Thai Red Curry Pizza

Remember 1st grade? Life was simple, math was easy, folders were essential, you always had a place to hang your jacket, and everybody's favorite food was pizza. Unfortunately we can't go back to this magical time; math sucks, folders exist almost solely on your computer, and your jacket doesn't have a designated hook. Growing up can be a bummer.

That being said, we can all stop pretending pizza isn't our favorite food. We all know it is, and for good reason! Cheese + carbs + sauce + toppings = freaking delicious. Our 1st grade brains recognized this, and our love for pizza only grew as our palates became more adventurous. No more plain cheese pizza for us (although that is still pretty good), we are gonna dress up our pie with veggies, spice and herbs! Maybe getting older isn't so bad after all.

Thai food is one of my favorite types of cuisine, so thai ingredients on a pizza just makes sense if you ask me. This pizza has a little spice, lots of texture, melty cheese and a hint of sweetness. This pizza requires a little extra attention because it's important to cook some ingredients thoroughly, while some toppings you want to add at the end of cooking so they are still fresh yet warm. It's so worth it!

Thai Red Curry Pizza

Pizza Dough (recipe from Allrecipes.com)
1 (.25 oz.) package dry active yeast
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 tsp. white sugar
2 cups bread flour
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups bread flour, olive oil, salt and the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

3. While dough is rising, prepare your toppings and preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Toppings:
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 chicken breast, cooked and sliced (optional, tofu would be good too!)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 yellow onion, finely sliced
Approx. 1/3 cup green onion, diced
Approx. 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
Approx. 1/3 cup bean sprouts
1/2 large carrot, cut into fine strips

Sauce:
1/2 cup coconut milk (I used light)
1 1/2 tbs. red curry paste
1 1/2 tbs. creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp. fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. sriracha sauce
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
dash of salt

4. Prepare the sauce! Simply add all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Taste, and add more salt or sriracha if you desire.
5. Once dough has risen, transfer to a well floured surface and roll out to your desired thickness. I rolled mine out to fit a 15x10 inch cookie sheet.
6.  Lightly oil your cookie sheet, place dough on the sheet and cover with sauce. Add chicken breast, bell pepper and yellow onion. Cover with about 1/2 cup cheese and place in oven for about 10-12 minutes or until dough is golden.
7. Remove pizza from oven and add green onion, cilantro, peanuts, bean sprouts and carrot slices and cover with the remainder of the cheese. Place in over for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese has started to bubble.
8. Let cool slightly, and enjoy!