Pulled Pork Pizza – thin crust style.

Instructions

To prepare the Pizza Dough

1. Makes Sufficient for six 12 to 14 inch thin crust pizzas or 4 thicker crust pizzas
2. Mix dry ingredients together except for two cups of the flour.
3. Add the warm water and mix very well with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.
4. You may need to use a little more or a little less flour, just don't add so much that the dough gets too stiff. Dough that forms into a ball easily but remains soft and a little sticky to the touch is ideal.
5. Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top and knead for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Allow dough to rest for 2 hours, covered in a warm place or until doubled in size. Knead again for 5- 10 minutes and split dough into 2 - 6 portions and allow to rest for 20 minutes before rolling or stretching your dough into the desired size.
7. NOTE: Although not completely essential, I always make my pizza dough a day ahead and cold proof it in the fridge overnight. To do this, immediately after the second kneading, when the dough is formed into balls, place it in a long plastic container that has been lined with parchment paper and then well dusted with flour. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Allow the dough to come up to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before using it.

To prepare the Spicy Quick Pizza Sauce

1. Saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chili sauce, salt, pepper.
2. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency.
3. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving. Let the sauce cool thoroughly before using it on the pizza.

Preparing the pizza for the oven.

1. Other than the pulled pork and cheese, use whatever toppings you think go well together. I make simple versions of this pizza mostly with just cheese and onion but this is a list of some of the toppings we have used.
2. Pieces of pulled pork
3. Pre-cooked bacon, crumbled
4. julienne red onion
5. julienne red peppers
6. pickled jalapeno peppers or banana peppers
7. Cheese: Use any combination you like mozzarella, parmasean or monteray jack cheese
8. Preheat your pizza stone in middle rack of your oven for half an hour at 450 degrees F.
9. Stretch or roll your pizza dough into rounds and place on a wooden peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings. Spread pizza sauce over the crust plus a little cheese. Add desired toppings.This type of thin crust pizza cooks very fast (only 8 minutes in my oven) so a single layer of toppings is best. Resist the temptation to pile the toppings high on this particular pizza.
10. I use cheese that's cut into small cubes rater than grated because it stands up to the heat better in the high heat. Grated cheese may actually burn or brown too much at this heat.
11. Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.
12. Bake for 7-10 minutes depending upon your oven. Bottom and top crust should be nicely browned. Allow pizza to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.