Recipe: Hawaiian Pizza

HAWAIIAN PIZZA (a NEW YORK RECIPE)

Crisper if baked on a pizza stone, (instructions follow) or a screen, but also bakes good on a well-greased baking sheet...(10x20-inch)

1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees)
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
Vegetable oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup pineapple chunks, very well-drained (most of a 20-oz can)
3/4 pound ham, cut into small pieces
8 oz. low-moisture Mozarrella cheese, grated

Combine yeast and sugar with 1/4 cup warm water. Combine remaining water with 3 cups flour and salt. When yeast is foamy, add it to flour and stir vigorously. Turn out on floured board and let dough rest while you clean and oil bowl.

Knead dough 10 minutes, adding flour, if necessary, to create a smooth, silky mass. Return to bowl, roll around to coat with oil, cover with double layer of plastic wrap, and let rise until double in bulk (about 2 hours).
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

If using a pizza stone and baker's peel, heat stone in oven. Dust baker's peel with a sprinkle of flour; stretch out pizza as described... lay it on the baker's peel, and assemble it on the peel, sliding it onto the pizza stone in the oven.

If using a cookie sheet; preheat the oven, grease the sheet well with vegetable oil, but don't put it in the oven.

Punch dough down...knead again for 3 min...cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Flour board and flatten dough out on it. Pounding and pressing with the heel of your hand, work dough into a circle. When it is about 1/2" thick, pick it up and use your fists underneath to stretch it further. Proceed slowly until pizza is the size of your baking sheet. Lay it on the sheet and lightly spread the top with vegetable oil.

Spread dough with pinches of ricotta, then pineapple and ham, then cheese.

BAKE 10-12 MINUTES, or until crust is light brown. Serve still hot, directly from sheet; using scissors to cut slices. SERVES 3 to 4.