Pizza party
Welcome summer with a new approach to barbecue
Summer is now officially here, and everyone seems to be craving barbecue. Of course, that word can mean different things to different people, from the slowly smoked meat of the American South or Midwest to the Caribbeanand Mexican-influenced spicy barbacoa of the Southwest to the quickly grilled foods many people think of as barbecue in Southern California.
But when I first opened my Spago restaurant in 1982, we came up with yet another definition by translating so many of barbecue’s familiar elements into something I called a barbecue chicken pizza. It’s a dish my customers still ask for today; some of them have even learned to make it in their own homes. And besides being as delicious as it sounds, one of the best things about it is that you don’t even need a barbecue or grill to prepare it.
My barbecue chicken pizza combines so many of the qualities that people everywhere look for in great barbecued food. There’s the boneless, skinless chicken that so many people in California and elsewhere like to cook quickly over an open fire; but here, I use already cooked chicken, either leftover from another meal or conveniently purchased at the supermarket. For the sauce, I use a good, thick bottled variety like the K.C. Masterpiece brand, but you can use any you prefer. And then for Southwestern spice, I include some minced jalapeno chile, though you could substitute crushed red-pepper flakes, if you like, or leave it out completely if you want something milder.
The other parts of this pizza will probably remind you of what people like about any good pizza. I use my own homemade dough, though you could certainly substitute any good-quality pizza dough you find at the market. After rolling but before topping and baking it, I lightly brush the dough with some olive oil, which helps it brown nicely and adds a hint of the olive’s fruity green flavor. I also brush a little more oil on the crust after the pizza comes out of the oven. For more flavor and texture, I add sun-dried tomatoes and sliced red onion, though you could substitute other vegetables.
Then, of course, there’s the cheese — and not just one. I use a mixture of mozzarella and fontina, then add some freshly grated Parmesan when the pizza comes out of the oven. Feel free to substitute your own favorite combination, if you like.
All these elements add up to something that somehow feels both traditional and modern. And with no barbecue or grill in sight, it tastes, remarkably, like great barbecue, no matter how you define it.