 |
| Innovative California-Style Fruit Pizza |
Anything goes for pizza ingredients in California since
Wolfgang Puck left his signature in Hollywood decades ago with his restaurant,
Spago. With that same sense of innovation and experimentation, I created this
savory and sweet fruit pizza recipe. With the savory flavors of blue cheese,
caramelized red onions, and bacon, with the summer fresh fruits of figs and
blueberries, this recipe combines one of my favorite summertime flavor combinations.
With premade pizza dough available in the grocery stores at Whole Foods and
other locations, it’s very quick to
 |
| Spago in Maui by Wolfgang Puck |
make your own signature pizza. But, if you
would like to make your own dough from scratch, I’ve included the pizza dough recipe
from Spago.
Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck became famous in California
for great original pizza flavor combinations at Spago, his second restaurant, opened
in West Hollywood on the Sunset Strip in 1982, which was an instant success and
culinary phenomenon. He had the smarts to hire pizza innovator, Ed LaDou, as
his first pizza chef. LaDou started cooking in San Francisco in the 1970’s,
where he was discovered by Puck. LaDou is credited with developing the now
famous Gourmet California style pizzas with at the time, unheard of and unorthodox
ingredients. The original menu included pizzas topped with ingredients such as duck
sausage, barbeque chicken, or smoked salmon and caviar. He also developed the
recipes for the popular California Pizza Kitchen Restaurant. LaDou’s creations put
Spago on the gourmet map, not just in Los Angeles but throughout the world.
for great original pizza flavor combinations at Spago, his second restaurant, opened
in West Hollywood on the Sunset Strip in 1982, which was an instant success and
culinary phenomenon. He had the smarts to hire pizza innovator, Ed LaDou, as
his first pizza chef. LaDou started cooking in San Francisco in the 1970’s,
where he was discovered by Puck. LaDou is credited with developing the now
famous Gourmet California style pizzas with at the time, unheard of and unorthodox
ingredients. The original menu included pizzas topped with ingredients such as duck
sausage, barbeque chicken, or smoked salmon and caviar. He also developed the
recipes for the popular California Pizza Kitchen Restaurant. LaDou’s creations put
Spago on the gourmet map, not just in Los Angeles but throughout the world.
Hollywood Fig, Blueberry, Blue Cheese and Bacon Pizza
Serves: 2 with a 10”pizza
Ingredients:
Olive oil cooking Spray
1 C Whole
Wheat Pizza Dough
Wheat Pizza Dough
½ C Blueberries
4 Fresh
Figs, de-stemmed and sliced crosswise
Figs, de-stemmed and sliced crosswise
2 T Cooked
Bacon, chopped small
Bacon, chopped small
¼ C Blue Cheese
¼ Small Red
Onion, chopped into 2” lengths, cooked to soften just until it starts to brown
Onion, chopped into 2” lengths, cooked to soften just until it starts to brown
1 T Olive oil
To taste, Kosher sea salt and freshly ground coarse black
pepper
Fresh Thyme Leaves, garnish on top if desired
pepper
Fresh Thyme Leaves, garnish on top if desired
Place oven rack in the lowest bottom position of oven. Pre-heat
oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray pizza stone with olive oil cooking spray.
Place dough on pizza stone. With a roller, gently spread out dough, working
from the center outwards, to nearly the full diameter of the pizza stone. Start
with blue cheese and arrange rest of ingredients evenly over pizza dough. Season
with salt and pepper.Bake for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven. Garnish with thyme, if desired. Let cool 3 minutes before cutting.
oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray pizza stone with olive oil cooking spray.
Place dough on pizza stone. With a roller, gently spread out dough, working
from the center outwards, to nearly the full diameter of the pizza stone. Start
with blue cheese and arrange rest of ingredients evenly over pizza dough. Season
with salt and pepper.Bake for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven. Garnish with thyme, if desired. Let cool 3 minutes before cutting.
Wolfgang Puck’s Pizza Dough Recipe from the Martha
Stewart Show
Stewart Show
Makes: (4) eight inch pizzas
Ingredients:
One 1/4-ounce active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup warm water, 105 degrees to 115 degrees
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
Step 1
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and honey in 1/4 cup warm
water; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook,
combine flour and salt. Add oil, yeast mixture, and remaining 3/4 cup warm
water; mix on low speed until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and
clusters around the dough hook, about 5 minutes.
water; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook,
combine flour and salt. Add oil, yeast mixture, and remaining 3/4 cup warm
water; mix on low speed until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and
clusters around the dough hook, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Turn dough out onto a clean work surface, and knead by
hand until dough is smooth and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer dough to a large
bowl, and cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Place bowl in a warm spot,
and let rise for 30 minutes.
hand until dough is smooth and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer dough to a large
bowl, and cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Place bowl in a warm spot,
and let rise for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Divide dough into four balls, about 6 ounces each. Work
each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball;
repeat 4 or 5 times. On a clean, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the
palm of your hand until dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Repeat with
remaining balls; cover with a damp towel, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Prepare as needed and arrange
desired toppings.
each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball;
repeat 4 or 5 times. On a clean, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the
palm of your hand until dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Repeat with
remaining balls; cover with a damp towel, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Prepare as needed and arrange
desired toppings.
Note: Wrap balls of dough in plastic and refrigerate for
up to two days in the refrigerator. To freeze, you can wrap the dough in
plastic and freeze it in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. If you
plan to use it in a recipe that calls for half a batch, divide it before
freezing. Place frozen dough balls in refrigerator to thaw overnight before
using.
up to two days in the refrigerator. To freeze, you can wrap the dough in
plastic and freeze it in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. If you
plan to use it in a recipe that calls for half a batch, divide it before
freezing. Place frozen dough balls in refrigerator to thaw overnight before
using.
