National Pizza Day: Quick and Easy Boat-Friendly Pizza Recipes
Making pizza aboard is easy, fun, and flexible.
February 9th is National Pizza Day! Make pizza aboard in the oven or on the stovetop in the galley or on a grill on the aft deck using refrigerated pizza dough, ready-made pizza crusts, large flatbread, pita, naan, tortilla, or even french bread. Use classic Italian sauce, cheeses, and toppings, or get creative and try some of the following boat-friendly pizza recipes:
⊲ Buffalo Chicken Pizza: buffalo sauce, baked chicken, and mozzarella and blue cheese
⊲ BBQ Chicken Pizza: barbecue sauce, garlic, sautéed onions, cooked chicken, bacon bits, cheddar and mozzarella cheese
⊲ Greek Salad Pizza: tomato, onion, pepper, olive, oregano, and feta cheese
⊲ White Seafood Pizza: oil, garlic, pesto, cooked clams, shrimp, or scallops
Or set up a “pizza bar” with assorted sauces, toppings, and cheeses of your choice, and encourage everyone to “make their own pizza” which you can quickly cook.
In honor of National Pizza Day, the following are easy pizza recipes for onboard cocktail parties, lunches, or dinners. Servings depend on size of crust selected.
Basic Pizza with Ready-Made Pizza Crust, Flatbread, Lavash, Tortillas, Naan, Pita
1 ready-made pizza crust or flatbread, lavash, tortillas, naan, or pita bread (e.g., Boboli, Stonefire, etc.)
4 oz. shredded cheese (mozzarella, Italian blend, or other melty cheese)
¼-½ cup sauce
¼ cup each of your favorite pizza toppings
½ tsp. dried herbs, garlic, spices (optional)
1 Tbsp. oil per pizza if using stovetop
The secret to making delicious, prepared-crust or flatbread/pita pizza is to use a light touch with sauces, toppings, and cooking. Too much sauce or too many toppings make the pizza crust soggy and too high heat will burn the bottom.
Place prepared-crust or flatbread pizza directly on a hot grill set to medium-high (375-400 degrees Fahrenheit). The grill creates a smoky flavor along with grill marks and cooks the pizza quickly. Prepared-crusts, pita, and naan will take 4-6 minutes, while thin flatbreads will take 2-3 minutes. Remove from grill when cheese is melted, and edges or bottom are lightly browned. If you prefer, place pizza on stone or sheet pan directly on grill.
Alternatively, cook prepared-crust pizzas or flatbreads on stone or sheet pan in the oven at 375-400 for 10 minutes. You can also use a covered skillet on the stovetop; just sauté each side of crust in 1 tablespoon of oil for 1-2 minutes on medium-low heat, add sauce, then toppings and cheese, and cover 2-3 minutes to melt cheese. Thin flatbreads will take less time.
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Basic Pizza with Refrigerated Dough (4-6 slices)
1 tube or 2 cups refrigerated pizza dough (Pillsbury, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s)
1-2 Tbsp. flour or cornmeal for cutting board and pizza stone or sheet pan
8 oz. sauce
8 oz. shredded cheese
½ cup of each preferred pizza topping
½ tsp. dried herbs, garlic, spices (optional)
Set oven to 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit. Unroll the dough on flour or cornmeal-sprinkled cutting board. Starting in the dough’s center and roll or press out to fit the stone or pan. Spread pizza sauce evenly on crust to within a half-inch of edges, then add toppings and cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes* (or until top of pizza is bubbling and bottom of pizza is golden-brown). Cut and serve, offering extra Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.
No oven? No worries! Bake pizza on the grill! Simply set grill to medium-high and place pizza on stone or sheet pan directly on the grill. Cover grill and cook 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbling and crust is browned.**
NOTE: The exact timing of these boat-friendly pizza recipes will depend on your grill, oven, or stovetop heat, so start on medium-low, be patient, and keep checking.
* or according to package directions for baking.
** I do not recommend cooking raw dough on the stovetop as it may undercook or burn too easily.
-by Lori Ross
