Skyler Oh, Valentine’s Day. It’s a holiday I rarely take time to celebrate, but this year I turned our traditional Sunday pizza into a valentine for my favorite pizza topping… PINEAPPLE. I hear some groans. But I still stand by my opinion. The sweet, the savory… I digress.
Although I eat meat, I lean towards a veggie-loaded pizza. For this one, I bought the a whole-wheat dough from my neighborhood supermarket (check out Gateway Market & Cafe next time you’re in Des Moines!). Also check out local pizza places or bakeries for pre-made dough. Or, if you feel inclined, check out our Basic Everything Bread Dough, which makes a fabulous pizza crust. For toppings, I used what I had on hand:
- Home-made garden pesto from the freezer
- Dehydrated garden tomatoes from the freezer
- Olives
- Pickled peppers
- Pineapple
- Shredded cheese
Start by pressing and stretching the dough into a heart shape To help the dough cooperate, first shape the dough into a circle then cut it into a roundish heart shape by remove a small notch from the dough on one edge, then cutting a point on opposite end. Then roll, press, or stretch the dough into a heart shape, giving it time to rest between stretches as needed. Transfer the rolled dough to an oiled pizza pan, then cover with sauce, toppings and cheese.
For a crisp crust, get that oven oven screaming hot (450°F) and bake it on the bottom rack. And voila—the romantic pizza night of your dreams has now begun!
So in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, show a little food love this month. Here is another inspiration!
