Pizza or Flatbread – The Big Debate
Pepé and Claude are debating if this is a pizza or a flatbread because it’s not what we would normally think of as a traditional pizza. Although the red sauce has been replaced with olive oil, it still has meat, onions and cheese, and it is on a pizza crust. Isn’t all that enough to call it a pizza?
Well, it’s getting hot in this kitchen and it’s not just because of a 500°F oven. Pepé and Claude are going to battle to the death if I don’t come up with a good answer soon. I’ve searched the internet and there’s no concrete answer. Some say pizza is round. Really? I’ve had plenty of square or non-round pizzas. Some say it’s the dough. Leavened or not. Yeasty or not. I can tell you this much… It ain’t gluten free. I give up. They can fight about it all day because I will be busy enjoying my duck pizza or whatever you want to call this warm, soft delicious morsel of heaven. Check out my Roasted Duck recipe here.
Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
This homemade pizza dough is not only easy, but equally delicious. I’ve had friends laugh at me and say I should just run to the store and buy pre-made dough, but this tastes so much better and doesn’t have all those preservatives like the dough from the stores.
Place pizza stone in oven then preheat it to 500°F. If making your own pizza dough, start that process so the dough can be rising while you’re caramelizing the onions. Heat large skillet and 2 TBSP olive oil on medium. Add onions and separate them.
Add salt and stir occasionally until they turn medium brown. Don’t let them stick to the pan and don’t burn them.
See how much one large onion reduces after be caramelized? It’s at least half as much. You can make these in large or small batches ahead of time and store in your refrigerator.
Add 1 TBSP olive oil in another skillet and sauté mushrooms while onions are caramelizing to save time.
Sprinkle your pizza peel with a little cornmeal to prevent it from sticking. Lightly flour your countertop. Divide your dough in half and shape it on your counter with your hands or rolling pin until it’s about 1/8″ thick.
Spread 1 TBSP olive oil on crust, then place half of the caramelized onions, half the duck, half of the mushrooms and half of the cheese on your pizza.
Drizzle with BBQ sauce and pop it the oven for about 8 minutes. Check the crust and make sure it’s not burning on the bottom. Carefully slide pizza onto a cutting board and make second pizza.
Sometimes I like to add micro-greens or arugula to pizza after it comes out of the oven.
Homemade Duck Pizza
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Roasted Duck Meat (from leftover whole roasted duck recipe)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (For pizza crust)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil (For onions and mushrooms)
- 1 Large yellow onion (Sliced)
- 2 Cups Pepper Jack Cheese (Shredded)
- 1 1/2 Cups Shiitake Mushrooms (Sliced)
- 4 Tablespoons BBQ Sauce
- 1 Handful Sprouts or Arugula (Optional)
- Homemade Pizza Dough (See recipe above or buy a premade crust)
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Place pizza stone in oven then preheat it to 500°F. If making your own pizza dough, start that process so the dough can be rising while you're caramelizing the onions.
- Heat large skillet and 2 TBSP olive oil on medium. Add onions and separate them. Add salt and stir occasionally until they turn medium brown. Don't let them stick to the pan and don't burn them. You can add a little balsamic vinegar near the end of the caramelizing.
- Add 1 TBSP olive oil in another skillet and sauté mushrooms while onions are caramelizing to save time.
- Sprinkle your pizza peel with a little cornmeal to prevent it from sticking.
- Lightly flour your countertop. Divide your dough in half and shape it on your counter with your hands or rolling pin until it's about 1/8" thick.
- Spread 1 TBSP olive oil on crust, then place half of the caramelized onions, half the duck, half of the mushrooms and half of the cheese on your pizza.
- Drizzle with BBQ sauce and pop it the oven for about 8 minutes. Check the crust and make sure it's not burning on the bottom.
- Carefully slide pizza onto a cutting board and make second pizza. Sometimes I like to add micro-greens or arugula to pizza after it comes out of the oven.