Pizza Today - March 2019 - 43

B

asil, with its sweet, aromatic
flavor, reigns supreme as the top
fresh finishing ingredient. Baby
basil is the go-to ingredient for
Chris Decker at Metro Pizza in
Las Vegas. But it's not the only topping
to take its dominate place post bake for
the pizza champion. Don't overlook other
greens and herbs that may be exactly
what a pizza needs.
HERE ARE SOME CATEGORIES AND
INGREDIENTS TO FINISH YOUR SPECIALTY
PIZZAS:
* LETTUCES. Arugula, Romaine, endive,

radicchio, escarole, cress and cabbage are
a few greens to experiment with in your
kitchen. You can use a blend of salad
greens on a white pie. Greens can even
be tossed with lemon juice, balsamic or
chili oil for an extra punch. Arugula is a
post-bake favorite for many pizza makers
with its crisp, lightly spicy, peppery flavor.
It's often paired with a salty pork pizza or
a fresh vegetarian white pizza. "Arugula,
I really like with soppressata or a nice
runny egg," Decker says.
* HERBS. Basil, cilantro, sage, fennel,
oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, chives,
dill and leeks can hit the senses when
sprinkled atop a pizza before serving. A
little goes a long way when using herbs.
Remove leaves from stems. Use smaller
leaves whole, like dill and fennel fronds.
With larger leaves, try tearing, fine chop
or chiffonade. Cilantro pairs perfectly
with a Mexican, southwestern or barbecue pizza. Rosemary, chives or dill
enhance a potato pizza. "Fennel fronds go
great with this roasted cauliflower, fennel
& pancetta pizza I do," Decker says.
* BLOSSOMS. Cucumber, zucchini,
squash blossoms and even edible flowers
add vibrant colors you typically don't see
featured on a pizza. A local eco farm near
Las Vegas turned Decker on to cucumber
blossoms. "They're great and super fresh
tasting," Decker says, "bright, beautiful
yellow bell shaped blossom that's just
packed with flavor. I love the pop of color
it gives to a white base pizza. I slow simmer zucchini in heavy cream and use it as
a base for my blossom pizza." Blossoms
can be grilled or roasted. They tend to be
delicate, so take extra care when handling
and storing.

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE GREENS

Micro greens are a trend that is catching
on fast. Customers love them for their zip
of flavor and nutritional value. The U.S.
Department of Agriculture has studied
the tiny powerhouses and found that the
25 varieties tested had vitamin levels up
to five time greater, on average, than their
mature counterpart.
"I have switched all my herbs to micro,"
says Alexandra Hoffman, who is in process
of moving Maxx Pizza Co. in Murrieta,
California. "It adds color to the pizza, and
the aroma that comes from them when
topped on a hot pizza is great.
"The storage for micro greens are super
easy," Hoffman says. "They come all
clean and packaged in a plastic container.
Depending on the style of greens the sizes
will vary. They need to stay cold so they
don't wilt. Depending on how fast you
use them they can typically last up to two
weeks."
Decker also has featured micro greens
like micro arugula and pea shoots. "Micro
arugula is probably my favorite over the
baby leaves or the wild," Chris Decker
says.
REMEMBER: FINISH GREENS AND HERBS
WILL BE THE FIRST THING CUSTOMERS SEE
ON A PIZZA. "First and foremost, freshness

is key," Decker says. "No one wants to see
wilted or dried out greens. Storage can
be tricky, especially in the middle of the
desert with no humidity and all this heat."
There are a few other pro tips on using
finishing greens and herbs. Be sure the
greens are completely dry. There's nothing
worse than soggy greens on a pizza. Cut
the pizza before you apply the greens
to avoid half of them ending up on the
cutter. Drizzle any finishing sauces over
greens. Some operators even send the
greens in a bag for delivery and to-go
orders for customers to add when serving
to ensure freshness.
To bring out the flavor of the herbs, you
may want to use mild cheeses like mozzarella, provolone or Gruyere. You could
even add fresh mozzarella or burrata to
finish with your selected greens. Or, add
bold contrasts like bleu cheese, Asiago or
goat cheese.
Here are two recipes that feature finishing micro greens and herbs to get you
started.

Sausage and Herb Pizza
1 dough ball
6 ounces pizza sauce
5 ounces ground mild sausage
Fresh fennel fronds (chopped) or fresh
sage (chiffonade)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 picante peppers, quartered
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a bowl, mix pork, two tablespoons
chopped fennel fronds or sage, garlic,
crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.
Then thoroughly cook pork over medium
high heat. Stretch dough to desired size,
top with pizza sauce, half the mozzarella, pork, picante peppers, and rest of
the mozzarella. Bake. Slice pizza and
sprinkle 1 tablespoon fennel or sage
and Parmesan. Serve.

Micro Arugula
and Portobello Pizza
1 dough ball
6 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sautéed Portobello mushroom,
sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces shredded mozzarella
¾ cup micro arugula
Drizzle of balsamic glaze
Grated Parmesan
Sauté Portobello with balsamic vinegar until tender. In a small bowl, mix
goat cheese, heavy whipping cream,
minced garlic to a sauce consistency.
Add more cream, if needed.
Stretch dough to desired size. Spread
goat cheese mix, leaving 1/4 inch of
edge. Distribute mushrooms evenly, then
mozzarella. Bake.
Slice pizza and sprinkle micro arugula and Parmesan. Drizzle with balsamic
glaze. Serve. n
DENISE GREER

Pizza Today.

is executive editor at

M A R C H 2 0 1 9 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / 4 3
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
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