By Deborah Goldstein

Who doesn’t like pizza? Well, there might be somebody out there who doesn’t. But in assuming this comfort food classic is universally beloved, I’m sure you’re all familiar with its various incarnations. When you consider preparing homemade pizza, the strategy is in your hands, and the possibilities are virtually limitless. Want pineapples or anchovies on that pie? Go for it. Prefer a Parisian-style over the definitive Italian? You’re speakin’ my language. Satisfied with traditional Neapolitan pizza without fancy toppings? It’s a free country!

I enjoy creating completely new pizza topping combinations every time I prepare homemade pizza. I call each example the “pizza mash-mish”, which typically amounts to a controlled chaos situation whereby leftovers find themselves mingling with other leftovers atop the pie. Over the years, these toppings have included prosciutto, green stuffed olives, and even duck confit! All of the pizzas usually end up tasting delicious, but some are so good that they just stick in your memory. Today’s recipe is one of those. Before preparing it, keep in mind that two of the toppings require their own separate preparation, and the links to those recipes are included below. You also might want to invest in a pizza stone and a cutter (Sur la Table is a great online source).

Follow the recipe closely, and before you know it, you’ll be eating exceptional, wonderfully-crusted pizza with minimal preparation time. But be warned: Pizzeria pizza might never again be good enough!

Goldie’s Standout Pizza Mash-Mish (Serves 2-3)  Print This Post

Ingredients:

• 1 Fresh Pizza Dough
• 6 Thin Slices Genoa Salami, sliced further into thin strips
• 1 Large Roasted Red Pepper, sliced
• 2 oz Spinach Pesto
• 1 Cup Roasted Eggplant, Cubed
• 1 oz Reggiano, Coarsely-Grated
• 4 oz Fresh Mozzarella, Coarsely-Grated
• Olive Oil or Bacon Drippings

Directions:

1. Let dough come to room temperature and rise (I dust it with a bit of flour, put it on a plate and cover it with a kitchen towel).
2. Put pizza stone into the oven and preheat to 400 F.
3. Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with olive oil and place it atop a cutting board (bacon drippings are even better for flavor, so consider saving some the next time you fry bacon).
4. Stretch the pizza dough evenly, by hand or with a rolling pin, and place it on the aluminum foil (note: the stretched dough does not have to be perfectly round).
5. Brush the top of the dough lightly with olive oil or bacon drippings.
6. Place sporadic dollops of pesto atop the dough, followed by the eggplant cubes, roasted pepper slices and salami.
7. Top evenly with mozzarella and finally with Reggiano.
8. Slide the dough (aluminum foil included) off of the cutting board and into the oven atop the pizza stone. If your oven has a convection option, switch to it now.
9. Bake until dough is browned and cheese is melted (about 20 minutes).

• Remove pizza from oven and separate from aluminum foil, making sure no foil is stuck to the pizza’s bottom.
• Place pizza atop a cutting board, slice and serve hot.

Pair with a fragrant, light-bodied Northern Italian red wine.

Deborah Goldstein is a successful restauranteur and founder of the Driven Women, a community composed to serve NYC professionals sharing the common goal of career advancement, while integrating family life and personal development.