Anyhow, pizza nights come hand in hand with sports. It is a fairly easy and crowd pleasing food when you have to have many people over, or even if it is just two or one at home. But, Monday night Football in the USA usually has pizza (or wings), and Champions League in Europe, also has Pizza.
So, last night was the Iternazionale Milan vs. FC Barcelona Match. Well awaited, and I also have to say, incredibly underrated. Since FC Barcelona has been having such spectacular matches lately, thanks to our star "Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi........." I think that most people thought it was an easy win. Well it wasn't. But, hey, we ate fabulous pizza at my house.
I remember, a very long time ago, sans child, sans culinary degree, that I used to have this pizza at a local place in Miami, which served this amazing, non-Italian-topping pizza. I fell in love with it. Well, even though I am a stickler for the rules in what encompasses Italian cuisine, this one really, really tickled my fancy. So, I recreated it at home, and I will share with all of my lovely friends and family.
BBQ CHICKEN AND CARAMELIZED RED ONION WITH GOAT CHEESE, PINE NUTS AND FRESH CORIANDER PIZZA
1 Italian pizza base
1/4 cup classic tomato sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 cup bbq chicken (recipe follows)
1/8 cup caramelized red onions (recipe follows)
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 tsp fresh coriander
Roll out your pizza base, and put your oven to the directed instructions on your oven pan. Ladle the 1/4 cup classic tomato sauce onto the pizza base, and spread it evenly in a very thin layer. Spread half of the goat cheese onto the pizza. Then place the bbq chicken evenly onto the base, followed by the caramelized onions, the remaining goat cheese and toasted pine nuts. Bake in oven according to your pizza base instructions, usually 10-15 minutes. When its done, sprinkle your fresh coriander leaves on top. Enjoy!!!
Classic tomato sauce:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Dash of red chili flakes
1/ tsp. dried oregano, or 1/4 tsp fresh
1 tsp salt
1 14 oz can of peeled crushed tomatoes
In a med frying pan over low heat, add olive oil. When slightly hot, add the onion, and saute for 10 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, approx 2 mins. Add your chili flakes, oregano, and salt. Now add your tomato sauce, and raise the heat to medium, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until chunky. Yields 1 - 1/2 cup tomato sauce.
BBQ chicken - sauce and chicken recipe
My homemade barbecue sauce-
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/4 tsp dry yellow mustard
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp molasses
1/2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp white distilled vinegar, or cider vinegar
In small saucepan, heat oil over low heat, add onions, cumin, chili and mustard powder, and sweat for about 10 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for at least 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add tomato sauce and remaining ingredients and stir, raise heat to medium and cook for 20-25 minutes. Take off heat and reserve. Yields 1-1/2 cups.
Balsamic and brown sugar caramelized onions-
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 red onion, sliced lengthwise
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
Place all ingredients in frying pan, cook over medium heat, covered for 10 minutes, check to see if it doesn't burn, last five minutes uncover and stir until golden brown.
Reserve.
Chicken-
In the same pan where you cooked the onions, place one tsp of oil, and heat over high heat. When hot, add boneless skinless chicken fillets, and cook, turning once after 2-3 minutes, until just done. Take off heat, and wait until completely cooled. Shred and add 1/ cup bbq sauce.
