Moroccan Madness Pizza

The General Mills test kitchens do a lot of recipe development based on consumer demographics. During the Pillsbury Bake-Off last November, the staff shared some of their latest pizza creations with food writers.  The staff tried to come up with pizzas based on some of the latest food trends.

Moroccan Madness Pizza, which uses harissa chili paste, eggplant and kalamata olives, was themed “Ethnic: Expanded.”  Ethnic foods have definitely gone global.

Those into the healthy “superfood” trend might go for the Pesto, Kale and Sweet Potato Pizza, which was my favorite of the bunch. I’m a pushover for pesto, and I liked the crunch from the pumpkin seeds.

The one I liked least was the Pudgy Pig Pizza, topped with pulled pork and crushed barbecue potato chips, then drizzled with a mayo/sriracha mixture.

But, I’m not the target audience. I’m sure the Pudgy Pig was designed to appeal to 18-34-year-old males — referred to by marketers as “Rejuveniles.”  In a trends seminar I attended a few years ago, Ron Rentel of the Consumer Eyes marketing firm said this group has a huge influence on food product development, as well as today’s humor. (Hence the silly TV beer ads, and gross jokes in “bro-mance” movies.) The group’s pastimes include Fantasy Football and video games, and their food indulgences include fast food, junk food and energy drinks. Rentel said men ages 18-34 account for 70 percent of McDonald’s sales, and that Taco Bell’s “4th Meal” campaign was aimed at their late-night eating habits.

I liked the pizza’s pulled pork, but I thought the crushed potato chip topping seemed like junk food overkill. Of course, you could the same thing about that beloved Utah institution, Funeral Potatoes, which are often topped with crushed potato chips.

One thing to note when making these pizzas.: the directions say to partially bake the crust for several minutes before loading on the toppings, then finish baking. The helps eliminate the doughy middle that plagues a lot of homemade pizzas.

Moroccan Madness Pizza

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Start to Finish: 45 Minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons harissa chili paste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small eggplant, very thinly sliced

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 11-ounce can refrigerated thin pizza crust

3/4 cup marinara sauce

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped

Fresh oregano, basil, mint or arugula leaves

1. Heat oven to 400°F.

2. In medium bowl, beat oil, 1 tablespoon of the harissa chili paste and the salt with whisk until well combined. Add eggplant and zucchini; toss to combine. Place eggplant and zucchini in roasting pan, setting bowl aside for step 4. Roast in oven 8 to 10 minutes or until eggplant and zucchini just start to become tender.

3. Grease dark or nonstick cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. Unroll dough on cookie sheet; starting at center, press dough into 15-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle into 4 equal pieces to make 4 small pizzas. Place 1/2 inch apart. Tuck corners of each rectangle under, and press to make even.

4. In bowl reserved from step 2, mix marinara sauce, the remaining 2 tablespoons harissa chili paste and the garlic. Blend until well combined. Spread sauce on dough pieces. Top with 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, followed by roasted veggies and olives. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with oregano and mint.

Makes 4 servings.

 

The Pudgy Pig Pizza

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Start to Finish: 30 Minutes

1 13.8-ounce can refrigerated classic pizza crust

2 cups refrigerated original barbecue sauce with shredded pork (from an 18-ounce container)

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)

1 jalapeño chile, thinly sliced

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

1 cup crushed barbecue potato chips

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 15×10-inch or larger dark or nonstick cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. Unroll dough on cookie sheet; starting at center, press dough into 15×10-inch rectangle.

2. Bake about 8 minutes or until light golden brown. Spread pulled pork onto partially baked crust. Top with cheese and jalapeño chile.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

4. In small bowl, mix mayonnaise and sriracha sauce until well combined. Top pizza with barbecue chips. Spoon mayo mixture into resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut 1 corner, and drizzle on top of pizza.

Makes 6 servings.