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Mediterranean Partridge Pizza

This is pizza four of the five gamebird related pizzas I was planned to post the month of July. I'm calling it a Mediterranean Partridge Pizza. While I was discussing ideas with my wife about how I wanted to build this pizza, she kind of turned her nose up at it, saying that it was a lot of bold competing flavors. She works at a local pizza shop, so I wasn't sure how this one would turn out but decided to forge ahead with my plan ... and to be honest, of the five pizzas I'm posting this month... this one ended up being my second favorite. Something about this pizza just makes you want to go back for another bite, even my wife wanted more of this pizza.

These are small personal sized pizzas, our little pizza oven is limited to doing 12 inch pizzas. All the ingredients and methods posted are these small, personal pizzas. You'll get about four nice sized slices out of one of these pizzas. We'd make several pizzas at once, sharing the end results. The dough on these pizzas is fairly thick, but there is enough dough here in this recipe to roll the dough out a little thinner to make a larger sized pizza. These pizzas don't have to be cooked in a pizza oven, they can be cooked in your stove or on the grill. Just make sure your cooking at least 450 degrees, preferrable closer to 500 degrees.

While its not necessary to make your own Pesto, Im including instructions on how to do it. I used store bough Pesto on my pizza.

Ingredients

Garlic Infused Oil

Pizza Dough

Mediterranean Partridge Pizza

Basil Pesto

Instructions

Garlic Infused Oil

Step #1 Slice Garlic cloves and add to a small container

Step #2 Cover with Olive Oil and allow to sit for a couple of hours before use. This will make more than enough for one pizza. Save the remainder to use a different day, it'll get better over time. Also good for making Garlic Toast.

Pizza Dough

Step #1 Pour beer into measuring cup and leaving sitting out to reach room temperature. The yeast will take longer to activate if you mix with cold beer.

Step #2 Add all your dry ingredients, the yeast, flour and salt to stand mixer. Add Honey or Sugar. Add dough hook to stand mixer then turn on to lowest setting and slowly pour in beer while it mixes. Keep the setting low or it'll sling flour all over the kitchen. Scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Allow to run for a couple of minutes on low before switching to high.

If you don't have a mixer, you can incorporate by hand. Turn out onto a well flour surface to knead by hand until the dough starts to bounce back when pressed on, could take 5-10 minutes.

Step #3 Allow to run on the higher setting for 5-7 minutes.

Step #4 When it's all come together, drizzle in Olive Oil.

Step #5 Spray a mixing bowl with cooking spary. When we transfer dough this this bowl, it'll help keep the dough from sticking.

Step #6 Form the dough into a roundish ball and add to mixing bowl.

Step #7 Sit the bowl in a warm spot and allow the dough to rise for a couple of hours. Cover the bowl with a damp towel. I like to run the towel under the facet, ring it out the excess water, then microwave for a couple of minutes.... be extra careful if you do this because the towel will be steaming hot and will burn.

Step #8 After a couple of hours the dough should double in size. Pour out onto a well floured surface and form into a loaf shape. At this stage I like to wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Let sit for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Step #9 After 20-30 minutes it should be ready to use. Or you can leave wrapped and place in the refrigerator to use another day.

Mediterranean Partridge Pizza

Step #1 Place birds in a zip lock bag and cover with buttermilk. Add a few dashes of hot sauce, seal the bag and shake back and forth to combine. Add zip lock bag to the refrigerator for 4-8 hours to brine. Remove from refrigerator, rinse off and move to a wire rack to dry. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Step #2 In an oven safe skillet, set heat to medium high. Add a couple of tablespoons of butter and allow to melt. Season birds generously with Salt and Pepper. Place birds in hot skillet and allow to cook for a few minutes, before moving to the oven. Cook in the oven about 15 minutes or until internal temperature is around 155. Remove cooked birds to plate and allow to cook before shredding the meat.

Step #3 Start your pizza oven and allow to get hot. Temperature needs to be between 450 to 500 degrees.

Step #4 Cover your pizza peel or an upside down baking sheet in corn meal, this will help the dough slide off into the oven.

Step #5 On a well floured surface, punch down your dough and form into a roughly round pizza shape, it doesn't need to be perfect. Move the pizza dough to your pizza peel or upside down baking sheet.

Step #6 Brush pizza all over with Garlic Infused Olive Oil. I also poked holes in mine with a fork to prevent the crust from bubbling up.

Step #7 Add a few spoonfuls of Pesto to the pizza dough and spread out evenly.

Step #8 Top with Mozzarella Cheese and Pepperoncino Peppers.

Step #9 Add Black Olives and Sun Dried Tomatoes.

Step #10 Add pizza to oven and allow to cook for about 8 minutes, turning often.

Step #11 Allow the pizza to cook for a few minutes under the crust starts to harden. Remove and top with shredded Partridge meat, then place back in the pizza oven to finish off.

Step #12 When pizzas is down and the crust nice and toasted, remove from oven. Top with fresh Basil and Feta Cheese.

Basil Pesto

Step #1 Wash fresh Basil and let sit on paper towel or wire rack to dry.

Step #2 In a small skillet, add pine nuts and start toasting on medium heat.

Step #3 Peel the Garlic, then measure out the rest of ingredients you'll need.

Step #4 Add Basil, Garlic, toasted Pine nuts, Parmesan Cheese, Black Pepper and Salt to food processor.

Step #5 Slow pour Olive oil into food processor with speed set on low.

Step #6 You may need to stop occasionally to scrape down sides.

Step #7 Taste the pesto and add additional salt and pepper if need.

Step #8 Scrap out of food processor into small container, then drizzle the top with Olive oil and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Recipe Card

Mediterranean Partridge Pizza

Written by Jeff Davis Visit : Visit authors website

View Printable Page

Prep Time: 2 hours - Cook Time: 8 min

Ingredients

Garlic Infused Oil

2 clove(s) Garic

1/2 cup(s) Olive Oil

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cup(s) `00` Flour

1/2 cup(s) Pilser Beer - Like Miller LIte or Modelo

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast

1/2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Honey

Mediterranean Partridge Pizza

1 Partridge

1/4 cup(s) Pesto

Mozzarella Cheese

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Black Olives

Pepperoncino Peppers

Feta Cheese

Fresh Basil

Salt

Basil Pesto

2 cup(s) Fresh Basil Leaves

2 tbsp Pine Nuts

2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese

2 clove(s) Garlic

1/3 cup(s) Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Kosher Salt

Instructions

Garlic Infused Oil

Step #1 - Slice Garlic cloves and add to a small container

Step #2 - Cover with Olive Oil and allow to sit for a couple of hours before use. This will make more than enough for one pizza. Save the remainder to use a different day, it'll get better over time. Also good for making Garlic Toast.

Pizza Dough

Step #1 - Pour beer into measuring cup and leaving sitting out to reach room temperature. The yeast will take longer to activate if you mix with cold beer.

Step #2 - Add all your dry ingredients, the yeast, flour and salt to stand mixer. Add Honey or Sugar. Add dough hook to stand mixer then turn on to lowest setting and slowly pour in beer while it mixes. Keep the setting low or it'll sling flour all over the kitchen. Scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Allow to run for a couple of minutes on low before switching to high. If you don't have a mixer, you can incorporate by hand. Turn out onto a well flour surface to knead by hand until the dough starts to bounce back when pressed on, could take 5-10 minutes.

Step #3 - Allow to run on the higher setting for 5-7 minutes.

Step #4 - When it's all come together, drizzle in Olive Oil.

Step #5 - Spray a mixing bowl with cooking spary. When we transfer dough this this bowl, it'll help keep the dough from sticking.

Step #6 - Form the dough into a roundish ball and add to mixing bowl.

Step #7 - Sit the bowl in a warm spot and allow the dough to rise for a couple of hours. Cover the bowl with a damp towel. I like to run the towel under the facet, ring it out the excess water, then microwave for a couple of minutes.... be extra careful if you do this because the towel will be steaming hot and will burn.

Step #8 - After a couple of hours the dough should double in size. Pour out onto a well floured surface and form into a loaf shape. At this stage I like to wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Let sit for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Step #9 - After 20-30 minutes it should be ready to use. Or you can leave wrapped and place in the refrigerator to use another day.

Mediterranean Partridge Pizza

Step #1 - Place birds in a zip lock bag and cover with buttermilk. Add a few dashes of hot sauce, seal the bag and shake back and forth to combine. Add zip lock bag to the refrigerator for 4-8 hours to brine. Remove from refrigerator, rinse off and move to a wire rack to dry. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Step #2 - In an oven safe skillet, set heat to medium high. Add a couple of tablespoons of butter and allow to melt. Season birds generously with Salt and Pepper. Place birds in hot skillet and allow to cook for a few minutes, before moving to the oven. Cook in the oven about 15 minutes or until internal temperature is around 155. Remove cooked birds to plate and allow to cook before shredding the meat.

Step #3 - Start your pizza oven and allow to get hot. Temperature needs to be between 450 to 500 degrees.

Step #4 - Cover your pizza peel or an upside down baking sheet in corn meal, this will help the dough slide off into the oven.

Step #5 - On a well floured surface, punch down your dough and form into a roughly round pizza shape, it doesn't need to be perfect. Move the pizza dough to your pizza peel or upside down baking sheet.

Step #6 - Brush pizza all over with Garlic Infused Olive Oil. I also poked holes in mine with a fork to prevent the crust from bubbling up.

Step #7 - Add a few spoonfuls of Pesto to the pizza dough and spread out evenly.

Step #8 - Top with Mozzarella Cheese and Pepperoncino Peppers.

Step #9 - Add Black Olives and Sun Dried Tomatoes.

Step #10 - Add pizza to oven and allow to cook for about 8 minutes, turning often.

Step #11 - Allow the pizza to cook for a few minutes under the crust starts to harden. Remove and top with shredded Partridge meat, then place back in the pizza oven to finish off.

Step #12 - When pizzas is down and the crust nice and toasted, remove from oven. Top with fresh Basil and Feta Cheese.

Basil Pesto

Step #1 - Wash fresh Basil and let sit on paper towel or wire rack to dry.

Step #2 - In a small skillet, add pine nuts and start toasting on medium heat.

Step #3 - Peel the Garlic, then measure out the rest of ingredients you'll need.

Step #4 - Add Basil, Garlic, toasted Pine nuts, Parmesan Cheese, Black Pepper and Salt to food processor.

Step #5 - Slow pour Olive oil into food processor with speed set on low.

Step #6 - You may need to stop occasionally to scrape down sides.

Step #7 - Taste the pesto and add additional salt and pepper if need.

Step #8 - Scrap out of food processor into small container, then drizzle the top with Olive oil and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

About the Author

Jeff Davis

You may think cooking and recipes don’t have much to do with a website dedicated to hunting dogs ... but really, why do we hunt? Sure, we enjoy watching our dogs work in the field and being outdoors, but ultimately, hunting is about survival and feeding our families. We might as well try to do it well. I'm not a chef and definitely no food authority ... but I do like to eat and enjoy cooking. After searching for people willing to share their recipes on Gundog Central, without much success, I decided to try to do a few on my own, with my wife Tami's help. The recipes I share here are things I like to eat and have made here at home. I've tried to include step-by-step instructions with each meal describing exactly how I did it, but my method may not be best, if you decide to try a recipe posted here, please use whatever technique you think works best, I'm simply sharing how I did it. You'll see a lot of recipes where I've tried to make things from starch, when I could have just used store bought ingredients, simply because I wanted to learn how something was done. My goal is to continually update these recipes as I learn new things and techniques. These are my attempts at creating good, home cooked food, that I would like to eat! If I'm sharing it here, my family and I enjoyed it and I believe you will too.