My Pizza Fritta: The Singapore Chili Crab
Updated: Feb 29, 2020
One of my 2019's goals is to revisit some of my old recipes. This is one of them. I created Singapore Chili Crab Pizza Fritta way back in 2016. To be honest and not self-flattering, I am still proud of myself having created this pizza. I mean, I am completely obsessed with pizzas, and to be able to fuse that with my famous local dish is astonishing.
As I always preach, a great pizza consists of 95% dough and 5% toppings, which means, 95% of the flavors come from the dough and you just have that 5% of toppings to pair with the dough. I had seen lots of pizzas so over-filled or over-fancied with the toppings without getting the dough right at 1st hand. That's what separates a mediocre pizza from an awesome pizza.
A neat trick which I'd learned from Roberta's is by finishing the pizza with a generous drizzle of honey. By doing that, really amp up the flavors. Like what Chris Bianco used to say, "You need to find your own metaphor in a pizza." I guess I had finally found my own metaphor of pizzas; which are pizza fritta and grilled pizza. I really hope you will give my metaphor a try.
Ingredients:
(Make two 8 inch pizza)
Spice Mix:
Dried Red Chilies Deseeded, 5 Adjust to Preference
Shallots Roughly Minced, 3
Garlic Roughly Minced, 4 Cloves
Fresh Red Chilies Deseeded, 3 Adjust to Preference
Lemongrass White Parts Only Finely Sliced, 1 Stalk
Candle Nuts / Macadamia Nuts, 3
Galangal Finely Minced, 1/2 Inch
Fresh Lime Juice, 1 Lime
Chili Crab Cheese Sauce:
Belacan Fermented Shrimp Paste, 1 TBSP
Canola / Peanut / Vegetable Oil, 2 1/2 TBSP
Tomato Ketchup, 2 1/2 TBSP
Hoisin Sauce, 1/2 TBSP
Oyster Sauce, 1/2 TBSP
Bleached All Purpose Flour, 1/2 TBSP
Unsalted Butter, 1/2 TBSP
Chicken Stock, 3/4 Cup
Good Quality Crab Meat Fresh or Frozen, 100g
Gruyere Freshly Shredded, 1/4 Cup
Low Moisture Mozzarella Freshly Shredded, 1/4 Cup
Parmigiano Reggiano Freshly Grated, 1/2 TBSP
Pure Honey, 1 1/2 TBSP
Sea Salt, Pinch
Pizza:
Pizza Fritta Dough, 2 Dough Balls
Canola / Peanut / Vegetable Oil, For Frying
Fresh Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful
Green Onion Finely Chopped, A Handful
Japanese Kewpie Mayo, For Garnishing
Pure Honey, For Drizzling
Equipment:
Dutch Oven / Deep Fryer
Food Processor / Blender
Sauce Pot
Tongs
Wire Cooling Rack / Plate Lined with Kitchen Paper
Directions:
Please visit my “making pizza at home" page for shaping the pizza dough.
Please visit my “pizza fritta dough” page for the dough recipe.
Prepare the spice mix.
Add dried chilies in a bowl of hot water.
Allow the dried chilies to soak and soften in the hot water for about 30 mins.
After the dried chilies have softened, discard the water and transfer the chilies into a food processor.
Add the rest of the ingredients
Blitz until fine paste forms and set aside.
Prepare the chili crab cheese sauce.
In a sauce pot over medium heat, add in belacan.
Toast the belacan until aromatic.
Add in the spice mix and canola oil.
Saute until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Add ketchup, hoisin and oyster sauce.
Stir well to combine.
Continue sauteeing until the color darken.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Using the same pot over medium heat, add in butter and flour.
Whisk to combine.
Continue whisking until the mixture is pale yellowish.
Gradually add in the chicken stock while still whisking vigorously to prevent any lumps. Whisk, whisk, whisk.
Add the spice mix gradually while still whisking.
Add the crab meat.
Whisk to combine well.
Gradually add the 3 kinds of cheese while still whisking.
Continue whisking until all the cheeses are melted.
Season with salt and honey. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Give it a final whisk, remove from heat and set aside.
Deep fry and assemble the pizza.
Prepare a dutch oven or a deep fryer with at least 3 inches of oil.
*Drop a small pinch of dough into the oil. If it starts to sizzle, the temperature of the oil is ready.*
After shaping the pizza dough, gently and carefully, drop the pizza dough into the oil away from you.
Deep fry until the bottom is golden brown.
Using tongs to carefully flip the pizza dough.
Deep fry until golden brown on the other side as well.
Using tongs to carefully transfer the pizza dough onto a wire cooling rack or a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain off excess oil.
Immediately, spoon and spread the chili crab cheese mixture over the pizza dough.
Top the pizza off with small dollops of mayo.
Next, using scissors, cut the green onion and coriander over the top.
Finally, drizzle honey over the pizza in a spiral motion.
Repeat the steps for the remaining pizza.
Slice and serve immediately.
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