Monica Healthy Luau On Fire Recipe
Black olives, artichokes, caramelized onions, Red sauce, pineapple, ham, mushrooms & jalapeños tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, bleu cheese & topped with French's fried jalapeno strips & rosemary olive oil, topped with mozzarella
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Ingredients
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Pizza dough & finishing oil
Red sauce
Toppings — prepared
Caramelized onions (if making fresh)
Miscellaneous
Method
Caramelized onions (if making fresh)
- 1
Cook onions
Heat 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook gently, stirring every 3–5 minutes, until onions are soft and deep golden brown, about 25–30 minutes. If onions are drying, add a splash of water. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar during the last 5 minutes to deepen color and sweetness. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Red sauce
- 2
Make sauce
Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional). Bring to a low simmer, reduce heat, and simmer gently 10–12 minutes to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before assembling pizza.
Toppings — prepare
- 3
Prep pineapple
If using canned pineapple, drain well and pat dry with paper towels. For very wet pineapple, toss with 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch to absorb excess juice.
- 4
Prep other toppings
Slice mushrooms, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and roma tomato. Quarter marinated artichoke hearts and drain any excess oil. Slice black olives if whole. Tear ham into bite-size pieces. Crumble bleu cheese if not pre-crumbled. Toss sliced mushrooms briefly in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes to release excess moisture, then cool — this prevents soggy pizza.
Dough & assembly
- 5
Preheat oven
Place pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If using a home oven without a stone, preheat to highest temperature (500–550°F) and allow the pan to heat up.
- 6
Prepare dough
Lightly dust a work surface with 1/4 cup flour. Stretch or roll the pizza dough into a roughly 12-inch round (or desired size) about 1/4-inch thick, leaving a slightly thicker rim. If using a peel, sprinkle it with cornmeal or semolina.
- 7
Brush dough with rosemary oil
Mix 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil with 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Lightly brush the dough surface (not the rim) with about half of this rosemary oil — this flavors the crust and prevents the sauce from soaking in.
- 8
Add sauce and base cheeses
Spoon 3/4 to 1 cup of the prepared red sauce onto the dough and spread in an even layer, leaving the outer rim free. Sprinkle about 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce as the base layer.
- 9
Layer toppings
Distribute toppings evenly in this suggested order for balance: caramelized onions (about 1/2 cup), pineapple chunks (3/4 cup), torn ham (4 oz), black olive slices (1/2 cup), artichoke quarters (1/2 cup), sliced mushrooms (1 cup), thinly sliced red bell pepper (1/2 cup), roma tomato slices (1 each, thin), and jalapeño slices (1 each, more or less to taste). Scatter 1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese in small clusters across the top.
- 10
Finish with mozzarella
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella over the toppings to help hold them together and create a cheesy top.
Bake & finish
- 11
Bake pizza
Transfer the assembled pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating once after 5–6 minutes if your oven has hot spots, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
- 12
- 13
Rest and slice
Let the pizza rest 2–3 minutes to settle. Slice into 6–8 pieces and serve hot.