Background: We really enjoy the flavor of chorizo in many dishes, as well as cotija which seems to be Parmesan’s cousin, fresh and salty with nicer texture. We recently started using Spanish chorizo sausage and used this on our Napoli style pizza after running out of pepperoni. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to pepperoni on my pizza after using these two ingredients and how they changed the flavor profile immensely.

Ingredients:

12 oz pizza dough homemade or store bought
2 oz Spanish chorizo sliced thin
3 oz. crumbled Cotija cheese
14 oz peeled San Marzano tomatoes lightly crushed (1/2 can)
4 oz mozzarella cheese chopped
1 large tomato or 2-3 Roma tomatoes cored and sliced thin
1 large jalapeno sliced and cored (optional)
½ cup fresh basil
1 tbsp good olive oil
semolina flour

Steps:

  1. Make the dough or use store bought, about 12 ounces is required for a 13-inch pizza. Roll out the dough, shape to fit the peel, then place on the peel (sprinkled with semolina). Heat oven to 450 and allow pizza steel (or stone) to heat 20-30 minutes at that temperature (while preparing the pizza).
  2. Spread the San Marzano tomatoes around the crust to cover, then add the Spanish Chorizo slices, followed by the tomatoes, jalapenos, then mozzarella, and finally sprinkle the Cotija on. Place on pizza steel (or stone) that is sprinkled with corn meal and bake for about 12 minutes, turning 90 degrees a couple times as it cooks, until the top of the cheese begins to brown.
  3. Once browned, remove from the oven and allow to sit for several minutes, drizzle on the olive oil and sprinkle on the basil leaves. Cut into pieces and serve.
  4. Our pizza dough recipe is in the “Basics” section and makes approximately 24 oz. of dough, enough for two 13” pizzas.