Non-Traditional Pizza [Discuss]

[Treamayne]

So, inspired by this thread, I thought I would start a discussion on non-Traditional pizza. To me (feedback desired) there are three primary categories:

1. Non-Traditional Toppings
   • Any given topping or combination that is outside tradition or pop culture (e. g. BBQ Pizza is probably mainstream to most people now)
2. Non-Traditional Techniques
   • Some method or process that is out of the ordinary
3. Alternate Culture/Commercial Variation
   • Pizza, as found for-sale to the general public, that is outside the normal Cognitive Identity of Pizza (either by virtue of cultural adaptation or some other commercial variation

Please, do not just throw out any random combination for the "squick factor," please keep examples to something you have experienced or would like to experience. I'll kick-off with one example each.

Spoiler

1. Non-Traditional Toppings
   • Not very eccentric, but one pizza I enjoy making at home is a version of inspired by my grandparents (a vague melding of cultures) - Garlic Bescemel instead of marinara or alfredo, topped with leek, kale, crumbled bratwurst and thin-sliced blanched potato. Cheese is looser - depending on what's on-hand, but is generally 2-3 of cheddar, butterkase, havarti, gouda, and/or gruyere - shedded and mixed.
   • The result is kind-of like a pizza version of a Potato Leek soup, with extra German
2. Non-Traditional Techniques
   • One of our spring/fall favorites is to make a quick-dough rolled into single-person portions (6-8 in.|15-20 cm) and brushed with olive oil. Place it on a charcoal grill (sorry, gas just ain't good enough here) to cook the first side and remove to a plate dough-side down. Build the pizza backward (cheese, then toppings, then drizzle with sauce) and return to the grill off-center and cover so the fire cooks the other side, while the radiant heat cooks the toppings (and the cheese is the gooey center holding it together).
   • Good for get-togethers, since whoever works the grill just hands the visitor the dough half-cooked - they top it themselves however they want and bring it back to finish cooking.
3. Alternate Culture/Commercial Variation
   • One of the most . . . interesting pizzas I have had was in Seoul (circa '99). Kimchi, hot dog and cucumber with a spicy red sauce (kinda like marinara if you add some gochujang to it). It was better than it sounds, but still not something I wanted to have regularly. But then, it's Seoul - I would rather go to the Kalbi House or get some Chapjae. . .

 

[Kasimir]

2 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Alternate Culture/Commercial Variation

• Pizza, as found for-sale to the general public, that is outside the normal Cognitive Identity of Pizza (either by virtue of cultural adaptation or some other commercial variation

Laksa pizza, I've had it before and liked it. Laksa sauce, prawn, squid, mussels, clams, quail eggs, and fried beancurd.

Spoiler

 

[Treamayne]

2 hours ago, Kasimir said:

 

  Hide contents

 

Allergic to seafood, so I'll take your word that its good - however, a real live Pizza Express? Toot-toot would be over the moon (Dresden Files).

[Kasimir]

5 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Allergic to seafood, so I'll take your word that its good - however, a real live Pizza Express? Toot-toot would be over the moon (Dresden Files).

It's a UK franchise I believe, that spread all over. Amusingly for Toot-toot, they had (at one point I think?) a more casual sub-franchise called Za

10 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Non-Traditional Techniques

Staying on-topic: for this one, I'll offer something I do when feeling too absurdly lazy to make my pizza dough from scratch: I stick the toppings in a bao and then just make a demonic hybrid of pizza (honestly more like an open calzone) and bao. Might not be non-traditional techniques, might be outright abomination, not sure  

[solarcat]

Reese's pizza mmmmm

[Treamayne]

6 hours ago, solarcat said:

Reese's pizza mmmmm

Spoiler

 

No discussion? Did you try it - or just find the picture? Store bought or homemade?

I'll admit, it's not what i would think of when I hear "Dessert Pizza."

[solarcat]

On 11/7/2023 at 5:01 PM, Treamayne said:

No discussion? Did you try it - or just find the picture? Store bought or homemade?

I'll admit, it's not what i would think of when I hear "Dessert Pizza."

Nah, I just found it online, but it looks disgusting nonetheless.

[Treamayne]

1 hour ago, solarcat said:

Nah, I just found it online, but it looks disgusting nonetheless.

Please allow me to reiterate the original post:

On 10/24/2023 at 12:39 AM, Treamayne said:

Please, do not just throw out any random combination for the "squick factor," please keep examples to something you have experienced or would like to experience. I'll kick-off with one example each.

 

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon]

On 11/10/2023 at 3:05 PM, Treamayne said:

Please allow me to reiterate the original post:

 

Eh, I still feel like that’s a good thing to put in this topic. A little more elaboration on @solarcat’s part would have been helpful, but it’s still interesting. Actually you know what, I might go make a topic for really gross foods, whether or not you’ve tried it or just found it on a website somewhere.

It’s not my topic though, so feel free to disregard my comments. 

[Brik_head]

Non traditional toppings

I don't know how common this is, but something my family makes often are taco pizzas. Use refried beans in place of tomato sauce, use cheddar in place of mozzarella, and ground beef. We also usually other typical taco ingredients on the table for everyone to customize their own, but sour cream diced tomatoes and tabasco are recommended toppings.

[Treamayne]

12 minutes ago, Brik_head said:

Non traditional toppings

I don't know how common this is, but something my family makes often are taco pizzas. Use refried beans in place of tomato sauce, use cheddar in place of mozzarella, and ground beef. We also usually other typical taco ingredients on the table for everyone to customize their own, but sour cream diced tomatoes and tabasco are recommended toppings.

Sounds great - I'll have to try the refried beans version. . . 

We sometimes do similar, but we use a picante/salsa as the sauce and a sautee of fajita chicken, bellpeppers, chilis and onion rather than a ground beef/taco mix. 

[Brik_head]

5 minutes ago, Treamayne said:

Sounds great - I'll have to try the refried beans version. . . 

We sometimes do similar, but we use a picante/salsa as the sauce and a sautee of fajita chicken, bellpeppers, chilis and onion rather than a ground beef/taco mix. 

I might have to try the fajita chicken, it sounds pretty good

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood]

2 hours ago, Brik_head said:

Non traditional toppings

I don't know how common this is, but something my family makes often are taco pizzas. Use refried beans in place of tomato sauce, use cheddar in place of mozzarella, and ground beef. We also usually other typical taco ingredients on the table for everyone to customize their own, but sour cream diced tomatoes and tabasco are recommended toppings.

I’ve had that before, it’s pretty great.

[solarcat]

none pizza with left beef is the best

[Lord Spirit]

My family did a challenge where we got to make original pizzas. We ended with a chick-fill suace based pizza, an omelet pizza, a Nutella pizza, and a fruit pizza (apples and mandarin oranges). It was… interesting. 

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood]

1 hour ago, Lord Spirit said:

My family did a challenge where we got to make original pizzas. We ended with a chick-fill suace based pizza, an omelet pizza, a Nutella pizza, and a fruit pizza (apples and mandarin oranges). It was… interesting. 

were any of them any good?

[Treamayne]

3 hours ago, Lord Spirit said:

My family did a challenge where we got to make original pizzas. We ended with a chick-fill suace based pizza, an omelet pizza, a Nutella pizza, and a fruit pizza (apples and mandarin oranges). It was… interesting. 

2 hours ago, Thaidakar the Ghostblood said:

were any of them any good?

And which was your entry? Were the Nutella and Fruit Pizzas made to be dessert pizza?

 

[Lord Spirit]

9 hours ago, Treamayne said:

And which was your entry? Were the Nutella and Fruit Pizzas made to be dessert pizza?

 

I made the fruit pizza and it was pretty good, I didn’t taste the others because I’m gluten free.

[Pineap-spider]

On 10/23/2023 at 10:39 PM, Treamayne said:

• Non-Traditional Toppings
  • Any given topping or combination that is outside tradition or pop culture (e. g. BBQ Pizza is probably mainstream to most people now)

Occasionally, if I want a pizza but don't want to pay for a pizza, i'll use whatever I can find for a crust and load it with whatever sounds good. I've had pizza on a tortilla (would not recommend), a English muffin, (almost just as bad) whole wheat bread slices (decent), and a slice of French bread (the best).

[Treamayne]

7 hours ago, Pineap-spider said:

Occasionally, if I want a pizza but don't want to pay for a pizza, i'll use whatever I can find for a crust and load it with whatever sounds good. I've had pizza on a tortilla (would not recommend), a English muffin, (almost just as bad) whole wheat bread slices (decent), and a slice of French bread (the best).

Great. Definitely have done similar with toast and Italian bread.

Depending on time available, another one we'll occassionally do is biscuit pizza. Take 3-4 pre-made ready-to-bake biscuits out of their package, cut into quartersand place them jigsaw-like in an 8x8 pan, then press lightly to fill the gaps (or add another biscuit). Bake for 2-3 minutes less than package directions, remove from oven and top with preferred pizza toppings. Return to oven for another 12-18 minutes until dough is cooked through and toppings are perfect. 

The result can be sliced and served, but tends to eat like a hybrid pizza/monkey bread. I'lll see if I can't edit this post with a picture next time we make one. 

[Through The Living Glass]

12 hours ago, Pineap-spider said:

Occasionally, if I want a pizza but don't want to pay for a pizza, i'll use whatever I can find for a crust and load it with whatever sounds good. I've had pizza on a tortilla (would not recommend), a English muffin, (almost just as bad) whole wheat bread slices (decent), and a slice of French bread (the best).

As a kid my mom and I would make french bread pizza.  

It's been a long while though.

[Maze]

There is a local pizza place where I live that has a few popular pies that I consider to be non-traditional, but that may depend on where you live. I haven't personally tried any of these so I'm just going to post the descriptions straight from their website. 

Hibachi Pizza
Japanese white sauce (yum-yum sauce), chicken, shrimp, sautéed broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, fried rice, and an oyster/soy sauce combination, finished with sesame seeds.

Korean Beef
Korean BBQ sauce, seasoned ground beef, fried rice, carrots, scallions, cilantro, fried onions, and mozzarella

Crab Rangoon
Crab Surimi, Cream Cheese, Sweet Peppers, Mozzarella, Crispy Wontons, Scallion, Sweet Chili Sauce, Spices

Paige's Delight
Marinated grilled chicken breast, Apple-wood smoked bacon & onions on a sweet glaze, topped with our Mozzarella cheese blend, cilantro, fresh strawberries, and hot chili sauce.

I'm not really sure how I feel about these. I wouldn't be against trying them if they were in front of me. Maybe I would like them. I'm just not willing to spend my own money to find out. So, if you're ever in my neck of the woods, I'll be more than happy to show you around and let you buy me lunch. 

[Treamayne]

8 hours ago, Maze said:

Korean Beef
Korean BBQ sauce, seasoned ground beef, fried rice, carrots, scallions, cilantro, fried onions, and mozzarella

If they replaced "cilantro" with KimChi, this might be like something I could find when I lived in Seoul.

[theshardfork]

Chicken tikka masala pizza. Trust me it’s bomb

[King Oreo]

I don't have a sense of smell or taste (no joke) so my take on pizza is a bit interesting.

Peppers should be mandatory, olives too. The more cheese the better and meat is bad