Spicy BBQ Pizza with Roasted Pears
Pizza is a wildly popular lunch option for high school students, but it pays to change up the toppings from time to time. Chef Kelly Beck tweaks the usual pie by adding roasted pears on top. The fruit provides a savory-sweet counterpoint to mozzarella, ham, barbecue sauce and red onions.
Ingredients
Spicy Roasted Pears
2 cans (15 oz. each) pears in light syrup, drained and diced
½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
½ tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. paprika
Pinch kosher salt
Pizza
2 lb. pizza dough, divided in half
1 cup (8 oz.) barbecue sauce
1 cup (4 oz.) sliced ham
⅔ cup (2½ oz.) sliced red onion
4 cups (1 lb.) shredded mozzarella
Olive oil for brushing pizza dough
Italian seasoning
Spicy Roasted Pears (recipe above)
Steps
- For Spicy Roasted Pears, preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
- Toss drained, diced pears with cayenne, allspice, paprika and salt; spread on prepared pan. Roast 15 to 20 minutes until juices evaporate and pears are lightly caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Increase oven temperature to 500 F. Shape each pizza dough half into 16-inch round. Place on round pizza pans; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
- Spread ½ cup barbecue sauce on each dough round, leaving ½-inch border around edges. Top each with 2 cups mozzarella cheese; spread ½ cup sliced ham, ⅓ cup sliced onion and 1½ cups spicy roasted pears on top of cheese.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown and dough is cooked through. Cut each pizza into 6 slices, serve immediately.
Photo courtesy of Pacific Northwest Canned Pears