Entertaining and Food

Wolfgang Puck’s Cheeseburger Pizza Recipe

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH:

• 1 package active dry yeast

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1 cup warm water, 105 F

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

FOR THE PIZZA:

• 4 6-ounce balls Wolfgang’s Pizza Dough or 4 8-to-10-inch premade rolled-out pizza dough rounds

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 8 thin lengthwise slices dill pickle or 24 dill pickle chips, drained

• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

• 1 pound good-quality ground beef

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 8 slices American cheese

• 4 tablespoons tomato ketchup

• 4 tablespoons yellow ballpark-style mustard, or 4 more tablespoons tomato ketchup

CHEESEBURGER PIZZA

DIRECTIONS

THE PIZZA DOUGH

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup warm water. In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and remaining water; process until a ball forms.

Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand until smooth and firm, about 3 minutes. Cover with a clean, damp towel and let rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours. Divide into 4 equal balls. Work each by pulling down the sides and tucking under. Repeat four or five times. On a smooth, unfloured surface, roll under your palm until smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour. The balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to two days.

Makes 4 balls, each 6 ounces.

THE PIZZA

Place a pizza stone on the oven’s middle rack. Preheat the oven to 500 F. Meanwhile, on a lightly floured work surface, stretch out the dough balls into even 8-inch (20-cm) circles, shaping the edges slightly thicker.

In a large nonstick saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until it begins to turn translucent. Add the ground beef, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute, stirring continuously and breaking up the meat with the wooden spoon, until evenly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

Using a wire skimmer or slotted spoon to help leave any fat in the pan, remove the beef from the pan, spreading it out evenly on a large sheet of aluminum foil or on a cookie sheet to help it cool quickly.

While the meat is cooling, combine the ketchup and mustard in a small mixing bowl, stirring well; if you don’t want mustard, use twice as much ketchup. Spread this sauce over the top of the pizza dough rounds, up to but not over the thicker edge.

Evenly spread the cooled beef over the sauce. Distribute the pickle slices on top. Place one American cheese slice in the center of each pizza. Cut or tear each of the remaining slices into quarters and distributed them around the center cheese sliced on each pizza.

Using a pizza paddle or rimless baking sheet, transfer the pizzas one at a time to the pizza stone, baking only as many at one time as will fit comfortably onto the stone. Bake until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Then, using the paddle or baking sheet, remove from the oven to a cutting board, cut into slices, and serve, while baking any remaining pizzas.

Makes 4 pizzas, each about 8 inches.