The New Hawaiian Pizza and The Father

Hello and Welcome to Pizza and a Movie! Get ready for controversy because today, we have pineapple on our pizza. I am not afraid to say that I love pineapple on pizza. The juicy sweetness from a bite of pineapple can perfectly balance a cured meat like coppa and the creamy richness of mozzarella. A burst of juicy texture is a really nice contrast, too. It’s all about balance. We are only a couple of weeks away from the Oscars now, so we’re continuing on our Best Picture Nominee roundup, our movie today is The Father. So c’mon, let’s see about this New Hawaiian Pizza!

Coppa

Coppa, also known as capicola or capocolo, is a cured Italian meat that has a salty, salami-like flavor. I like it for a Hawaiian pizza because its flavor is less like ham; offering instead, a deeper, porkier flavor. It’s fattier too, so overall it’s richer than the Canadian Bacon we normally see on a Hawaiian pizza. I found Volpi Coppa at my local Publix supermarket, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find.

I have canned pineapple chunks that I sliced in half, lengthwise to make a flatter chunk of pineapple; fresh mozzarella slices torn into pieces; thinly sliced red onion and red pepper flakes. We will finish the pie with fresh basil leaves. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. I am doing this one on the pizza stone, you can modify to a pan pizza if you like. Create a crust around the perimeter of the dough and flatten down the center. Stretch it out on the backs of your hands, left hand over right hand, until the dough is roughly 12-inches around.

Assembly

First we will add cheese, then coppa. Pineapple is next, followed by onions. Then a little more cheese and top with the red pepper flakes.

Even distribution of toppings is important for all pizza-making. But for this New Hawaiian Pizza it’s crucial, because we want to be sure we’re getting somewhat even ratios of meat, pineapple, cheese and onions in every bite. Remember, it’s all about balance. Bake this pie for about 15 minutes, until the crust is golden. The fresh mozzarella might not brown as much as the shredded low moisture mozz, but once is melted and gooey, it’ll be perfect.

When it comes out, mop the wet areas with a paper towel as needed and top with fresh basil leaves. Look at that gorgeous landscape!

Don’t skip the fresh basil – it really brightens the flavors of the pizza and slightly tones down the fruity sweetness of the pineapple with its own herbal sweetness. And the color is so pretty!

Pizza is ready, now let’s start the show!

Movie Night: The Father

The Father. Wow. This movie achieves giving the viewer a real sense of what the character is experiencing in a quiet, yet disconcerting way. The father, Anthony (played by Anthony Hopkins) has dementia and we experience his disorientation and confusion just as he does. It’s really incredible, honestly. With subtle changes in the timeline, wardrobe, set design and actors portraying the other characters, we never quite know what is really happening. But don’t think this film is all over the place in a way that is difficult. It challenges the viewer to organize their thoughts and ideas about what is happening, and when the film subverts that – well, we are just as disoriented as Anthony. A brilliant execution, beautifully directed and acted with such authenticity by Hopkins and Olivia Colman, who plays his daughter, Anne. A must-see film.

Thank you all so much for spending some of your day with me. I hope you try the New Hawaiian Pizza and definitely let me know what you think! I want to change your mind about pineapple on pizza if you’re in the “No Pineapple on Pizza” camp. Lol! Catch up on the rest of the Pizza and Movie posts featuring the Best Picture Nominees before the Oscars, because we are rounding the bend to the finish line with the last two Nominees next week, ahead of the Oscars on April 25. Take care and be well, everyone. xo Kelly

Print Recipe

New Hawaiian Pizza

(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

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Dinner, Main Course – American

By Kelly Djalali – Serves: 2-4

Prep Time: 10 Minutes – Cooking Time: 15 minutes – Total Time: 25 Minutes

The juicy sweetness from pineapple perfectly balances coppa and the creamy richness of mozzarella. Red onions add bite; red pepper flakes give a little heat. Fresh basil leaves to finish, tone down the fruity pineapple sweetness with its own herbal sweetness.

Ingredients

• 1 Prepared Pizza Dough
• 1/2 16-oz. Package of Sliced Fresh Mozzarella, torn into pieces
• 1 3-oz. Package of Italian Coppa
• 1/2 20-oz. Can of Pineapple Chunks, each chunk halved lengthwise to make a flatter chunk of pineapple
• 1/4 Medium Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2-1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• Fresh Basil Leaves to Finish

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2

On a floured pizza peel, dust the dough with flour and create a crust around the perimeter of the dough and flatten down the center.

3

Stretch it out on the backs of your hands, left hand over right hand, until the dough is roughly 12-inches around.

4

Add more flour evenly on the peel and lay the dough on the peel.

5

First add cheese, then coppa. Then pineapple, followed by onions. Then a little more cheese and top with the red pepper flakes. Remember to distribute the toppings evenly over the surface of the dough.

6

Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden.

7

Mop the wet areas with a paper towel and sprinkle on the fresh basil leaves.