Pizza Today - January 2016 - 40

Here are a few new topping suggestions. I have used all of these in my

menu mix with surprisingly good results.

Artisan Meats and Proteins
* Soppressata instead of pepperoni. This cured sausage comes in logs of

either sweet or "picante" spicy. At
41 cents, thin slices offer-up a sexy, fatty
melt as a finishing item for pizza or with
sandwiches paired with shaved Parmesan
and arugula.

* Fresh chorizo instead of sausage. Nothing beats the melting puddles

of crimson paprika-fat that chorizo offers
on any pizza. The Mexican is spicier and
more aggressive and the Spanish style has
more mild finesse (See recipe on page 42).
* Ribs are the new wings. Baby
back ribs are only 17 cents an ounce raw,
(that's 05 cents cheaper than wings!) and
three ribs are 10 to 12 ounces of delicious, fatty meat handles - perfect for
an appetizer slathered with barbecue
and served with rolls or stuck in a crazy
popular stromboli for a real shocking
sales driver (See recipe on page 43).
* Pork belly is the new bacon. A
whole skin-on belly squeals in at .14 cents
an ounce compared to 35 to 40 cents an
ounce for precooked bacon crumbles.
Skin it and cure overnight with salt, sugar
rub, fennel and cumin seed and cook at
475 F for 30 minutes then at 300 F for
another hour for a firm-cooked belly. Or
cook less to slice thin and melt on a pie
with barbecue, balsamic, teriyaki or even
kimchi, cashew and finished with sprouts.
I sell a lot of long "Schiacciata" with fresh
spinach, blackberries, maple syrup and
aged provolone.

* Serrano ham instead of Prosciutto di Parma. Now that Spanish

charcuterie is allowed into the U.S., these
luscious meats are in high demand. At
37 cents an ounce, this mountain-cured
ham, sliced thin, has the same wonderful
salty melt on any pie.

* Boquorones instead of salted anchovies. Also called alici marinati (from

Southern Italy) or white anchovies, these
have the beautiful silver skin still on them
and taste more like pickled herring than

4 0 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / J A N UA R Y 2 0 1 6

the all-too-salty
pizza anchovy. They
are a real visual
shocker on a pie as
a finishing touch
to garlic, tomato,
onions, spice and
capers.

ENGLISH
STILTON
Salad

Artisan Cheeses
* Manchego
instead of
Cheddar. Span-

ish Manchego is
40 cents an ounce.
This is expensive
compared to white
cheddar at 25 cents
an ounce. But when
I introduced a
Spanish Coca (long
Spanish pizza) to
my customers, I've
been able to add
cheaper toppings that still have a Spanish flavor profile like potato, onion and
spinach to chorizo and anchovy.
* Gruyere is the new Swiss. This is
the cheese of fondue and is perfect with
the crispy wheat crust of any pie. This
bold cheese is great with onions, potato,
salami, country ham, speck, artichoke and
roasted garlic.
* Try chévre instead of ricotta.

By whipping this creamy goat cheese
with your favorite herb, spice or flavor, it
can transform a pizza from boring to a
creamy heaven in no time (See recipe on
page 42).

* Vegan mozzarella instead of
mozzarella. Vegans spend money, too.

So why only offer them tomato sauce in
your wood-fired or high-heat pizza place?
I have a great recipe for a vegan mozzarella with a melting profile to accommodate both vegans and high heat ovens.
* English Stilton is the new blue.

Stilton is $7.63 a pound and packs that
special creamy funk. I use it all the time
with apples, Asian pears and walnuts.
* Brie. In my experience, nothing sells
better than the word "brie". That's all I
have to say. Small slices on a hot pizza melt

perfectly or on a sandwich. Do not put brie
on a pizza in the oven; it will disappear.
Artisan Spices and Vegetables
* Ghost chili honey. Customers love

sweet and spice on pizza. The hottest of
hot peppers can bring excitement to
every hot fanatic. You must warn people
in writing before they use (See recipe on
page 42).

* Gochujang is the new wing
sauce. Gochujang is a Korean fermented

pepper paste and is all the rage now. At
22 cents an ounce, it isn't overwhelmingly
spicy and chars very easily because of its
sugar content, so diluting is recommended. Chicken is a wonder tossed with this
sauce. Aged provolone, fontina, Gruyére,
scallion, ham, bacon, steak, green peppers,
ranch and teriyaki rock with this.
* Marinated artichoke instead of
banana pepper. This typically expen-

sive item in stores is only 17 cents an
ounce when you buy quartered artichokes
in #10 cans. Cut thinly with a little marinade using dried herbs, garlic powder,
onion powder, lemon, salt, sugar and
extra virgin. It sparkles, making customers want it more and more.

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Pizza Today - January 2016

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