Sweet & Spicy Pineapple Pizza

Today we’re making pizza! Not just any pizza but one packed with smoky grilled onions and pineapple, balsamic vinegar, jalapenos, with tons of gooey mozzarella cheese.

Just the right amount of heat with juicy pineapple to cool everything down.

Grilling the pineapple and onions might seem like an excess step, but it is so necessary. They get smoky and caramelized, there’s nothing better than grilled vegetables. Do you use your grill during the winter months? A former coworker once told me she brushed 1 foot of snow off her grill and grilled hotdogs in the middle of a snowstorm! It was the Super Bowl, so I guess that’s understandable. Definitely grilling dedication though! I only use my grill in the warm summer months, not because I’m afraid of the cold, but the taste of grilled food just reminds me of summer! Eating grilled food when it’s snowing would seem so out of place.

At first, I wasn’t sure if the grilled pineapple would pair with everything. But it is perfect! The pineapple helps balance out the heat from the jalapenos. And grilling the pineapple makes it less sweet and more savory.

Don’t be afraid to share this with the pineapple skeptics. Even my dad, whose first choice would never be pineapple on pizza, enjoyed this and had multiple slices.

All the recipes I found for pineapple pizza used a tomato-based sauce. Tomato and pineapple doesn’t sound like a great combination, so I debated between using bbq, white garlic sauce, or balsamic vinegar. In the end I chose balsamic because one, it was the easiest (no extra work needed) and two, I wanted this to be a simple, quick summer pizza. Sometimes less is better. I didn’t want there to be too many flavors. I like the taste of the balsamic, but if you’d prefer you can use bbq sauce.

I always make sure to add a drop of honey to my pizza dough. It may sound strange or like you wouldn’t taste much, but it adds a subtle sweetness to the crust that can’t be beat!

Sweet & Spicy Pineapple Pizza

From north coast eats at https://northcoasteats.com/sweet-spicy-pineapple-pizza/

https://northcoasteats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/pineapple.pizza-0268.jpg

Yield: makes 1 pizza and dough

Starts with a swirl of balsamic vinegar, layered with grilled pineapple & onions, sliced jalapenos, topped with mozzarella cheese.

You'll Need...

PIZZA DOUGH:
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
TOPPINGS:
1 pineapple cored and cut into thin rings
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 jalapenos, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper, to taste
6 - 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into about 1 inch pieces

Directions

Make the dough: In a large bowl combine the warm water and yeast until foamy. Add the rest of the dough ingredients and mix until dough comes together but is sticky. Knead dough on a floured surface. Add up to 1/2 more flour if needed. Return dough to bowl, coat with thin layer of olive oil (to prevent sticking). Cover bowl and allow to rise for 45 minutes, until puffy and doubled in size.
Prep the pizza toppings: Grill the pineapple and red onions until evenly charred.
Make the pizza: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet (or pizza stone) with parchment paper and a sprinkle of cornstarch (optional). Roll the dough into a circle shape making sure the dough is evenly thin. Drizzle dough with balsamic oil. Top with grilled pineapple, onions, jalapenos, and chunks of mozzarella. Toss a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper on top. Cook in oven 20 - 25 minutes until crust is golden brown. Cut into pieces before serving.