As noted many a time, pizza is an unimpeachable victor of the food world. No matter the iteration, the topping, the crust, the cheese choice (or lack thereof), pizza retains a placement in the gastronomic popularity matrix to which nary another food comes close. While a classic pie is untouchable, there are times when a more experimental pie can "hit the spot." This variation was born when I had some extra pizza dough on hand, along with some varying ingredients in the fridge that I thought would lend themselves well as pizza toppings.
As a chill fills the air and the leaves begin to turn, I find that heavier, richer pizzas are an amazing option. Equal parts filling and warming, the customizability of the specialty pizza allows for every member of the family to mix-and-match as they see fit. Here, a deeply braised kale is mixed with the ground protein of your choosing before topping a garlic oil-brushed crust, which is then covered in a wealth of cheeses.
Feel free to use whatever ground protein or plant-based "crumble" you hand on hand. This recipe can make one large pizza or conversely, a few small "personal pie" sized ones. If you find that amount of cheese called for is overzealous (I do love cheese!), use half. If you prefer spinach or chard to kale, opt for that. If you're not a fan of vegan crumbles, but you don't eat animal products, just omit that component.
One of my big 'kitchen philosophies' is that it is your kitchen, so make these decisions as you wish. This is meant to be a road map of sorts, some general suggestions that might help to get you to the promised land that is pizza. Take what you like, ignore what you don't, tweak as you see fit, and I hope your autumn pizza night is all that you imagined and more.
Ingredients
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 head of garlic, crushed (no need to peel)
Ball of pizza dough (totally up to you - homemade, store-bought, purchased from your favorite pizzeria — whatever is best/most convenient)
1/2 red onion or 2 large shallots, diced
1/2 pound ground pork, bulk sausage, ground poultry, or plant-based 'crumbles',
1/2 bunch kale, thinly sliced into ribbons
3/4 cup stock of your choosing
3/4 cup fontina, shredded
1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
Parmigiano Regianno, grated, for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
- In a small pot, heat oil and garlic cloves over low heat until aromatic. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve, discarding garlic clove peels/skins, and reserve oil. (You can hold onto the actual garlic for other uses.)
- Heat garlic oil in medium skillet over medium-low heat. Sauté onions or shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent.
- Add protein or vegan crumble of your choice, break up with wooden spoon, and cook until deeply, deeply browned. You're going to need to cook this for longer than you think, so be patient.
- When pork starts to take on color, add kale and cook for 3-5 minutes until it begins to wilt. Add stock, turn heat to medium-high, and cook until it's reduced. Season to taste. The mixture should be relatively dry, the kale should be tender and less verdant, and the pork should have taken on lots of color.
- Roll out pizza dough to desired size/shape. Brush with garlic oil, top with fontina and mozzarella, add pork-kale mixture, and top with however much parmesan your heart desires.
- Put in oven and cook until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes (ovens differ, so keep an eye on it because it can burn quickly).
- Remove from oven, top with more Parm, slice, and serve.
Mangia!
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