Sourdough Bread Supreme Pizza

This can be done with a conventional crust, but the tangy sourdough adds an extra taste dimension.  We had a partial loaf of sourdough, plus a partial fresher loaf, so it was time for homemade pizza.

The sauce is the key to homemade pizza.  I first started developing this sauce back in the 1960s.  Over the years it’s been tweaked and adjusted.  Preheat oven to 450 (425 if it has convection “Pizza” setting).  Line sheet pan with parchment paper.  I've gotten hooked on parchment paper and for these pizzas you get the bonus of "cheese chips" when the cheese that spills off the edges bubbles, browns & crisps on the parchment paper.  And it peels right up.  And no cleanup, just toss the paper.

The basic sauce ingredients:

1 small can Contadina tomato sauce

1 small can Contadina tomato paste

1 heaping Tablespoon Italian seasoning, crushed to release flavor

Salt & pepper to taste

Dash of cinnamon

4 drops Dad’s Jalapeño sauce

1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Mix all sauce ingredients, set aside for flavors to “marry” while you do the rest of the preparations.  There will be more than enough sauce.  I like to make "torpizzas" with the leftover sauce & cheese.  Spread sauce, toppings & cheese on a flour tortilla and microwave until the cheese melts.  Sometimes you can even get the tortilla crispy, especially if you partially cook it before you add the sauce & toppings.  Nice, quick lunch.

 

Toppings:

½ cup diced summer sausage

¼ cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives (low sodium, if possible)

½ small jar sliced mushrooms

3 mini peppers, sliced thin (color variety if you like – I used red, orange & yellow)

Small amount of very thinly sliced red onion

½ pound shredded Mozzarella cheese

Assembly:

Cut 4-5” sections of sourdough loaf (use the tangiest you can find) into 3 horizontal slices to make a reasonable thickness for the crust.  If necessary, cut a thin slice off the crust of the outermost slices to stabilize.

Spread generously with sauce.  Top with peppers, mushrooms, onion, olives, summer sausage.  Top generously with Mozzarella.  Some of the cheese will fall over the edges – it makes great “cheese chips”, and the parchment paper makes cleanup easy.

Bake 11-13 minutes, until cheese begins to brown.

 
Note:  I have used Contadina brand tomato sauce and paste since I started cooking.  There’s something special about the taste, different than the other major brands and house brands.  I find other brands to be missing something.  You may prefer a different brand, or may not even notice a difference; use whatever brand suits your taste.  In cooking, it doesn’t matter how spectacular a flavor is for someone else – if it doesn’t suit you, it’s not worth cooking.  Learn your preferences.  Brands, varieties, etc.  When brands taste the same, use what’s cheapest or easiest to get; when you can tell a difference, hold out for the one you like.   You’ll enjoy your food more, and so will the people you feed.

Sourdough note: I can't get real San Francisco sourdough bread in Colorado.  The best I can do for tangy flavor is the sourdough from the Safeway stores.  It's a chemical sourdough instead of a true sourdough, but it's got the flavor I crave.  Like all foods, use the bread that works for you.  If you like a milder crust, use any French bread or artisan bread that will give you the flavor that delights you.