Tropical Paradise Pizza

Pizza paradise!

    
     If you are looking for a different kind of pizza, then this exotic pizza is for you!  The flavor is like the island flavors of pina colada, bell peppers and ham with and occasional bite of shrimp teriyaki.
      I once tried a slice of Hawaiian Pizza a few years ago.  Many fast food pizza shops and Italian pizzerias off Hawaiian Pizza.  Hawaiian pizza features pineapple and ham as the topping.  Sometimes bell peppers are on a Hawaiian Pizza.  Tomato pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese with pineapple and ham is kind of an odd combination.  Many people do not like Hawaiian pizza, because the tomato sauce seems to clash with the toppings.
     I thought that tomato pizza sauce was not the best choice for a pineapple and ham pizza topping.  A coconut milk pizza sauce seemed to be a much better choice for a Hawaiian Pizza.  That is how this Tropical Paradise Pizza came to be!
     Teriyaki shrimp is a popular item in Hawaii, so it seemed like it was worthy of being added to the toppings on this pizza.  Overall, this Tropical Paradise Pizza is a far better representation of the flavors of Hawaii than the old Hawaiian Pizza.  Those who do not like the Hawaiian Pizza may just like this Tropical Paradise Pizza.
   
     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.  Pizza dough is focaccia dough or Italian bagette style bread dough.  No oil in the mixture will produce a dough that is like many Italian breads that are not enriched with fat or French baguette bread dough.  Many pizzeria chefs do not add oil to a pizza dough and that is correct pizza dough too.  
     Focaccia style doughs require 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.
     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 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.

     Teriyaki Shrimp Recipe:
     This is not a standard Japanese Teriyaki sauce.  This teriyaki sauce is more like a fancy Hawaiian style teriyaki sauce.

     Heat a saute pan over medium/medium low heat.

     Add 1/4 cup of thin soy sauce.

     Add 1 teaspoon of minced ginger.

     Add 1 tablespoon of bead molasses.

     Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

     Add 1 tablespoon of white sugar.

     Add 1/2 cup of water.

     Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water together in a cup to form a slurry.

     When the teriyaki sauce begins to gently boil, add a little bit of corn starch and water slurry while stirring to slightly thicken the sauce.  The sauce should have a medium glaze consistency.  Save any extra slurry for another recipe.

     Set the teriyaki sauce aside.

     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.

     Add 1 small splash of vegetable oil.

     Add 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil.

     Add 12 medium size shrimp.

     Saute the shrimp, till they are almost fully cooked.

     Add the reserved teriyaki sauce. 

     Toss the ingredients together.

     Keep the teriyaki shrimp warm on a stove top.

   
     Coconut Milk Pizza Sauce Recipe:
     This recipe makes enough sauce for 1 mini pizza or 1 medium size pizza.
     Heat a small sauce pot over medium/medium low heat.

     Add 1 cup of coconut milk.

     Mix a little bit of cornstarch and a little bit of cold water together in cup to form a slurry.

     When the coconut milk begins to gently simmer, add just enough of the slurry while stirring to thicken the coconut milk to a medium thin sauce consistency.

     Simmer and stir for 1 minute.

     Set the coconut milk pizza sauce aside.

     
     Tropical Island Paradise Pizza Recipe: 
     Dust a countertop with flour.

     Place a mini pizza portion of the pizza dough on the floured countertop.

     Pat the dough out to a flat round mini pizza shape with your fingertips.

     Brush a pizza pan with vegetable oil.  

     Place the pizza shaped dough on the pizza pan.  

     Pat the dough out again, if necessary.

     Brush the dough with blended olive oil.

     Par bake the pizza dough crust in a 450 degree oven, till the pizza crust is about halfway cooked and so it is still white colored.
     Set the pizza pan on a stove top.
     Spread some of the coconut milk pizza sauce over the pizza crust.
     Sprinkle some grated mozzarella cheese over the coconut milk.
     Place some small green bell pepper slices on the pizza.
     Place some small red bell pepper slices on the pizza.
     Place some small, thin julienne sliced ham strips on the pizza.
     Sprinkle some diced fresh pineapple on the pizza.
     Sprinkle a little bit more mozzarella cheese over the pizza toppings.
     Return the pizza to the 450 degree oven.
     Bake the pizza, till the cheese just starts to get some light brown highlights.
     Remove the pizza from the oven.
     Arrange the teriyaki shrimp on the pizza.
     Slide the pizza onto a cutting board.
     Cut the mini pizza into 4 pie shaped slices.
     Place the pizza slices in a serving platter.
     Garnish the platter with sliced pineapple wedges, that are placed on its own rind with the pineapple leaves still attached.
    
     This is an extraordinarily good tasting pizza!  The coconut pineapple flavor combines with the ham and bell peppers so very nicely.  The teriyaki shrimp are a flavor sensation every time one of them is tasted.  I like this gourmet pizza!  Aloha!  ...  Shawna