FIRST PLACE WINNER!!!
NY Pizza Challenge - Finalist #4
Sherry Ricci - Mendon, NY
“New York Cheese Steak Pizza”
Ingredients:
1 pound raw pizza dough ball or 14” par-baked crust
2+2 tablespoons + (2) teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces Sirloin Beef Steak, cut into ½ inch strips
Garlic, Salt and Pepper – to taste
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 -1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded NY Cheddar Cheese
1 1/2 cups half and half
6 ounces NY Cheddar Cheese Spread (such as “Hellava Good)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Hot or mild jarred pepper rings (drained)
Salt
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Grease 10-12” pizza pan
2. Combine Half & Half with cheddar cheese spread in small saucepan over low heat, stirring 2-3 times until combined, set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and half of steak strips. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Sear strips until pink is gone, remove with slotted spoon and repeat with remaining strips continue with rest of beef strips.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to same skillet, turn heat to medium low, and add onions and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally 10-12 minutes, until onions are caramelized.
5. Spread pizza dough onto pan, top with 1 cup of cheese spread sauce, steak, onions, red pepper flakes, shredded cheese and salt to taste. Bake 15 minutes, remove from oven and drizzle with remaining cheese sauce and 2 tsp. olive oil, return to oven for a few more minutes. Top with chopped parsley and pepper rings (Sherry used Banana Peppers).
SECOND PLACE WINNER!!
NY Pizza Challenge - Finalist #6
Thomas Scime - Buffalo, NY
“Mex-Itali Pizza”
Ingredients:
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
4 tablespoons hot tangy mango chutney
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces water
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces cubed fresh mozzarella cheese
8 ounces cubed fresh paella cheese
3 tablespoons grated Romano Cheese
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1/3 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons EVOO
Frying oil, enough to cover frying pan
1/2 pound ground beef 90%
14” shell or dough
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a small frying pan, heat oil and garlic, when hot add ground beef and cayenne pepper until beef is 160 degrees.
3. Add tomato paste, mango chutney and water, over medium heat stir will until combined and moist. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes and remove from heat, set aside.
4. Combine mozzarella, paella, red pepper flakes, cilantro, onion, ground cumin and EVOO in a large mixing bowl. Season mixture with salt and pepper (add more red pepper flakes if you like spicy!)
5. Arrange the shell on a cookie sheet, then coat with the tomato-mango chutney sauce, add top coat of cheese mixture then sprinkle the Romano cheese on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese is melted.
THIRD PLACE WINNER!!!
NY Pizza Challenge - Finalist #5
Nick Rotolo - Rome, NY
“Fresh Veal Parmesan Pizza”
Ingredients: (sauce)
1 14” pizza crust
8 ounce can of tomato sauce
3 ounces tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped onion
1.5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Fresh Basil Leaves
1 tablespoon dry oregano
1 tablespoon dry parsley
Toppings:
8 ounces Provolone Cheese
8 ounces Mozzarella Cheese
8 ounces Veal Cutlets (pounded thin, egg drenches, break crumbs)
8 ounces red onion, sliced thin
8 ounces mushrooms, fresh, sliced thin
Dressing for crust:
1-2 cloves Fresh Garlic – minced
EVOO
Parmesan
Parsley
Procedure:
1. Heat oven to 475 degrees
2. Sauté onions and garlic over medium heat until tender, add all sauce ingredients, turn up heat to high until sauce boils then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
3. While sauce is simmering take veal strips, dip them in egg, and then bread crumbs. Sauté at medium heat, place on cooling rack (or purchase already breaded)
4. Apply sauce onto pizza shell, mix provolone and mozzarella cheese together and layer on shell on top of the sauce. Space out veal strips evenly on crust
5. in between veal strips place fresh mushrooms, and between and over the veal apply fresh red onions.
6. Place in oven for 12-20 minutes or until golden brown
7. When pizza is done paint crust with a mixture of fresh garlic/EVOO/Parmesan and parsley.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD!!!
NY Pizza Challenge - Finalist #3
Raymond Maciewicz, Marcy, NY
“Flavor of Greece Pizza”
Ingredients:
1 pizza crust 12-14”
8 ounces 95% ground beef
1 teaspoon EVOO (olive oil)
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon each of:
Dried parsley
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Paprika
Sea Salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 ounces Don Pepinos Pizza Sauce
4 Pepperoncini, finely chopped
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
8 ounces Cow’s Milk Feta (President’s Brand)
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In a large sauté pan, over medium heat add beef and 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil. Brown beef to 160 degrees, drain, cool and crumble. Add all spices to beef and combine well.
3. Prepare pizza pan with non-stick spray, and work dough into pan, cover with a towel and let set about 20 minutes.
4. When dough is ready, spread pizza sauce on top followed by beef, pepperoncini, olives and feta.
5. Drizzle EVOO over all, place on middle rack of oven and bake 12-15 minutes.
NY Pizza Challenge - Finalist #1
Jeff Cervoni - Hamburg
“Pizza Cervoni”
Ingredients: (Sweet Pepper Sauce):
2 each Red Sweet Peppers
¼ Large Onion, small dice
1 tablespoon Garlic, diced
1 tablespoon, Basil, dried
1 tablespoon Romano
Salt & Pepper to taste
(Toppings):
2 cups Mozzarella, shredded
2 cups Sirloin, seasoned, sliced thin
¼ cup Romano
Procedure:
- On a grill, completely blacken peppers
- Remove from grill, place in a paper bag, close paper bag, and allow to steam 30 minutes
- Remove black skin from peppers and rinse
- Cut peppers lengthwise and remove stem and seeds (or buy some roasted red pepper at a store)
- Puree roasted peppers in blender
- Sauté onions, garlic and basil until tender
- Add pepper puree and Romano and cook until heated through
8. Season to taste
Procedure: Beef
1. Take a 1 pound sirloin steak, about ½” thick.
2. Trim as needed.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat grill or pan with oil.
5. Sear on high heat to brown both sides while keeping steak rare.
6. Slice steak across the grain into ?” strips.
Assembly:
1. Spread sauce on crusts.
2. Sprinkle Romano on sauce.
3. Top with shredded mozzarella.
4. Top with sirloin slices.
5. Spread sauce on crust, sprinkle Romano on sauce, top with mozzarella, top with sirloin slices, place on covered grill, under broiler to melt cheese and heat through.
6. Place in covered grill, under broiler, or in a 400°F. oven to melt cheese and heat through.
NY Pizza Challenge - Finalist #2
Joy Haney – Camillus, NY
“Sirloin and Suds Pizza”
Ingredients:
1 pizza crust 12”
½ pound ground beef sirloin (90% lean)
1 small to medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 pound pre sliced cremini or baby bella mushrooms
¼ cup dark beer (the suds) e.g. Saranac Carmel Porter
1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper; more to taste
3 teaspoons Flour for thickening
4 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese
2 ounces; prepared horseradish sauce (Silver Springs Brand)
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large skillet on low to medium heat brown and drain the ground sirloin, stirring frequently. Save the drippings in a small bowl to use later.
3. Chop onion while beef is cooking, when beef is done remove from pan, use same skillet replace 2T of drained liquid, add onions and sauté on medium low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and continue sautéing.
5. Meanwhile mix beer and flour in a measuring cup. Stir until smooth, add to mushrooms in pan and stir well.
6. Increase heat to medium and reduce liquid in pan until sauce is thickened about 5-10 minutes.
7. Spread ¼ cup horseradish sauce pizza crust. Spread beef on top of sauce, place mushroom, onion mix over meat, place provolone cheese slices on top.
8. Reduce heat to 425 and bake 10 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted, remove from oven.
NY Pizza Challenge - Finalist #7
Mark Wierzbicki - Baldwinsville, NY
“Philly Steak Pizza”
Ingredients:
1 pizza crust 14” or dough
1 can (12oz) pizza sauce or homemade sauce
1 pound Sirloin Steak
1 small onion
1 green pepper
4 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces Swiss cheese
8 ounces Mozzarella Cheese
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Trim sirloin and slice as thin as possible (shave), slice onions, mushrooms and peppers
3. Spread dough onto pizza pan, cover with sauce, heat oil on medium/high heat in a pan; place steak in hot oil and add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. Cook until done about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and spread over pizza.
4. Melt butter in pan and sauté onions, pepper and mushrooms about 3-4 minutes, remove mixture and place on pizza.
5. Sprinkle remaining garlic powder, basil and oregano over pizza, cover with cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until done.
NY Pizza Challenge - Finalist #8
Patricia Wierzbicki - Baldwinsville, NY
“Veal Parmigiana ala Patricia”
Ingredients:
8 ounces ground veal
1 cup (8oz) pizza sauce
3/4 cup (6oz) tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
8 ounce package 6 blend Italian Cheese Mix
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning, divided
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 14” pizza crust or / dough
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Medium sauté pan brown ground veal, season with salt and pepper, drain.
3. In medium bowl mix add garlic powder, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning. add pizza sauce, tomato paste and wine, mix well. Add veal to sauce
4. In hot skillet sauté green peppers for 3-4 minutes
5. Put veal/sauce mixture on pizza dough, top with green pepper strips, cheese, then remaining tablespoon of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
6. Bake 12-15 minutes