Carne Asada Pizza

We love going to California Pizza Kitchen in Salt Lake with Chris's family. Without fail, one of us always ends up ordering the Carne Asada Pizza..it's the best! Last month when we went we overheard one of the waiters saying this was the last day that this pizza was going to be on their menu. My mother law in and I decided that we could figure out how to make it...then she got a bright idea and googled the recipe and we found it. We made it for dinner tonight, and yum...to die for...we made a few changes along the way, I will put a note next to the things we changed. Don't get to overwhelmed by this post...for some reason California Kitchen Pizza really made this a wordy recipe. One of the best things about their pizza is their crust...it's so yum...but let's be honest, if your not up for cooking homemade dough, that premade stuff in the grocery store ain't bad....

Pizza dough recipe:
1 tsp Yeast
1/2 c Plus
1 Tbsp Warm waterm 105-110 degrees
1 1/2 c Bread flour, or all-purpose
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Plus 1tsp for coating

To prepare dough: Dissolve yeast in water and set aside for 5 to 10 min.. Be sure that water is not too hot: Temps over 120 will kill the yeast. UPRIGHT ELECTRIC MIXER: Use mixing paddle attachment because batch size is too small for the dough hook. Combine all other ingredients. Add dissolved yeast. Use the lowest 2 speeds to mix dough. Mix 2-3 min. until dough is smoth and elastic. Overmixing will produce tough, rubbery dough, and friction will cause dough to rise too fast. IF USING FOOD PROCESSOR: Use dough blade.proceed as in preceeding instructions. IF MIXING BY HAND: Place dry ingredients in a 4-6 qt mixing bowl , make a well in the middle and add liquids. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Lightly oil hands and knead for 5 minutes. When done the dough should be slightly tacky. LIGHTLEY OIL THE ball and the interior of a 1 qt. glass bowl. Place dough ball in bowl and seal bowl air-tight with clear food wrap. Set aside at room temperature to rise until double in bulk: 1-1/2 - 2 hrs. The dough could be used now BUT it would be NOTHING SPECIAL! To obtain that wonderful, chewy, flavorful dough that it will later become, punch down dough, reform a nice round ball and return it to same bowl; cover again with clear plastic wrap. Place bowl in refrigerator overnight, covered airtight. About 2 hours before you are ready to assemble pizza, remove dough from fridge, use a sharp knife to divde dough into 2 equal portions. Roll smaller dough into round balls on a smoothe surface; seal any holes by pinching . Place the dough balls in a glass casserole dish, space far enough to allow each to rise until doubled in size (about 2 hrs.). They should be smooth and puffy. To stretch and form dough for pizza, sprinkle flour on smooth surface. Use a spatula to carefully remove dough ball from casserol dish . Be very careful to preserve its round shape. Flour the dough liberally. Use your hand or rolling pin to press dough down forming a flat circle about 1/2" thick. Pinch dough between your fingers around edge forming a 1/4" rim. Continue this outward stretching until you have reaached a 9" diameter pizza dough. Yields ennough dough for 2- 9" pizzas. After topping pizza transfer to pizza stone in preheated oven. The stone should be preheated at 500 degrees for 1 hour. Bake 8 to 10 min. NOTE: I was really sorry I did not double this recipe the first time I made it!!!!!! It is sooo delicious we ate more (and wanted more)!

Makes two 9-inch pizzas

Cilantro Pesto
1/2 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon serrano peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon raw minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
Kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil

Carne Asada Marinade (or if you want to make this a quick supper...buy a frozen bag of pre-cut/cook fajita steak):
1/4 ounce chopped cilantro
3 ounces lime juice
1 ounce olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic


Carne Asada Beef
1 pound raw beef (skirt steak)
Carne Asada Marinade

For the pizza
1 recipe California Pizza Kitchen Basic Pizza Dough
Cornmeal, semolina or flour for handling
1 tablespoon cilantro pesto
1 cup Monterey jack cheese (We used pepperjack, and it was great!)
20 to 25 half rings sweet white onion
1 recipe sliced Carne Asada Beef
1/2 cup canned Ortega brand chiles, cut into
1/4-inch strips, well drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

To make Carne Asada marinade: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside in the refrigerator for use with Carne Asada.

To make the pesto: Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 2 minutes until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.

To make the Carne Asada: Prepare a hot grill. Combine Carne Asada marinade with the raw beef and keep under refrigeration for one hour.

Grill the beef for 4 to 4 minutes per side. When done. remove from grill and chill thoroughly. Slice beef into 1/4 inch thick strips. Set aside in the refrigerator.

To make the pizza: Place the pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F, for one hour before cooking the pizzas.

Use a large spoon to spread 1 tablespoon of cilantro pesto evenly over the surface of the prepared dough within the rim.

Cover the sauced area with half the Jack cheese. Distribute half of the onions over the cheese. Distribute half of the sliced Carne Asada beef followed by half of the chiles.

Transfer the pizza to the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese in the center is bubbly, 9 to 10 minutes.

When cooked through, carefully remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro over the hot, cheesy surface. Slice and serve.

---California Pizza Kitchen serves this pizza with a green salsa...I'm not a huge fan, so I used my Cafe Rio Tomatillo Ranch dressing to dip it in....yum!!!

Recipe taken from: California Pizza Kitchen