ON THE MENU (CONTINUED)
recipe
ingredients BALSAMIC CHERRY & BURRATA PIZZA Recipe courtesy D’Amico Catering Photo courtesy Travis Anderson Photography
1 ea. pizza dough or crust of your choice 1 cup baby spinach ⅓ cup mozzarella and provolone cheese 2 T ricotta cheese 2 T shaved red onion 3 T macerated Bing cherries (recipe at right) Pinch of Kosher salt Pinch of ground black pepper 2 oz burrata ingredients for finishing method 1. Hand toss dough into approximately 10" circle. 2. Build pizza by evenly distributing the ingredients in order listed. 3. Remove the pizza and carefully place burrata ball in the center of the pizza. Return to oven for 90 seconds, just until it starts to melt. 4. Cut into six even slices and garnish with basil, pistachios, and balsamic glaze. 5. Serve on pizza plate. 2 tsp balsamic glaze 1 T basil, chiffonade 2 T chopped pistachios
ingredients 4 cups frozen Bing cherries 1 cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup granulated sugar method 1. Whisk sugar and vinegar together in a bowl. Place MACERATED BING CHERRIES
cherries in half gallon container, add balsamic/sugar mixture and sink cherries in it. 2. Allow to macerate for a couple hours or longer. You can reuse the mixture a couple of times.
“Pizza just has this way of sending shivers of shock and awe through guests; just imagine their eyes lighting up with surprise as pizzas are marched out of the kitchen—they really hold a special place for people.” —Christie Altendorf
Be cautious when bringing pizza to your catering menus though, because there is plenty of room for error (i.e., burns, not enough cheese, too many ingredients causing the pizza to get soggy, etc.). “Maintaining the perfect pizza at events presents its own set of unique challenges,” says Barbara Brass (Wolfgang Puck Catering). “Keeping it hot without compromising quality is a balancing act—some heating methods leave the crust soggy, while others dry out the toppings. Then there’s the issue of temperature; some solutions just don’t keep the pizza hot enough to capture that fresh-from-the-oven appeal. Despite its simplicity, pizza can be surprisingly finicky when it comes to preserving its ideal texture and flavor. These hurdles highlight the skill and precision required to serve pizza that’s as good hours into an event as it is the moment it’s made.”
“It’s a simple process cooking pizza, but many things can go wrong,” adds Buchanan. “Building a pizza is an art, so it’s a talent that you get better at every time; test it out on yourself first to make sure that you can do it. You could even have a pizza party for your staff and do it that way.” Pizza’s adaptability makes it an ideal choice for modern catering. Embrace this beloved dish with creativity and finesse, and watch it become a standout feature of your catering offerings. “Pizza brings people together,” says Buchanan. *24 Carrots Catering & Events is a proud member of the Leading Caterers of America, a consortium of the top catering and event planners throughout the United States and Canada.
WINTER 2024 ■ CATERSOURCE
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