Author Topic: December 2011 Monthly Challenge: "Peppers!" (Read 27285 times)

Bill/SFNM · « **on:** December 03, 2011, 05:24:56 PM »

Let's spice it up for the holiday season. Your challenge is to bake a pizza this month, preferably one that is new for you, based on your interpretation of the theme: Peppers!

cosgrojo · « **Reply #1 on:** December 04, 2011, 12:46:49 PM »

This is an exciting challenge... My mind is spinning with possibilities... Hopefully will have an entry by later this week. Good pick Bill!

CDNpielover · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2011, 01:16:45 PM »

Quote from: cosgrojo on December 04, 2011, 12:46:49 PM

This is an exciting challenge... My mind is spinning with possibilities... Hopefully will have an entry by later this week. Good pick Bill!

I agree - iim really excited too! This is the first monthly challenge I will be participating in. Last night I did some brainstorming and some calculating, this will be the first time I am not working from a strict recipe so i'm kind of excited about that!

buceriasdon · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2011, 01:30:35 PM »

Most likely I'll be waiting till to wards the end of the month to post some of my pepper pizzas, though admittedly not new to me, but some that others haven't done during the month. I do look forward to more contributions to the monthly challenge and this is a good theme for one. Nice to see some enthusiasm.
Don

Tscarborough · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2011, 04:59:39 PM »

A perfect excuse for me to make el diablo. I love the heat but normally do not make them unless the family is away.

buceriasdon · « **Reply #5 on:** December 04, 2011, 05:07:04 PM »

Tom, I too have a pizza that I make only when humans will not be in a one block area after consuming.

Don

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 05, 2011, 03:25:30 PM »

I know I make this one all the time, but it love it. Fresh jalapenos go so well with cheese and pepperoni. One little touch you can't see is a light sprinkling of oregano on the sauce before the cheese goes down. That little bit of herb brings everything together perfectly. The pie is just not the same without it.

CL

CDNpielover · « **Reply #7 on:** December 05, 2011, 05:07:09 PM »

^^awesome

cosgrojo · « **Reply #8 on:** December 06, 2011, 07:51:37 PM »

Txcraig- I love that pizza combo. There used to be a place in town that made a very good pie with those exact topping... Loved it. When they closed up shop, it forced me to start making my own. No decent pie in New Hampshire. Since then a few good places have opened up... But now I am a pizza snob

.

Oh and here is a teaser folks!!! I am beyond excited about this. I used the Tartine methodology that I was recently educated on to create this dough. It's a little wetter than I am used to working with, but the stretch and fold appeared to trick it into a good feel. Less than 48 hours away from my first entry this month.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n579/cosgrojo/a087a29e.jpg

Any guesses?

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 06, 2011, 10:22:18 PM »

Cheese Whiz? for a Nacho pizza?

buceriasdon · « **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2011, 07:04:58 AM »

First pie out of lil' oven and I have work to do. Need lots more top heat. The bottom was a bit over charred, but still tasted good. My girlfriend likes habanero chile on her salami, ham, tuna pizza but she opted for jalapenos this time. I made a roasted red pepper pesto and shrimp for myself but no pics, I'll make another soon.
Don

buceriasdon · « **Reply #11 on:** December 07, 2011, 07:08:33 AM »

Craig, As always, beautiful pie. I'm with you on the oregano.
Don

norma427 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 07, 2011, 07:19:03 AM »

This pizza with jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, and pepperoni was baked for a market stand holder. It seems each week lately he want a pizza made with a lot of jalapenos and mushrooms. Since I don’t sell that type of pizza he buys the jalapenos and mushrooms at market and then tells me he wants a pepperoni pizza with his added ingredients. I clean the jalapenos and mushrooms. I would think there would be a better way to sweat off the water in the jalapenos and mushrooms, before they are placed on the pizza, but he wants the pizza in a fairly short amount of time. He gives me about 7 jalapeno peppers and about 8 mushrooms for the pizza he wants to buy.

Norma

buceriasdon · « **Reply #13 on:** December 07, 2011, 07:38:49 AM »

Looks great Norma

When you say you clean the jalapenos, you mean you cut out the seeds and chop?
Don

norma427 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 07, 2011, 08:04:37 AM »

Quote from: buceriasdon on December 07, 2011, 07:38:49 AM

Looks great Norma When you say you clean the jalapenos, you mean you cut out the seeds and chop?
Don

Don,

The man that wants this pizza each week, does want the seeds cut out, then chopped. I would go about making the pizza with jalapenos and mushrooms a different way, but this is how he wants the pizza made. The mushrooms do give off too much water without something done to them for my taste.

Norma

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 07, 2011, 09:38:33 AM »

Quote from: buceriasdon on December 07, 2011, 07:08:33 AM

Craig, As always, beautiful pie. I'm with you on the oregano.
Don

Thanks Don. I'm intrigued about the tuna on your pie. Is it fresh or canned?

CL

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 07, 2011, 09:41:44 AM »

Quote from: norma427 on December 07, 2011, 07:19:03 AM

I would think there would be a better way to sweat off the water in the jalapenos and mushrooms, before they are placed on the pizza, but he wants the pizza in a fairly short amount of time.

Great looking pie Norma. Persoanlly, I like the fresh flavor of the jalapenos with pepperoni. I think you would loose a lot of this flavor if you sweated/cooked them first. The mushrooms I can go either way. On this pie, I might like them better cooked. I can't say for sure. On my mushroom and white truffle pie, I definately prefer them to go on raw.

CL

norma427 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 07, 2011, 12:03:12 PM »

Quote from: TXCraig1 on December 07, 2011, 09:41:44 AM

Great looking pie Norma. Persoanlly, I like the fresh flavor of the jalapenos with pepperoni. I think you would loose a lot of this flavor if you sweated/cooked them first. The mushrooms I can go either way. On this pie, I might like them better cooked. I can't say for sure. On my mushroom and white truffle pie, I definately prefer them to go on raw.

CL

Craig,

I think your submission for this months challenge and all the other posters all are great!

If the standholder asks me to make this same pizza next week, what would you advise me to do to get rid of the water that all those mushrooms and jalapenos give off in the bake. Steve and I had slid this pie out part way different times and mopped up most of the water with paper towels.

That gets to be a pain!

Norma

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 07, 2011, 02:03:21 PM »

Quote from: norma427 on December 07, 2011, 12:03:12 PM

Craig,

I think your submission for this months challenge and all the other posters all are great! If the standholder asks me to make this same pizza next week, what would you advise me to do to get rid of the water that all those mushrooms and jalapenos give off in the bake. Steve and I had slid this pie out part way different times and mopped up most of the water with paper towels. That gets to be a pain!

Norma

My guess is that most of the water is coming from the mushrooms. I don't know what you could do besides sautee them first. Or, nuke them maybe?

CL

buceriasdon · « **Reply #19 on:** December 07, 2011, 02:10:02 PM »

Norma, Agaricus bisporus, the common buttom mushroom is near 90% water. A quick saute in unsalted butter might help. Go very light on the butter. Don't use salt to season, it will make the mushrooms soggy. I can't imagine the jalapenos are the cause of the excess moisture your experiencing.
Don