Pizza Recipe: Garlic Shrimp Pizza

My 60ieth birthday was last summer and when asked what I wanted for a present I said a pizza oven might be fun. We do enjoy a pizza around here so the hubby came through and bought me an Ooni Pizza Oven (affiliate link). I have enjoyed using it – there is a learning curve and I might or might not have set my pizza peel on fire. It does make really good pizza. Last night I tried a shrimp recipe for a change and make garlic shrimp pizza.

Need I write that it was really good?

Table of Contents

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Garlic Shrimp Pizza

Serves 4

For the Crust

1 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 cup 00 Italian flour or cake flour
2 1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
corn meal for sprinkling

For the Toppings

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4 oz pizza sauce
6 – 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
8 extra large shrimp
1 TBS olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
10 – 12 fresh basil leaves

Make the pizza dough

Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let stand 1 minute or until the yeast is creamy. Stir until dissolved.
In a large bowl, combine the Italian flour, 2 1/2 cups of the all purpose flour, and the salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, add in more flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (I did this in my KitchenAid)

Lightly coat a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to oil the top. Cover. Place in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Flatten the dough with your fist. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and shape the pieces into balls dust the tops with flour. (At this point I cut the dough in half and freeze one half for later use. I just wrap it in parchment paper and put it in one of the containers I bought for freezing fruit. It works very well. When I want to use it I just pull it out early in the day and let it thaw and rise.)
Place the balls on a floured surface and cover each with plastic wrap, allowing room for the dough to expand. Let rise 60 – 90 minutes, or until doubled.

Make the Pizza

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Preheat oven to 450 with the pizza stone on the bottom rack.

Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise and put in a bowl.

Add the TBS of olive oil and garlic powder and stir to coat the shrimp. Set aside
Sprinkle your pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. If you don’t have a pizza peel I have read that you can use a flat sided cookie sheet. I have never done this so I can’t answer to it. Alternatively sprinkle a large piece of parchment with cornmeal and set it on a half sheet pan
Take the pizza dough and flatten it into a round. Carefully stretch the dough into a 12 – 14″ round that is thicker at the edges.
Place the pizza dough round on your prepared surface.
While the dough rests heat a saute pan over medium heat. When it is hot add the shrimp and the garlicky oil to pan and quickly stir fry for about 4 minutes. The shrimp should be pink and mostly cooked. Remove from heat.
Pour the sauce in the center of the pizza dough and spread it evenly. (I can pizza sauce and do so in 4 oz jars as I know this is what I use. I feel it’s the perfect amount for a pizza – not too much, but just enough to add the tomato flavor.)
Top with the shredded mozzarella
Arrange the shrimp evenly around the pizza.
Slide the pizza onto the heated stone and lower the temperature to 400. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 – 18 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and is just starting to brown.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the fresh basil leaves.

How Was the Garlic Shrimp Pizza?

This was one tasty pizza. A nice thin crust, garlicky shrimp and just enough cheese. The fresh basil added a nice bit of herby surprise. We both enjoyed this garlic shrimp pizza very much.

I am also getting better with the Ooni – there were no pizza peel fires this time so that was a major improvement! The pizza cooks so quickly in the Ooni, not to mention the wonderful, crisp crust. Practice will make perfect with this oven I am sure. What a horrible thing – having to eat more pizza!

I will also note that since I gave up on growing enough romaine for Cappuccino the bunny in the Aerogarden – he just needs more than the model I bought can produce – it is now used for basil. It is so wonderful to have fresh basil on hand all year ’round.

Other Uses for Pizza Dough

If you don’t want to freeze the other half portion of dough you can use it within the next day. Just wrap it and store it overnight in the refrigerator if you don’t have time to bake it the same day. Some of the things you can bake include Garlic Knots (just follow the directions in the recipe after the dough for Italian Bread is made) – which are quite yummy and delicious with soups like Cream of Broccoli and Cauliflower. I have also made edible Bread Bowls which are always a lot of fun – and they leave you with less clean up!