Seekers of the perfect Hawaiian pizza may be in search of a little piece of tropical paradise, or they may simply be more adventurous than the usual pizza lover. Hawaiian pizza can embrace many different ingredients
and flavors that aren’t obvious to a conventional pizza maker. There’s pineapple, of course, but there can also be chicken, ham, salsa, bacon, tomatoes, or even shrimp. Some versions of the recipe make it into a dessert pizza,
even going so far as to do away with the traditional crust and using cake batter instead. Pizza gourmets shouldn’t be afraid to explore all that this variation has to offer.
Strangely, the Hawaiian pizza did not originate in Hawaii, or even anywhere near the Pacific Ocean. The most popular story for its origin is that it came from an Ontario, Canada restaurant owner in the 1960s. A man named Sam Panopoulos
claims that he and his brother, Nick, were just starting out in the pizza business and weren’t completely sure of how to make pizza. They began experimenting with toppings before they found the combination of pineapple and ham
to big a big hit with customers.
It’s that tangy, sweetness of pineapple that gives Hawaiian pizza its signature flavor. On the surface, it seems like exactly the wrong thing to pair up with cheese and tomato sauce. Somehow it works, and so well that it has become
a favorite the world over. Any pizzeria worth their salt keeps pineapple on hand. Why order it, though, when it’s so simple to make at home.
There are no special rules to using pineapple versus any other topping. The fruit can be cut as thin or as thick as the cook pleases. The only important thing to keep in mind is to make sure the pineapple is well-drained – excess
juice makes for a very soggy pizza. After trying pizza Hawaiian style, cooks might be inspired to experiment with their own unusual toppings.
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