Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Kalua Pork Pizza


Let me set the record straight about something incredibly important today, people.

Hawaiian pizza is NOT Hawaiian. 

Calling a pizza "Hawaiian" simply because it has pineapple and ham dumped on it is a true offense, and we need to put a stop to this nonsense.

I am saying this with all the authority of someone born and raised on the islands of Hawaii.

Hawaiian pizza has absolutely zero origins in Hawaii. According to my pal Wikipedia, Hawaiian pizza is an invention hailing from Canada.

Firstly, pineapple isn't even native to Hawaii. Like many other plants and foods, pineapple was imported to Hawaii. Secondly, the ham. Seriously? Ham is even less Hawaiian than pineapple.

And do not get me started on Hawaiian pizzas that utilize Canadian bacon instead of ham. Canadian bacon, as we all surely agree, is the worst meat in existence, and should never be requested as a pizza topping.

(Interesting side note: in my substantial research for this blog post, I learned that "Canadian bacon" is the American term for back bacon, a lean cut of pork belly and loin. So Canadians created the term "Hawaiian pizza," while Americans call the crappy bacon "Canadian." Everyone loses.)

Don't get me wrong - I am a fan of both pineapple and ham. I might even enjoy that combination of toppings on my pizza. Let's just rename that pizza something else that doesn't appropriate the name and culture of Hawaii.

ANYWAY. That's my rant of the day.

Let's move on to a pizza that actually does have some true Hawaiian flavor, kalua pork pizza. I created this for a midday lunch this week, and it was a hit.

For the pizza dough, I used my favorite French bread recipe, which is a very reliable dough with lots of purposes. The crust is topped with tomato sauce, kalua pork, peppers, onions, and a generous layer of mozzarella cheese. I'm not going to be so presumptuous as to call this the New Hawaiian Pizza, but it is pretty darn delicious.

Kalua Pork Pizza
makes 1 12-inch pizza
print this recipe

Olive oil
1/2 recipe of French bread dough
Tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup of kalua pork
1 yellow or red pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Punch the dough down so it deflates a little, and let sit for 10 minutes. Flatten the dough with your hands on a slightly-floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Stretch and press the dough until it won't stretch any further. Let the dough rest about 5 minutes. Continue to stretch the dough into a circle until it is about 12-inches in diameter.

Brush or spray the dough with olive oil. Spoon on an even layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Add the peppers, onions, and pork. Transfer the pizza to a baking sheet, pizza pan, or pizza stone.

Bake pizza until crust is browned and cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes.

2 comments:

  1. Haha, this is great. I wish I could find a list somewhere of all the foods Americans eat that are inappropriately labeled -- Hawaiian pizza, Canadian bacon, French fries, etc.

    ReplyDelete