Fried Catfish Pizza
If you feel the urge to gild this water-lily, make up a batch of Horseradish Sauce and pour it into a squirt bottle. Before serving the pizzas, drizzle a few lines of the sauce over the top.
Makes two 12-inch pizzas
INGREDIENTS
- 1½ pounds catfish fillets, cut into strips
- 2 cups seasoned cornmeal fish fry
- Vegetable oil for frying
- ½ recipe Classic Crust dough or Cornmeal Crust dough
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal or 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups Speed-Scratch Tomato Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- 2 cups shredded Colby cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- ½ cup diced red onion
Dredge raw catfish strips in cornmeal fish fry. In a large, heavy skillet, pour vegetable oil about 2 inches deep and heat until a drop of water sizzles. Fry catfish strips until just browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Place on paper towels to drain.
Roll or press pizza dough into two 12-inch circles, slightly thicker at the edges than in the center. If using pizza pans, sprinkle the bottom with cornmeal or coat with olive oil and place dough in pan. If using a pizza stone, sprinkle with cornmeal and place stone in oven. Preheat oven to 400°.
In a bowl, combine tomato sauce and Tabasco. Whisk to blend. Spread half the sauce in the center of each pizza, leaving edges bare.
Combine Colby and mozzarella cheeses. Sprinkle 1½ cups over the sauce on each pizza, leaving edges bare.
Divide fried catfish pieces over each pizza, followed by pecans and onion.
If baking on a hot stone or tiles, use a well-floured pizza peel to carefully lift one pizza from preparation surface and place on stone. If using pizza pans, place first pizza in the center of the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and toppings are bubbly.
Remove pizza from oven carefully (use peel if baking with a stone). Set aside to rest briefly before slicing. Repeat baking process with second pie.
