Hot Pepper 'Za

hot pepper 'za, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Pizza is one of my favorite foods. When I was a single gal, I ate it frequently. My friend, Autumn, shortened it to 'Za and the zippy term has stuck.

Speaking of zippy...

This "'za" was incredibly spicy! It was also amazing on flavor. Don't hesitate to try it, as you can very easily control the amount of heat.

Now the fun thing with this is I made it up so there is no formal recipe. I didn't measure the veggies, just added what I had prepared until it looked like enough.

Doesn't it look good?

It is! So without further ado, I present to you,

Hot Pepper 'Za

One recipe pizza dough (I used this recipe)
Poblano peppers, roasted and cut into strips
Jalapeno pepper, roasted and sliced (optional)
Red bell pepper, roasted and cut into strips
Red onion, sliced thin and pre-cooked (I sauteed with salt until soft)
Good quality white cheese, Monterey Jack, Sharp Provolone, etc, shredded


Roast the vegetables over a gas flame, or place on a baking sheet and broil, turning frequently, until all sides are charred. Place in a paper bag to steam for 5-15 minutes. Rub gently under cold water to "skin" most of the black pepper parts.

Preheat the oven to 550.

Press the pizza dough into the shape you wish to use. Slide it onto a cornmeal covered pizza peel or onto parchment paper. Let it rest about 5 minutes then press more until it is the desired size. (We make ours to a 8-9 inch round)

Sprinkle a small amount of cheese onto the dough. Begin to lay the poblano peppers in a pin-wheel shape around the dough. Lay the red bell peppers down next to them. Add as much or as little as looks good to you.

Sprinkle the red onion around the crust then lay the jalapeno slices over the top. Sprinkle with more cheese then place in the oven for 6-10 minutes (depending how hot your oven is). The cheese will be bubbly and the crust a light brown. Carefully remove and loet cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!