Moroccan Cheese and Bell Pepper Pizza

® This is a RAS signature Recipe©

Each slice of this Moroccan-style pizza incorporates the spices and flavors of Morocco with a perfect blend of cheeses.

Easy to Make!!

The Recipe Intro↓ has more info, step-wise images and related links. If you’d like to check it out.

♦Prep time:20 MIN ♦Cook time:40 MIN ♦Yield: 4 MEDIUM PIZZA .

You can strike through ingredients, as you prep them, by clicking on the ingredient.

Ingredients:

Onion, chopped finely		1 medium
Garlic, minced		2 tbsp
Deep red firm Tomatoes (Boiled briefly, peeled and blended to a puree without water :1 ½ cups) / Or use 1 ½ cups canned tomato puree		5
Dried oregano (fine)		½ tsp
Parsley, Coriander, Chives, Fenugreek ( omit any that you don't have and add a pinch extra of the other )		A pinch each, of the dried herbs
Sugar		1/2 tsp
Salt		1/4 tsp (or to taste)
Mixed grated cheese: (Use your favorite blend; I suggest 150 gms grated mozzarella, 100 gms grated mild cheddar, 20 gms grated colby  & 10 gms grated parmesan)		250 gms

For the Pizza base/dough:

All-purpose flour		3 cups
Water (lukewarm)		1 cup
Yeast (Active dried)		1 tsp
Sugar		½ tsp
Oil (Olive / Vegetable)		4 Tbsp
Salt		½ tsp

Grind/pound the following together to a fine powder : 

For Moroccan Spice Mix:

Coriander seeds		1/8 tsp
Cayenne		1/8 tsp
Paprika		1/8 tsp
Smoked paprika		1/4 tsp
Pimento		1/8 tsp
Cinnamon		1/8 tsp
Cumin seeds		1/8 tsp
Cloves		2
Green cardamom		1 pod
Dried ground ginger		1/8 tsp
Black peppercorns		2
White pepper		A pinch
Turmeric		A pinch
Nutmeg		A pinch
Aniseed		A pinch

Method:

For the Crust:

1. Add yeast and sugar to lukewarm water(1 cup). Give it a stir.
2. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. You should see some bubbling action and after 5-10 minutes the solution should look frothy. 
3. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.
4. Add the oil as well as the frothy yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon till the dough begins to come together.
5. With slightly oiled hands, knead the dough softly for 5 minutes. Roll into a smooth elastic ball of dough. (Make sure you oil your hands or the dough might be too sticky to work with).
6. Cover the bowl tightly with cling/ plastic wrap and leave in a warm area for 30 minutes – 1 hour till the dough has doubled in volume. (Meanwhile, prepare the sauce – see below)
7. Once the dough has risen: Use your fist to gently punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal portions.
8. Slightly 4 greased pizza pans and place one portion on each.
9. Again, with oiled hands – take a portion of the dough and press to flatten it into the pizza pan.
10. Use your hands to stretch the dough evenly around the pan, using thumbs and fingers to pull gently onto the sides of the pan to create a rim. Set aside till the sauce is ready.
11. The pizza crust will rise slightly during this time.

For Special Pizza Sauce:

1. Boil water in a saucepan. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Drain and peel off the skin. Blend to a Puree without adding water. (You can also use canned peeled tomatoes, just blend to a puree without adding water)
3. Heat oil in a wide skillet/nonstick pan. Add chopped onion and allow to soften.
4. Add chopped garlic and sauté till soft and the sweetness is released. Do not allow the garlic to change color.
5. Add the Puree and stir well. Allow to come to a simmer.
6. Add the Spices and Herbs along with salt and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning.
7. Cook till the oil separates and appears on top. Cook briefly till the sauce is no longer runny. It should thicken into a good spreadable consistency and not too thick that it makes it difficult to spread.

Assemble:

1. Once the sauce has cooled down and the prepared pizza base has rested for a while ( It should have risen slightly), use a knife to cut sharp slits throughout the crust without messing the structure.
2. Spread the sauce gently over, leaving a small space around the rim so that toppings don’t burn on the edge. (Although sometimes I just slather the whole pizza because my kids waste dry crust).
3. Use the different cheeses to top the pizza evenly and liberally.
4. Place the sliced green peppers over the cheese.  Slice in the desired shape. I prefer long thin slices or rings. (I love this Pizza with just sauce, cheese, green bell pepper, and plain cheese for the kids. If you need some extra toppings, go ahead, but keep it light. The key to a good Pizza is not to overdo the toppings).

   

5. Bake: PREHEAT THE OVEN 220 c, 10 minutes before you put the pizza in. Use only heat from the bottom if possible. Use a pizza stone if you have it.
6. Place the pizza on the lower rack of your oven, Or on two racks.
7. Slide onto a preheated pizza stone if you have it. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes only. If baking on 2 racks, I switch them halfway through the baking, so that the crust and cheese are evenly cooked.
8. Check the bottom of the crust by lifting it with a flat spatula or knife, to see that it is light golden and set on the bottom. The cheese should be completely melted without burning.
9. Remove the Pizza from the oven and cut using a sharp Pizza wheel.
10. If you need to reheat, place in the MICROWAVE on high for 5-6 SECONDS.
11. Serve while hot, bubbly, stretchy,  and gooey!!!: ) Yum!

Moroccan Cheese and Bell Pepper Pizza

 

Notes:

• If you do not see any bubbling activity or very minimal frothing of the yeast mixture, it is possible that your yeast is no longer active. Use another batch of fresh yeast.
• More on Moroccan Cuisine.
• You may replace the spice mix with store-bought Ras el Hanout spice if you have it.

Key Ingredients: Flour, Tomato,  Bell Pepper, Spices, Herbs, Salt, Sugar, Cheese, Oil.

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