Creole Shrimp and Okra Pizza

     This creole shrimp and okra pizza is very special!  This pizza has a classic New Orleans shrimp creole flavor.  Gourmet mini pizzas are popular everywhere.  Instead of Italian pizza sauce, a creole flavored pizza sauce is used for this recipe.  This creole pizza sauce is not a true creole sauce recipe, because it is modified to be used on pizza.

     When I make a batch of pizza dough, I usually make enough dough for a few mini pizzas and some bread too.  Three mini pizzas and a dozen slider burger rolls is what I baked with this single batch of dough.  Pizza dough is the same thing as Italian bread dough.  Focaccia dough can also be used as pizza dough.
   
     Focaccia Pizza Dough Recipe:
     If you have dough making experience, then this will be easy.
     High gluten flour is best for this recipe, but bread flour can be used.
     Focaccia style doughs requires enrichment with fat.  Olive oil is a fat!  Oil strengthens and elongates the gluten strands of the dough.  It only takes a very small amount of oil to produce a nice texture.  The elastic gluten strands give pizza dough the ability to be stretched and tossed in the air!
     Add 2 tablespoon of fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon of dry yeast to 16 ounces of tepid luke warm water in a mixing bowl.  (105 to 109 degrees F)
     Place the mixing bowl in a luke warm place like on top of a warm oven.
     When the yeast activates, add 2 teaspoons of sugar to proof the yeast.
     Add about 2 cups of flour.
     Add 2 teaspoons of sea salt.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
     Stir the mixture with a spoon, till a very loose wet dough is formed.
     Start adding a little bit of flour at a time,while stirring, till a loose dough is formed.
     Add a little more flour at a time, while mixing with your fingers, till the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
     You will be able to feel when the dough is starting to get elastic.  It will stick to your hands when made correctly, but that will change after rising twice.
     Add flour, while hand mixing, till the dough can pull away from the sides of the bowl.
     Cover the dough in the mixing bowl with a dry towel.
     Set the bowl on top of an oven in a luke warm area, with a second towel underneath the bowl to protect the dough from too much heat.
     When the dough rises more than double, beat it down with your knuckles and gather the dough like a ball in the bowl.
     Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise again.
     When it rises the second time, beat the dough down and knead firmly with your hands for 1 minute.
     Place the dough on a floured counter top.
     Roll the dough into a large ball.
     Cut the dough ball in half for two medium size pizzas portions or cut it into four portions for mini pizzas.
     Roll and tuck each dough portion with with your hands to make smooth dough balls.
     You can cover and refrigerate each dough ball for a few days or freeze the dough portions for later use.
   
     Creole Shrimp and Okra Pizza Sauce Recipe:  
     Don't worry about classic creole cooking techniques!  This is just a pizza sauce.  The shrimp and okra are cooked in the sauce, then they are removed to be used later as part of the pizza topping.  Many of the ingredients that are supposed to be in a creole sauce, are used as the vegetable pizza toppings on this pie!
     Heat a sauce pot over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
     Add 3 unsalted butter pats.
     Add 3 cloves of minced garlic.
     Saute till the garlic turns a golden color.
     Add 2 ounces of tomato paste.
     Add 3 ounces canned crushed tomato.
     Add 1/2 cup of water.
     Add 1/4 cup of dry white wine.
     Stir the sauce.
     Add 1 pinches of tarragon.
     Add 1 pinch of marjoram.
     Add 1 pinch of oregano.
     Add 1 pinch of basil.
     Add 2 pinches of thyme.
     Add 3 pinches of cayenne pepper.
     Add 2 pinches of paprika.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     After the sauce begins to simmer, add 1 large handful of thick sliced fresh okra.
     Add 20 to 25 peeled medium size shrimp.  (Remove the tails for this recipe.)
     Simmer the okra and shrimp, till they become cooked al dente.
     Simmer and reduce the sauce, till it becomes a medium thin tomato sauce consistency.
     Remove the pan from the heat
     Use a slotted spoon to scoop the okra slices and the shrimp out of the creole pizza sauce and let them aside on a plate.
   
     Creole Shrimp and Okra Pizza:
     A mini pizza is about 1 foot in diameter maximum!  A 5" to 6" round dough ball is plenty for a mini pizza.
     Place a mini pizza portion of the pizza dough on a floured counter top.
     Pat the dough out with your fingertips, till it becomes a flat round mini pizza shape.
     Set the mini pizza dough on a lightly oiled baking pan.
     Pat the dough into a round pizza shape again, if necessary.
     Brush the mini pizza dough with olive oil.
     Par bake in a 400 degree oven, till the dough rises and becomes firm.  The par baked pizza crust should only be a white color at this time.
     Spread the creole pizza sauce on the mini pizza crust, with a spoon from the center of the pizza out to the edge of the crust.
     Sprinkle a mixture of grated mozzarella and grated provolone cheese on the pizza.
     Sprinkle 1 small handful of diced red bell pepper on the pizza.
     Sprinkle 1 small handful of diced green bell pepper on the pizza.
     Sprinkle 1 small handful of diced onion on the pizza.
     Sprinkle 1 thin sliced green onion on the pizza.
     Arrange the reserved cooked shrimp on the pizza.
     Arrange the reserved cooked okra slices on the pizza.
     Sprinkle just a little bit more grated mozzarella and provolone cheese over the pizza.
     Sprinkle 2 pinches of chopped parsley over the pizza.
     Place the pizza back into the 400 degree oven.
     Bake the pizza, till the cheese melts and the vegetables become cooked.
     Note:  Do not bake the pizza for too much time or the shrimp will dry out.  On a pizza like this, browning the cheese will produce a bitter flavor that will not taste good with the creole ingredients.  Only bake till the cheese melts!
     Slide the pizza onto a cutting board
     Cut the pizza into pie shaped slices.
     Place the pizza slices on a serving platter.
    
     The New Orleans shrimp and okra creole flavors saturate this pizza!  Shrimp and okra creole tastes great on a pizza.  Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to your preference.  Yum!  Ciao Baby!  ...  Shawna