It’s pizza night again! This time, we’ll be using a mix of veggies, pineapple, and ham. Ham and pineapple is a classic combo, obviously, but you might appreciate the addition of green pepper and onion, which add some crunch and flavor as well as the veggie goodness we all want to see at the dinner table.
If your kids tend to shy away from toppings on their pizza, you can let them help make it. This will give them a chance to touch, smell, and even taste everything beforehand. You can also make individual pizzas and let them add the toppings they want to theirs while still exposing them to some new foods.
I like childhood feeding guru Elynn Satter’s advice to serve one food your kids like and can fill up on (ideally a whole grain bread, brown rice, or pasta) so they won’t go hungry if they don’t like the rest of the meal. In this case, since everything is all mixed together on top of the pizza, this might look like tearing off the crust for them and offering (but not forcing) bites of the rest.
Hawaiian Pizza
Serves: 6
Cook time = 40 minutes (pre-made dough) or 1.5 hrs (homemade dough)
For Dietary Restrictions
Gluten free: use a pre-made gluten-free crust
Dairy free: Use dairy-free mozzarella; replace pesto with basil paste
Kids Can Help
measure and mix ingredients, knead finished dough, spread sauce and cheese, add toppings
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 cup warm water
2 ¼ tsp (or one package) active dry yeast
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (optional: if you have wheat flour, you can substitute 1 cup of wheat flour for higher nutritional value).
OR use pre-made dough or crust
For the pizza:
5-6 oz spiral sliced ham
½ of a white or red onion
½ of a green bell pepper
1 20 oz can of pineapple tidbits, drained (use about half, or more if you like!)
16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1 12 oz can of tomato paste (you may not need the whole thing)
Salt
Dried oregano
Cornmeal or extra flour for dusting the tray
Directions
If you’re making your own dough, start with Step 1. If you're using pre-made dough or crusts, skip to step 6.
Step 1
In a large mixing bowl, stir together yeast and water until yeast is dissolved. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Add oil, salt, and sugar and stir gently to combine.
Step 3
Add the flour ½ cup at a time, stirring between additions. Mix well with a stiff spatula, scraping down the sides.
Step 4
Knead the dough: Lightly flour your hands and knead (fold, press, and turn; repeat) in the bowl for 5 min. You can add a little more flour during this process as needed to prevent sticking.
Step 5
Once the dough is uniform and smooth, leave it in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Place in a warm spot or use the proofing setting on your oven, if it has one. Allow dough to rise 30-60 minutes.
Step 6
Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 500 degrees (if using premade crusts, 400-425).
Step 7
Prepare the toppings: slice the onion, green pepper, and ham into thin strips; open and drain the pineapple.
Step 8
Cut the dough into 2 pieces and roll out each half into an oval. Sprinkle cornmeal or a little bit of flour onto your baking sheet before transferring the dough to prevent sticking. Spread the tomato paste on top with a spatula, then cover with cheese, then the ham, green pepper, onion, and pineapple. Finish with a generous sprinkling of salt and oregano.
Step 9
Bake for 10-15 minutes (may be slightly less for pre-made crust), rotating the pans once halfway through. Take out when the cheese is slightly browning and bubbling.
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