Easy and Boat-Friendly Pizza Recipes for National Pizza Day

National Pizza Day: Quick and Easy Boat-Friendly Pizza Recipes

Making pizza aboard is easy, fun, and flexible.

February 9^th 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

Escape to the romance of Havana with your loved one for Valentine’s Day this year! Valentine’s Day, or Lover’s Day as it is known by Cubans, is widely celebrated as the day many sweethearts become engaged or get married. Get in the mood with this spirited menu and do some Cuban Cookin’!

All recipes serve four.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
8 oz. chopped, good-quality dark, milk or white chocolate bars
16 large strawberries (preferably with stems attached)
Place finely chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. In order to keep chocolate tempered so that it is shiny and snappy once cooled and covering the strawberries, the temperature must not exceed 90 degrees F. Microwave the chocolate at 20 percent power in 15-second increments stirring regularly, or heat chocolate on very lowest temperature in saucepan on stovetop for 10-15 minutes until chocolate is smooth. Wash and dry strawberries thoroughly. Dip the lower half of each strawberry in melted chocolate, swirl to take it out of the chocolate, place on aluminum foil on a plate, and place in refrigerator. Remove from fridge 20 minutes before serving, peel off foil and place on attractive platter with glasses of champagne.

Options:
• Roll chocolate-dipped strawberries in shredded coconut or finely chopped nuts.
• In addition to strawberries use a variety of fruits: blackberries, raspberries, sliced pears, fresh figs, sliced banana, or dried apricots, dates or figs.

Ensalada Cubana
(Cuban Salad)
1-2 heads of crispy lettuce
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
½ red onion, peeled and finely sliced
6 radishes, sliced

Dressing:
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt & pepper

Shred the lettuce and spread evenly on a serving plate. Arrange the tomatoes, avocado, onion, and radish around the platter. Mix the dressing ingredients and drizzle desired amount over the salad.

Enchilado De Camarones
(Shrimp With Picante Sauce)
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup each, chopped onion and diced sweet pepper (canned is fine)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups drained diced or crushed canned tomatoes
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
2 tbsp. tomato paste
¼ cup white wine or water
1½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. each, salt, pepper and sugar
2 lbs. shrimp (peeled and deveined)
¾ cup green olives (whole or sliced)
Chopped cilantro (optional)

In a large pan, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the onions and sweet pepper and sauté until they become soft. Add the garlic cloves and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomato, red pepper, tomato paste, wine, cumin, salt, pepper, and sugar and stir. Raise the heat to medium-low. Let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer for 5-8 minutes until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Add olives, remove from heat, top with cilantro, and serve with rice.

Arroz Azafran
(Cuban Yellow Rice)
1½ tbsp. olive oil
½ cup onion, finely chopped
½ cup sweet pepper, finely chopped
1 cup raw, uncooked rice
½ tsp. salt
2 cups chicken broth or water
¼ tsp. dried saffron or turmeric (optional, but creates a beautiful golden color)
1½ tbsp. butter

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté onions and peppers until translucent. Stir in rice and salt, and sauté briefly until the rice is golden. Add chicken broth and saffron and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes. Stir in butter just before serving.

With Lori Ross, Southern Boating Magazine February 2017