As a chef and nutrition professional, the ability to create mouthwatering food that is just as good for your body, as it is for your taste buds, is what gets me up and into the kitchen every morning. This Shrimp and Romesco Flatbread Pizza fully encapsulates just that.
Making your own pizza dough may seem like a daunting task to a home cook, but rest assured, if Papa John can do it, I’m sure you can pull it off. Using a premade flatbread for this recipe will work just fine, but making fresh dough with roasted garlic oil in and brushed onto the dough while grilling, is a game changer. The lack of additives and preservatives in your flatbread crust is a bonus to the fresh charred flavor of grilling your own homemade dough.
Romesco sauce originates from the Catalonia region of Spain. It is sometimes referred to as “Spanish ketchup” and is served with anything from chicken and fish to fresh veggies. A traditional romesco is comprised of roasted red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, day-old bread, nuts (most commonly almonds), vinegar, and olive oil. I wanted to use romesco for the flatbread because its charred flavor would pair nicely with the freshly grilled pizza dough.
There are a few key differences to this romesco to make it a perfect match for the flatbread. My goal was to find the balance of promoting the roasted and charred flavors, but keeping the sauce fresh and vibrant so it would pair well with the grilled shrimp, goat cheese, and roasted cauliflower.
Garlic oil is utilized throughout the recipe in the romesco, the dough, and the grilled shrimp, to create a perfect harmony of flavor from crust to garnish. The addition of lemon juice provides a much-needed burst of freshness, while the sherry vinegar pulls out the rich flavors of the tomatoes and red peppers. I chose not to use day-old bread, since the sauce is for a pizza. Replacing almonds with raw cashews gives the sauce an incredibly silky-smooth texture. Finally, I use roasted cherry tomatoes instead of a sun-dried or fresh tomato for an added hint of sweetness without taking away from the other bold flavors.
“Gambas de ajillo” is a traditional Spanish tapas dish that, like romesco, originated in the Catalonia region and is comprised of garlic, olive oil, and red peppers. This pizza is essentially, a Gambas pizza!
To me perfectly crispy cauliflower with romesco sauce is one of my favorite veggie combinations, so adding roasted cauliflower to the flatbread seemed like a no-brainer! To stick with the Spanish theme, I figured a goat cheese would pair perfectly. For this recipe, I used a “cheddar style” shredded goat cheese that I get at my local grocery store. Any soft goat cheese would also go beautifully with romesco and freshly grilled bread (it may even provide a tangier and more interesting flavor than the milder flavored cheese that I chose). Finally, the micro basil is the perfect functional garnish. Not only does it add a nice bright green color, but it packs a flavor punch of freshness that works to balance out all the deep, rich, roasted, and charred flavors of the pizza.
This recipe is packed with nutrients and an array of real whole foods. This is not your typical summertime flatbread. There are good amounts of fiber, vitamins A, C, and K from the fresh cauliflower, bell, peppers and tomatoes. Olive oil, cashews, and shrimp provide your body with heart-healthy omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. You shouldn’t have to choose between eating healthy food and eating delicious food, so don’t. Finally, a pizza that doesn’t have to feel like a cheat day.
Grilled Pizza with Shrimp and Romesco Sauce
One of the best New England regional foods is the crispy and smoky grilled pizza. Homemade dough is topped with a bright romesco sauce, goat cheddar, roasted cauliflower, and micro basil for a bit you won’t forget. Skip the oven– go right for the grill!
Recipe by Mike Mulry (@therealunclemike)
Forge To Table Knives
Prep Time: 1 hr 30 min
Cook Time: 2-2 ½ hrs
Servings: 4-8 (4 Flatbread pizzas)
Ingredients:
Roasted Garlic Oil / Roasted Garlic
6 whole garlic cloves, skins removed (1¼ oz)
½ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (4½ oz)
Roasted Cauliflower
4 cups cauliflower, sliced into 1-inch florets (13 oz)
3 tablespoons avocado oil (or other neutral high temp oil) (1½ oz)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Pizza Dough
2 teaspoons dry active yeast (7 g)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar (8 g)
1-½ cups warm water (~100℉) (360 g)
4-¼ cups all-purpose flour (500 g)
2 tablespoons roasted garlic oil (27 g)
2 teaspoons salt (12 g)
Romesco Sauce
3-4 large red bell peppers (1 pound)
¾ cup cherry tomatoes (3½ oz)
1 teaspoon avocado or neutral oil (⅛ oz)
6 roasted garlic cloves, peeled (1¼ oz)
½ cup raw cashews, unsalted (3 oz)
3 tablespoons roasted garlic oil (1½ oz)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (½ oz)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (½ oz)
Grilled Shrimp
1 pound large (U-12) shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 tablespoon roasted garlic oil (½ oz)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon flakey salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
Other toppings
4 cups shredded goat cheddar cheese
1 cup micro basil
4 teaspoons lemon zest
Directions:
GARLIC OIL. Preheat oven to 170℉. In a small oven-safe container, combine extra virgin olive oil and whole garlic cloves. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the fridge until room temperature. Scoop the garlic into a separate bowl from the oil and set aside.
ROASTED VEGE. Increase oven temperature to 425℉. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with neutral oil, salt, and pepper. Spread onto a sheet tray with the cherry tomatoes for the romesco sauce. Roast for 20-22 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even browning. Separate the tomatoes and cauliflower and set aside to cool.
BLOOM YEAST. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together yeast, sugar, and warm water. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until the liquid begins to foam.
MIX DOUGH. Add flour, roasted garlic oil, and salt. Using the dough hook attachment on low (or a large bowl with a rubber spatula), mix for 2 minutes. The dough should be sticky, but not unmanageable to work with your hands. If the dough is too sticky to work with, continue mixing on low and add 2-3 tablespoons of additional flour.
KNEAD DOUGH. Switch the dough hook out for the paddle attachment and knead the dough for 6-8 minutes. (or on a floured surface, knead the dough by hand for 6-8 minutes). The dough is ready when it feels soft but slowly bounces back to form after being poked.
REST DOUGH. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 45 minutes.
SHAPE DOUGH. After 45 minutes, punch down the dough to release any excess air. Divide the dough into 4 evenly sized pieces. On a floured surface, carefully stretch the dough and shape it into your pizza crust. Each pizza should be about ½-inch thick. Transfer to a sheet tray.
GRILL DOUGH. Preheat the grill on high for about 10 minutes. Brush each flatbread with reserved roasted garlic oil. Gently place the flatbread dough on the grill and cook until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Flip and grill for another 2 minutes. (Note: the pizzas will be grilled again once they have toppings on them). Remove from the grill and set aside.
GRILLED SHRIMP. In a small bowl, combine peeled and deveined shrimp, roasted garlic oil, and lemon juice. Let shrimp marinate for 5 minutes. On the already preheated grill, cook shrimp until lightly charred and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Let cool slightly before chopping into 3-4 bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
ROMESCO SAUCE. On the hot grill, place whole red peppers on the hottest grates and char on all sides. Remove peppers from the grill and place them in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam and loosen the skins (15-25 minutes). Remove the charred skin from the red peppers. Cut off the tops and deseed each pepper.
BLEND SAUCE. In a food processor or high-powered blender, add roasted red peppers, roasted cherry tomatoes, remaining roasted garlic cloves, cashews, roasted garlic oil, lemon juice, and sherry vinegar. Blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste (~½-1 teaspoon).
PIZZA ASSEMBLY. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Onto each pregrilled flatbread, spread ~½ cup of romesco right up to the edges so there is no visible crust. Evenly spread ½ cup of roasted cauliflower, followed by 1 cup of shredded goat cheese, and finally 3 ounces of chopped cooked shrimp.
FINAL GRILL. Place assembled flatbreads on the grill and close the cover. Allow the pizzas to cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is nicely charred (but not burnt), about 7-10 minutes.
SERVE. Transfer pizzas to a cutting board. Garnish each pizza with ¼ cup of micro basil (or chiffonade basil), 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of flakey sea salt. Cut into the desired shape and enjoy while warm.
Chef’s Notes:
Prepare the cauliflower, tomatoes, shrimp, and roasted red peppers while the dough is resting.
For efficiency, roast the cherry tomatoes and cauliflower in the oven at the same time and grill the shrimp while roasting the red bell peppers.
Use caution when stretching the dough onto the grill for the initial cooking of the pizza crust. Gently place one side of the dough on the grill, then guide and stretch it across the grates.
The shrimp and dough are both par-cooked in their initial recipe steps to ensure they are not overcooked in the final product.
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