Alton Brown Crab Rangoon Pizza Recipes

PIZZA PIZZAS

Steps:

• Place the sugar, salt, olive oil, water, 1 cup of flour, yeast, and remaining cup of flour into a standing mixer's work bowl. Using the paddle attachment, start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed.
• Tear off a small piece of dough and flatten into a disc. Stretch the dough until thin. Hold it up to the light and look to see if the baker's windowpane, or taut membrane, has formed. If the dough tears before it forms, knead the dough for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
• Roll the pizza dough into a smooth ball on the countertop. Place into a stainless steel or glass bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
• Place the pizza stone or tile onto the bottom of a cold oven and turn the oven to its highest temperature, about 500 degrees F. If the oven has coils on the oven floor, place the tile onto the lowest rack of the oven. Split the pizza dough into 2 equal parts using a knife or a dough scraper. Flatten into a disk onto the countertop and then fold the dough into a ball.
• Wet hands barely with water and rub them onto the countertop to dampen the surface. Roll the dough on the surface until it tightens. Cover one ball with a tea towel and rest for 30 minutes.
• Repeat the steps with the other piece of dough. If not baking the remaining pizza immediately, spray the inside of a ziptop bag with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bag. Refrigerate for up to 6 days.
• Sprinkle the flour onto the peel and place the dough onto the peel. Using your hands, form a lip around the edges of the pizza. Stretch the dough into a round disc, rotating after each stretch. Toss the dough in the air if you dare. Shake the pizza on the peel to be sure that it will slide onto the pizza stone or tile. (Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the dough for 30 minutes if you want a chewy texture.)
• Brush the rim of the pizza with olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce evenly onto the pizza. Sprinkle the herbs onto the pizza and top with the cheese.
• Slide the pizza onto the tile and bake for 7 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
• *This recipe's been on the web for some time now and although most of the reactions have been darned positive, some of you have commented that the dough was way too salty. At first we chalked this up to personal preference; some folks are just not as sensitive as others to this basic flavor. And of course salty toppings would definitley change the dynamic. Still, we didn't want to leave it at that. We went back to the lab and found that the flake size of kosher salt differs quite a bit from brand to brand. This could easily result in a too salty crust. So unless you've had success with the recipe in the past, we suggest you cut the salt by one teaspoon, from a tablespoon to two teaspoons. So that the yeast doesn't go crazy, you should also cut back on the sugar by half a teaspoon. Thanks, AB

CRAB RANGOON

Steps:

• For the sweet and sour sauce: Add the sugar, pineapple juice, vinegar, cherry syrup, ketchup and salt to a 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Combine the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water in a bowl and mix well; add this to the sugar mixture. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• For the wontons: Combine the crab, cream cheese, green onions, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Mix well to combine; I found using your hands can sometimes be the best way. Lay out the wonton wrappers on a clean work surface. Place 1 tablespoon of the crab mixture in the center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrappers with a little of the egg wash, then fold each into a triangle. Press to seal the wontons, squeezing out any trapped air; this will ensure that the wontons stay closed during frying.
• Heat 2 inches oil in a deep-fryer or a Dutch oven to 375 degrees F. Fry a few wontons at a time until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. When you add the wontons to the oil, the temperature will drop about 10 degrees. Try to keep the temperature maintained at 360 degrees F. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or sheet pan fitted with a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining wontons. Serve with the sweet and sour sauce and enjoy!

WHO LOVES YA BABY-BACK?

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Place each slab of baby back ribs on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side down. Sprinkle each side generously with the dry rub. Pat the dry rub into the meat. Refrigerate the ribs for a minimum of 1 hour. In a microwavable container, combine all ingredients for the braising liquid. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
• Place the ribs on a baking sheet. Open one end of the foil on each slab and pour half of the braising liquid into each foil packet. Tilt the baking sheet in order to equally distribute the braising liquid. Braise the ribs in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.
• Transfer the braising liquid into a medium saucepot. Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce by half or until of a thick syrup consistency. Brush the glaze onto the ribs. Place under the broiler just until the glaze caramelizes lightly. Slice each slab into 2 rib bone portions. Place the remaining hot glaze into a bowl and toss the rib portions in the glaze.

CRAB RANGOON PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat; fry wonton strips until crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spread pizza dough onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until slightly brown, about 7 minutes.
• Mix cream cheese, 1/4 cup green onions, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, and crab together in a bowl; spread onto the pizza crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, remaining Parmesan cheese, fried wonton strips, and remaining green onions.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned and melted, about 8 minutes. Drizzle sweet chile sauce over top.