Focaccia Pizza with Bacon Jam and Salami

Again with dough, but this is what I go through when hungry. I see what I have and make something with it.

I was looking for Soppressata but saw none and ended up with a product new to me. It was called Rustic Tuscan Salami by a company called Bellentani. Since it was already sliced, I cannot comment on its rustic nature but I had a hankering for salami and salami it was. The salami joined the Casique whole milk mozzarella in the cart and that is when I started thinking pizza.

There was already a clear clam shell of grape tomatoes from the vegetable aisle plus the jar of Biber Salcasi (Turkish Pepper Paste) I had found at a Halal market not far from my new neighborhood. There was but one portion left of the dough I made several days ago waiting in the fridge so I had a plan.

After I got home from shopping and finished my laundry, the dough was tipped out into the 8×8 lightly oiled pan. It got flipped and lightly stretched then left to rise for about an hour. Near the time, I washed and halved some grape tomatoes and cut pieces from the cheese. I know which box my grater is in, but thought that slices would work just fine.

The dough got a final stretch. Cut tomatoes open side up and into a 450° oven for 5 minutes. When the pan was going into the oven, I had a tilt to get over the dish drainer which gave me one flat side but it would eat well regardless.

Next, with the pan on a cutting board, pepper paste was spread around the tomatoes on the half cooked dough. Cheese followed by a layer of salami and another layer of cheese, well perhaps not really a layer but enough to brown and give the top a nice look. Finally, dollops of bacon jam for a decidedly decadent finish.

The bacon jam was hard from the fridge and I did not even try to give it an even spread. I knew that once hot it could easily be manipulated for a better coverage.

Back into the oven at 450° for 8 minutes and pizza is ready for my pie hole. As usual, photograph, cut, plate, photograph again then eat. There was no Parmesan for the top this time but next shop will fix that need.

The grape tomatoes were nice and sweet which contrasted nicely with the spicy pepper paste. Whole milk cheese is always the way to go for a nice cheese pull but I will likely cut the rounds of salami next time to avoid the salami drag off issue. Had I remembered the mushrooms they would have joined but it was a nice dinner.

This is my second pizza entry and there may be more. Last time I used already baked bread while this time it was made from the raw dough. Either way is good for your pizza fix.

Fresh made pizza is always a treat hot from the oven. Try it yourself. You will be glad you did.