Lamb Merguez Pizza
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Recipe Provided By
Chef Cindy PawlcynServings
4 dough balls(4 10-inch pizzas)
Ingredients
Pizza Dough:
- 625 grams all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (optional: combine 1/2 bread flour, 1/2 tip 00 flour)
- 30 milliliters extra virgin olive oil
- 45 grams sourdough leaven (optional)
- 5 grams dry active yeast
- 5 grams kosher salt
Lamb Merguez Spice Mix:
- 60 grams chili powder
- 45 grams salt, fine
- 10 grams cayenne
- 10 grams cumin, ground
- 10 grams anise seeds, ground
- 6 grams black pepper, ground
- 5 grams sweet paprika
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Lamb Merguez:
- 2 pounds American Lamb, ground
- 3 tablespoons Lamb Merguez Spice Mix (see above)
Pizza Sauce:
- 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
- 1-1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon marjoram, dried, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon oregano, dried, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon scant salt
- 1 teaspoon scant sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Pizza Toppings:
- Medium cornmeal for dusting, as needed
- 8 tablespoons black olives tapenade
- 3 ounces Pizza Sauce (see above)
- 1-1/2 cups Lamb Merguez (see above
- 1 red onion, sliced thinly and caramelized in extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, fresh, drained on cheesecloth for 24 hours in the refrigerator (optional but will produce a better pizza)
- 2 cups pecorino cheese, grated finely, light and fluffy, not packed
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Directions
In a mixing bowl, add 1-3/4 cups lukewarm water; sprinkle yeast over water and let dissolve, about 2 minutes. Using hands, add flour, oil, sourdough leaven (optional) and salt; mix well until flour is incorporated and dough forms, about 5 minutes.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn dough onto surface and knead lightly until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes; cut into 4 equal pieces, about 8 ounces each. Wrap dough pieces individually in plastic wrap; refrigerate several hours or overnight. (You can skip this, rise and use dough right away; however, the cool, slow rise provides a better texture and flavor.)
Remove dough from refrigerator, unwrap, flour lightly, and cover with a towel about 45 minutes before baking. Each dough ball with make a 10-inch diameter pizza.
For the Lamb Merguez Spice Mix: In a bowl, mix chili powder, salt, cayenne, cumin, anise, pepper and paprika, keeping dry; mix together with garlic and oil. Refrigerate overnight.
For the Pizza Sauce: In a bowl, combine tomatoes, oil, marjoram, oregano, salt, sugar and garlic powder; mix into a relatively smooth sauce. (You can do this in a food processor on pulse, do not puree completely.)
Preheat a baking stone at 500°F for 20 minutes. Shape an 8-ounce dough ball into a 10-inch pizza round. Dust a pizza peel or back of sheet pan with cornmeal; place shaped dough on top. Shake peel or pan to loosen dough, making sure it slides easily. If needed, add more cornmeal under the dough.
Spread 2 tablespoons tapenade across dough; add 3 ounces pizza sauce. Distribute 1-1/2 cups lamb Merguez evenly, and 3 tablespoons caramelized onions. Finish with 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Pecorino.
Slide pizza onto baking stone; bake 4 to 8 minutes. When pizza is done, slide the peel under to remove, place on cutting board and cut into wedges.
Chef’s Notes:
- All components of the recipe are best prepared a day ahead of time.
- The pizza dough tastes best prepared a day in advance and refrigerated overnight.
- The Lamb Merguez is best prepared a day ahead and refrigerated overnight to season the lamb.
- The recipe will make more than you will need for the pizza; uncooked meat can be frozen and used at a later time.
- The sauce can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.
