This week’s Project Pastry Queen was Caesar Salad Pizzas. I was definitely intrigued. I love Caesar salad and I love pizza. This should be a win-win.

The recipe seems long and difficult but it’s because there are so many parts. I’m not sure if the pizza crust was worth the time (although it really didn’t take too long). Next time, I might use pita bread, Trader Joe’s pizza crust, Naan bread, or maybe even a tortilla.

Either way, it was good.

The dressing may scare some of you with the whole raw egg thing. I’ve had raw egg in a Caesar salad before, but I’ve never made it that way. I decided to stick to the recipe and keep it in. I probably should have bought the pasteurized eggs but didn’t feel like going to the store. While I can’t speak to the taste difference if I had left the egg out, I don’t think it would hurt.

Long story, short; I’ll be keeping the dressing recipe on hand and the concept in the back of my mind.

This week’s challenge (I’m a bit behind.)? Tuxedo Cake!!! Can’t wait for this one.

INGREDIENTS

Crust

1 ½ C lukewarm water
2 (1 oz) packages active dry yeast
2 Tbls olive oil, plus additional for brushing on crusts
2 tsp honey
4-5 C flour
3 Tbls semolina flour (optional)
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
½ C coarse cornmeal
1 C freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Dressing

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 anchovy (optional – I didn’t use)
2 large eggs, beaten, or ½ C pasteurized egg product
½ C freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 C extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Salad

1 large head romaine lettuce, washed and cut into 1 ½” slices
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Dough

1. Combine the lukewarm water, yeast, olive oil, and honey in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.
2. Add 3 C of the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, salt, crushed red pepper. Mix on low speed. With the machine running, add 1 C of the all purpose flour to make a soft dough.
3. Mix the dough on low speed about 5 min longer, until smooth.
4. Add up to 1 more cup of the all purpose flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the bowl. (I didn’t need any additional flour.)
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10-15 turns.
6. Place in a large oiled bowl. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30-40 min.
7. Generously coat two baking sheets with olive oil. Sprinkle the sheets with cornmeal.
8. Preheat over to 450. (If you have a pizza stone, use it instead of the baking sheets, preheating it along with the oven. No need to grease the stone, just sprinkle it with cornmeal just before you bake the pizzas.)
9. Divide the dough into quarters. Roll each piece into a ball, place the dough ball on a baking sheet, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for 10-15 minutes longer. Use immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 hours.
10. Using a floured rolling pin, flatten each dough ball into an 8” circle. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ C Parmesan cheese.
11. Transfer the crusts onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, until browned and crisp.

Dressing

1. Add garlic, anchovy, eggs, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and mustard in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth.
2. With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube in a thin, steady stream.
3. Pour the dressing into a bowl, stir in Parmesan cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Salad

1. Toss the lettuce and tomatoes with the dressing.
2. Place a generous amount of salad on top of each warm pizza crust.
3. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve flat like a tostada.

NOTES