CA Oaxaca cheese and crema star in Chef Lars Smith’s take plant-forward pie featuring roasted cauliflower, Fresno peppers and pepitas.
13 ounces prepared pizza dough, at 65% hydration
6 ounces Real California Oaxaca cheese
4 ounces roasted cauliflower florets, seasoned with orange, cumin, and Piment d’Ville
3 ounces Fresno pepper, diced
4 ounces plant-based meat substitute, seasoned as “chorizo” (see below)
1 ½ ounces micro cilantro
1 ounce toasted pepitas
2 ounces Orange Crema (see below)
Orange Crema:
1 cup Real California crema Mexicana
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon Piment d’Espelette pepper
Stir all ingredients together until smooth.
Plant-Based Chorizo:
5 lb brick Impossible meat substitute
35 guajillo peppers, stems removed
2 cups apple cider vinegar
8 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground clove
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons Piment d’Espelette pepper
¼ cup salt
In a saucepan, cover guajillo peppers with water and bring to a boil. Turn heat off and let soak for 15 minutes. Drain peppers and put in blender with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain into a bowl. Mix meat substitute into mixture.
To prepare pizza, stretch dough to 14-inch circle. Scatter pinches of Oaxaca cheese evenly over stretched dough. Top with cauliflower, peppers, and “chorizo.” Bake in a deck oven set at 570°F for approximately 6 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter with micro cilantro and pepitas.
To finish, drizzle with Orange Crema on top.
Plant-Forward Category Winner – 2020 Real California Pizza Contest
Recipe developed by Lars Smith, State of Mind Pizza, Palo Alto, Calif.
