I’m still wondering if I can get through the next 27 days living off cookies alone.
Since that probably won’t work, pizza seems like the logical alternative.
On Thanksgiving morning I told Eddie, “Do you know what I really, desperately want?” He had no idea — I always want everything, except whatever he suggests — and I said, “pizza.” It felt wrong because it was Thanksgiving and of course I wasn’t going to eat pizza, which only made me want pizza even more.
I’m in a serious pizza phase right now. It’ll likely last until we have a pizza binge — maybe three different pies in one week — after which we’ll look at each other and sigh, “I’m good on pizza for awhile.” It’s one of our predictable cycles.
That said, I absolutely adore this pizza. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do. I figured I’d like it, but I’m actually pretty plain when it comes to pizza toppings: when we order delivery I usually end up wanting a simple slice with nothing on it — sometimes bacon and extra cheese, maybe. I’ll pick toppings off and push them to the side until my slice is essentially plain. I become a different person ordering pizza.
Also, I hate calling to order. Eddie usually handles it because I’m an internet-generation person who prefers texting and scrolling; phone calls make me break out in a cold sweat. Returning calls or checking voicemails? No thanks. I’ve always hoped that would change once we have kids — we’ll see in a few days.
We often split pizzas down the middle — half plain, half pepperoni and sausage. But a few weeks ago I got obsessed with making a homemade meat lovers pizza with all the meats and the best melty cheese combination. So I made one.
This pizza is essentially four meats and three cheeses, finished with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano and lots of fresh herbs. The herbs really elevate it — they make the whole pie taste bright and fresh.
I added slightly crisped bacon, sweet Italian sausage, pepperoni and sliced prosciutto so the prosciutto would get perfectly crisp in the oven. For cheese I used fontina and provolone for meltiness, plus parmesan for sharpness — a killer combination.
I couldn’t stop nibbling while it cooled. I pulled it out of the oven early in the day because it gets dark so early now, and by the time Eddie came home I had already helped myself to several pieces of cheesy, crisp-edged squares.
Sometimes I want classic triangle slices; other times I prefer squares. I’m complicated like that.
Meat Lovers Pizza
Yield:
1
pizza, serves 2 to 4
Ingredients
Crust
-
1 1/8
cups
warm water -
3
teaspoons
active dry yeast -
1
tablespoon
honey -
1
tablespoon
olive oil -
3
cups
all-purpose flour -
1
teaspoon
salt
Pizza
-
6
slices
bacon
chopped -
1/2
pound
sweet Italian sausage
removed from casing -
1/4
cup
pepperoni pieces -
6
slices
prosciutto -
2
tablespoons
olive oil -
1 1/2
cups
tomato sauce -
8
ounces
fontina cheese
freshly grated -
8
ounces
provolone cheese
freshly grated -
3
tablespoons
freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
plus extra -
1/3
cup
chopped fresh cilantro -
3
tablespoons
freshly snipped chives
Instructions
Crust
-
In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Stir and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, stirring until the dough forms but remains sticky. Form into a ball and work in the remaining 1/2 cup flour on a floured surface, kneading for a few minutes. Rub the bowl with olive oil, place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
-
Punch down the risen dough and shape it on a floured surface into your desired form — the author used a rectangle for a baking sheet. Place on a baking sheet or pizza peel dusted with cornmeal, cover, and let rest in a warm spot for 10 minutes.
Pizza
-
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon until the fat renders and the bacon is slightly crisp but not fully cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard or reserve the bacon grease, then cook the sausage (removed from its casing) over medium heat until fully cooked, breaking it into small pieces. Drain on paper towels.
-
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Brush the dough, especially the edges, with olive oil and spread the tomato sauce evenly. Sprinkle half of the fontina and provolone, then evenly distribute the pepperoni, sausage, prosciutto and bacon. Top with the remaining cheeses and parmigiano-reggiano. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. Remove, finish with extra grated parmesan, chopped cilantro and snipped chives. Slice into squares and serve.
Main Course
American
Did you make this recipe?
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Side note: this layout is pretty similar to my BBQ chicken French breads. If you like this, you should make both.