Alright, let’s talk about this whole Hawaiian pizza thing. I keep hearing folks moan about pineapple on pizza. Drives me nuts, honestly. Had a pretty sad-looking slice the other week from some place I won’t name, and it got me fired up.
I decided right then, I needed to make my own. A proper one. Show myself, if no one else, how good it can actually be when you don’t just slap cheap stuff together.
Getting Started: The Base and Toppings
So, first step, I hit the store. Didn’t feel like wrestling with dough from scratch, so I picked up a couple of decent quality pre-made pizza bases. Sometimes you just gotta pick your battles, you know?
Next, the important bits:
- Pineapple: This was key. No canned stuff. Absolutely not. Found a nice ripe pineapple. Took it home, chopped it up myself into decent-sized chunks. Fresh makes a world of difference, less sugary syrup, more actual fruit taste.
- Ham: Didn’t want that plastic-y sandwich ham. Went for some good quality smoked ham, slightly thicker cut. Diced it up too. Needed that salty, savory punch.
- Cheese: Just classic mozzarella. Low moisture kind, shreds well, melts nice. Got plenty.
- Sauce: Kept it simple. A basic, good quality tomato pizza sauce. Nothing too herby or distracting.
Putting It All Together
Back home, I got everything laid out. First, I spread the tomato sauce on the base, not too thick. Then, a good layer of mozzarella. Covered it pretty well.
Then came the ham. Scattered the diced pieces evenly across the cheese. After that, the pineapple chunks. Tried not to put too many, you want balance, right? Just dotted them around between the ham.
Maybe added a tiny sprinkle more cheese on top, just to hold things together. Felt right.
The Bake and The Result
Shoved it into a hot oven. I always preheat it properly. Then just waited. Watched it through the oven door glass. You see the cheese melt, bubble up, start getting those nice golden-brown spots. The smell starts filling the kitchen – that sweet pineapple mixing with the savory ham and baking dough.
Pulled it out when it looked just right. Let it sit for a minute or two – important step, stops you burning your mouth, lets the cheese settle.
Sliced it up. Took that first bite.
Yep. Still love it. The sweetness of the warm pineapple, the saltiness of the ham, the gooey cheese, the crispy crust… it just works. It really does. Maybe it’s not for everyone, but when you make it with good ingredients, paying a bit of attention? It’s a damn good pizza.
So yeah, that was my little pizza project. Simple stuff, but doing it right makes all the difference. Forget the haters, I’m sticking with my Hawaiian.