Do What You Olive…and Pizza!
The idea began as a small spark, the kind that creeps in when you stare at the fridge as if it could whisper secrets back to you. And there they were. Mushrooms on one shelf, black olives on another. But they didn’t seem to belong together. One earthy and soft, the other bold and savory. It sounded like they had completely different stories to tell. But something about that contrast piqued my curiosity: what if…
Ingredients
- Tomato sauce
- Mozzarella
- Champignon mushrooms
- Red Bell pepper
- Red onion
- Black olives
How I Did What I Olive
In addition to mushrooms and olives, I chose red bell pepper and red onion as the toppings for the pizza. The preparation started off in the traditional way, at least. I spread a thin layer of tomato sauce and grated mozzarella on the pizza base.
I peeled and sliced the red onion very thinly. I decided to use fresh onion. If you slice it thinly enough and leave it on the top, it will cook just right in the oven. Red bell pepper is even easier to pre-process. I just washed it and diced it. I made fairly large cubes because I like the bell pepper to stand out on the pizza.
The mushroom slices were quite large but I didn’t want to chop them any smaller. This is a matter of taste. I sauteed the mushrooms briefly in a pan with olive oil to remove any excess liquid. This also gives them a nice, soft texture.
Preparing canned olives for pizza is quick and easy. I drained the brine and rinsed them lightly to remove excess salt. I patted them dry on paper towels before slicing them into thin slices and spreading on pizza. Now the pizza was ready for the oven.
Tasting “Do What You Olive”
After baking, there is a moment of excitement. You know that smell of pizza that overwhelms you before you can even cut into the first slice. The smell of pizza was almost intoxicating. It was warm, inviting, like a wonderful blend of toasted sweetness and gentle tartness. I love this moment when I have to wait a second and let the pizza to rest after baking, before I get to taste it.
The First Bite…
The pizza crust turned out pretty well. I was a bit worried I overbaked it, but luckily my fears turned out to be unfounded. It was soft on the inside, but wonderfully crispy on the edges. The tomato sauce had a soft brightness, not too strong, just right to anchor everything else in place. It was complemented by the mozzarella, which had melted into a wonderfully creamy consistency.
First I tasted the mushrooms. They brought a calm, earthy depth. Their texture softened in the oven and they felt tender in the mouth. The red peppers brought contrast. Little bursts of sweetness and color that elevated the whole experience.
And then there were the red onions. Those thin soft red surprises of flavor. They bring not only a cheerful color to every pizza, but also a nice texture. They are soft, but you can still feel a little crunch with each bite. The red onions also bring nice sharpness to the pizza. The flavor was not too strong, not dominant, but soft and unifying.
And the Olives…
And last but not least, the olives. Those black, salty, wonderfully confident little bites that make you feel a little guilty with every bite. They dotted the surface like punctuation marks, giving the flavor story structure and tying everything together.
I love olives. So I expected something good. Maybe even very good. And it was. This this pizza lived up to expectations. It wasn’t perfect, which my pizzas rarely are, but that’s exactly why I think I loved it so much. This pizza proved that it’s worth experimenting with fillings. And although I like to keep experimenting new things, I will definitely make “Do What You Olive” pizza again someday.
