ENTERTAINING
FAN FARE By Eric Vellend When the crowd comes by for a big game on TV, these tasty prep-ahead treats are sure winners!
The bones of this grand Hawaiian are a mashup of no-knead guru Jim Lahey’s dough and the sheet pan technique of Serious Eat’s J. Kenji López-Alt. Since yeast-raised dough is sensitive to ratios, first loosen the flour in the bag or container with a butter knife, then proceed to measure by the scoop-and-level method. A heavy-duty nonstick baking sheet is a worthy investment to achieve the crispiest possible crust. An aluminum half-sheet pan also works, though you may have to loosen the pizza with a thin, metal spatula. Do not use thin cookie sheets for this recipe.
DOUGH
3⅓ cups (830 mL) all-purpose flour (measured by scoop-and-level)
2 tsp (10 mL) fine sea salt
½ tsp (2 mL) instant yeast
2 tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups plus 1 tbsp (375 plus 15 mL) water, at room temperature
TOMATO SAUCE
1 can (796 mL) Italian tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Granulated sugar to taste
PIZZA
5 tbsp (75 mL) extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for pineapple
⅓ ripe medium pineapple, sliced ⅓ inch (8 mm) thick
¾ lb (375 g) mozzarella, grated
3 oz (90 g) sliced smoked ham, cut into bite-size pieces
1 red hot chili pepper, thinly sliced
Mint leaves to garnish
1 The night before you plan to make the pizza, place flour, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. With a sturdy wooden spoon, stir in olive oil and water. With your hand or pastry scraper, briefly knead mixture in bowl to achieve soft, shaggy and slightly sticky dough. Clean sides of bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at cool room temperature for 16 to 18 hours.
2 For the sauce, empty can of tomatoes into a large bowl. Gently crush tomatoes with hands, discarding stray bits of peel. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1½ minutes, but do not brown. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Once it starts bubbling, adjust heat to maintain gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. If it’s tart, add sugar. (Cooled, covered and refrigerated, sauce will keep for up to 5 days.)
3 For the pizza, pour 4 tbsp (60 mL) olive oil onto a 13 x 18-inch (33 x 45-cm) heavy-duty, nonstick, rimmed baking sheet. Scrape dough onto tray. Rub with remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil. Press into rough rectangle with fingertips. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 2 hours.
4 While dough is proofing, heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush pineapple with a little olive oil. Grill until grill marks form, about 1½ minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces, discarding cores.
5 Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) for 30 minutes.
6 Gently pull dough with fingers so it fills pan. Smear with 1 cup (250 mL) tomato sauce leaving a 1-inch (2.5-cm) border. (Save remaining tomato sauce for another use.) Top with cheese, ham, pineapple (may not need all) and chili pepper. Bake on bottom rack until bottom crust is crisp and cheese is bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes. (Check at 10-minute mark, and move to middle rack if bottom is already well browned.) Let cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with mint and cut into pieces with pizza wheel.