Roasted Veggie Pizza with Pancetta Cracklings and Spicy Olive Oil

A Slice of Life!

I love pizza! I have loved pizza for as long as I can remember. There is nothing better than making a pizza from scratch with fresh ingredients and great cheese. I decided to take my signature veggie pizza and take it to another level.

Those of you from the south have all heard of cracklings. Cracklings are fried or roasted pork skins that are extra crunchy. Since we're going Italian today, I decided to use Pancetta, and give it an old fashion southern, crackling treatment!

I took organic cherry tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos and olives and coated them with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted them in the oven.

I can not begin to explain the extraordinary flavor of these veggies. You can pop these babies in your mouth like skittles, are just spread them on a nice piece of crusty bread and make a side salad and that could be a quick dinner.

I always take the leftover veggies and put them into a beautiful jar and cover with extra olive oil and toss them with pasta during the week.

This is a quick beautiful pizza dough. Simple and easy to make.

My pizza sauce uses all dry ingredients (spices), and does not have to be cooked. I always make it a day in advance for the flavors to develop.

You could stop right here, never add pancetta and go straight veggie. You would not miss the meat I promise you.

When you take the pizza out the oven, sprinkle some of the leftover spicy olive oil from the roasted vegetables. I also sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese on top while the pizza is hot.

Allow the pizza to rest about 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve this elegant pizza with a nice bottle of wine, or your favorite soft drink.

It's Pizza time, Let's Eat!

Roasted Veggie Pizza with Pancetta Cracklings and Spicy Olive Oil

Pizza Dough: 2 large or 4 small pizzas

1 tbsp. yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
2 c. lukewarm water
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
6 c. bread flour

Directions:

Pour water, sugar, yeast and salt into mixing bowl with dough hook. Allow to rest about 5 minutes. Add flour, mix well and knead for about 7 minutes.

Place dough in greased bowl and allow to rise for about 2 hours. Deflate dough and divide into 2 large or 4 small pieces. Roll out on lightly floured board.

Pizza Sauce: for 2 pizzas

1 can crush tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp salt

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp. dried basil

Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Roasted Veggies: for 1 pizza

1 pint organic cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 c. pitted olives

3 large fresh jalapenos, sliced

1 head of garlic

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

In a shallow roasting pan, place all ingredients, tomatoes cut side up. Sprinkle olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Roast at 375 for 15 minutes then turn oven to broil and broil for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, do not discard oil it will be used for the pizza. 

Pizza Assembly: for 1 pizza

Pizza Dough rolled out into a circle

Pizza Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese, shredded or diced into small pieces

4 oz. pancetta, diced, cooked in olive oil for about 4 minutes until extra crispy

Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 tsp. crushed oregano

Heat oven to 500 degrees

In a greased pizza pan or if using a pizza stone. Place rolled out dough, top with tomato sauce. Place mozzarella cheese all over, top with tomatoes, olives and jalapenos.

Put as little or as much garlic as you like. I break the garlic up with my hands and place over toppings, sprinkle with pancetta, sprinkle Parmesan cheese. 

Add about 1 teaspoon of crushed oregano on top of pizza. Bake pizza for  about 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and dough is golden brown. Sprinkle with spicy oil from roasted vegetables and sprinkle extra Parmesan if desired.