. Inglish

I came up with this recipe on December 31st and loved the result.

When you see and taste this pizza, you will not believe that this dish is not made completely from scratch. I could not take a picture of my new recipe in its final form, because it was eaten immediately before I could get my hands on the camera. Trust me, I am going to make this again soon. It would be delicious for a mid-January party to liven up the gray gloom of winter in some parts of the country and it would be excellent for Mardi Gras.

For a vegetarian version of this pizza, substitute milk-less cheeses and additional mushrooms in place of the sausage. Eliminate the smoked oysters and add cumin, to taste, for a smoky flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 packet of pre-made pizza crust mix
• 1 15 oz can Red Gold tomatoes with jalapeños
• ½ green bell pepper, sliced into strips 2 inches long
• 1 heaping cup of fresh mushrooms, sliced thick
• ¼ pound cilantro Polish-style sausage, sliced in ¼ inch thick slices
• 1 tin of smoked oysters and the olive oil in the tin
• 1 small onion, sliced and onion circles sliced in half
• ½ cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
• ¼ cup shredded white cheddar cheese ( I use an organic brand)
• Parmesan cheese (shaker)

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• With a fork, mix and toss the pizza mix with ½ cup warm water until it forms a loose ball.
• Add 2 Tbp olive oil, drizzling on the outside of the dough, and form a smoother ball with fingers. Do not over handle the mixture, or the dough will be tough.
• Cover dough in the bowl with a clean towel and set it in a warm place to rise for 5-7 minutes.
• On a greased baking pan or pizza pan, or on top of a clean, dry silicone backing sheeet on top of the pan, spread the dough with oiled fingers and pinch up the edges to hold sauce and toppings.
• Drizzle 3 Tps of melted butter over the dough and spread with a spoon or clean fingers.

• Spread the tomatoes and juice (there will not much juice in the can) across the dough.
• Place peppers and onions across the pizza.
• Shake Parmesan cheese lightly over the face of the pizza.
• Distribute sausage evenly across the top. Add half the mushrooms.
• Add the other cheeses and the other half of the mushrooms atop the cheese.
• Open the tin of smoked oysters and spread these over the pizza evenly and drizzle the olive oil from the tins over the top here and there to soak down to the crust.
• No other spices are needed, but pepper can be added, if desired.
• Bake 10-12 minutes until done.

The oils in this recipe give the edges of the crust a nice, deep and glowing golden brown hue. When I removed it from the oven, it looked better than a delivery pizza or one from the fancy restaurant up the street.