By Byron Stout of Fort Myers, Fla.
Byron feels that cooking in the outdoors is burned deep into his DNA, as he’s enjoyed the outdoors since his days as a Boy Scout. He likes to share his passion with his children, and fondly recalls a week long camping and canoeing trip he took with his son to Canada’s Quetico Provincial Park. Byron can still recall the taste of the delicious sautéed Walleye fish and Smallmouth stew he prepared that week.
One code he lives by is to make sure that cooking outdoors is an event! Byron believes the smells and flavors associated with outdoor cookery really lend themselves to a memorable camping experience. For the past 23 years, he has been able to transfer his love for nature to his job as a writer for The News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla., where he covers the outdoors and environment beats. Byron lives with his wife Grace, and is the proud father of two children, Anastasia and Charles.
Ingredients:Dough:
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3/8 cup water
Toppings:
1/2 pound pancetta (1/4 inch-thick) slices cut into julienne strips
1 small eggplant, peeled, halved and sliced
6-8 baby portabella mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, julienne
1/2 head of garlic smashed and chopped
1/4 pound Asiago cheese, grated
Salt
Pepper
Materials:
1 gallon capacity mixing bowl (plastic OK) with cover
1 quart capacity mixing bowl (plastic OK) with cover
Silicone spatula (flat)
Measuring spoon set
Measuring cup set
Wire whip, medium
Pizza wheel, large
Santoku knife, 7-inch OR French (Chef’s) knife 10-inch
Cutting board, wood – 12-inch minimum width
Vegetable peeler
Cheese grater (large holes)
Pepper mill
1 zip-locking plastic bag gallon
2 zip-locking bags, sandwich
No. 10 cast iron skillet, seasoned (12-inch diameter)
No. 10 cast iron skillet lid
Two pair long chef’s tongs
Pair silicone oven mitts
Silicone hot pad
10 lbs charcoal
Longneck lighter
1 gallon water
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Paper towels
4 bricks
Charcoal grate
Preparation
Note: For easy preparation and assembly, julienne the pancetta slices and place in a re-sealable plastic baggie so that it can be transported to the campsite. Do the same by slicing the eggplant, mushrooms, shallots, red bell pepper and garlic, and grating the asiago cheese beforehand, giving each ingredient its own re-sealable baggie. Similarly, both the dry dough ingredients (whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar) and wet dough ingredients (olive oil, plain yogurt and water) can be pre-mixed and stored separately before coming to camp.
1. Begin browning the pancetta in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium hot coals, until the fat is completely rendered. Remove the pancetta from the skillet to a paper towel to cool. Pour off the fat from the skillet, while saving a little to sauté vegetables.2. Place the eggplant, mushrooms, shallots, red bell pepper and garlic into the skillet and sauté lightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Over separate coals heat the skillet lid.
4. To make the dough, combine the pre-mixed dry ingredients with the previously mixed wet ingredients in large plastic bowl, adding additional water as necessary to make dough spreadable.
5. Spread dough over sautéed vegetables, still cooking in the 12-inch skillet, until they are fully covered. Place hot skillet lid over the pan to seal and place 25 charcoal briquettes on top of the lid to keep warm. Bake for a minimum of 20 minutes. The dough should be firm and have the consistency of biscuits.
6. When dough is fully cooked, remove the pan from the coals and place on a cool surface for about 3-5 minutes to ensure that the pizza can be easily removed from the pan.
7. Remove the lid and run a knife around the edge of the pizza. Invert the pan onto a cutting board and thump the bottom so the pizza glides out.
8. Top with pancetta and Asiago cheese and serve.
Estimated Cook Time: 20 minutes
Wine Pairing Varietal:
Redwood Creek® Pinot Noir
