Pizza a Portuguesa

I still remember… Growing up in Brazil, Pizza à Portuguesa used to be one of my favorite pizzas.

I don’t know exactly why it got the name à Portuguesa (Portuguese-style pizza)– I suppose it is because the pizza is topped with hard-boiled eggs and Portuguese chouriço sausage.  For those who may not know, eggs are a very important ingredient in Portuguese cuisine, and have a prominent place in many popular dishes.

This Pizza à Portuguesa is topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, tomato, hard-boiled eggs, onions, ham, chouriço sausage, green bell peppers, olives, and oregano.  Are you overwhelmed?  Trust me: it is one of the best — if not the best– pizzas that you will ever eat. The thickness of the crust as well as its texture vary from place to place nowadays, although the traditional pizza crust, brought initially by Italian immigrants to São Paulo, was thin and crispy.

Pizza à Portuguesa is one of those dishes that are quick and easy to prepare, yet extremely flavorful — ideal to share with family during a busy week, or with friends on weekends.  Well, I do hope you try and enjoy our dish for today, Pizza à Portuguesa, as much as my husband and I enjoyed ours…

xx

Pizza à Portuguesa

(Portuguese-Style Pizza)

Segment: Brazilian cuisine

Yield: 1 (12-inch/30.5 cm) pizza

Ingredients:

1 (12- inch/30.5 cm) homemade or store-bought pizza crust (I used Mama Mary’s thin and crispy crust)
Olive oil to brush crust and drizzle the pizza (optional)
1/3 cup tomato sauce
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
8-10 thin slices deli smoked ham
6-8 slices of chouriço sausage, stir-fried (optional)
1 large tomato, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, small diced
2 large hard-boiled eggs
6-8 pitted black olives
Fresh oregano
A pinch Kosher salt
A pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425º F/ 218º C (or at the temperature indicated on the package).  Line a large, round baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. To make the pizza a portuguesa: Brush one (12-inch) pizza crust with olive oil if desired (It seals the crust and makes it crispier).  Spread the tomato sauce on top and then distribute the shredded cheese.  Overlap the ham in the center of the pizza, and arrange the slices of sausage (optional), tomato and onion.

3. Slice one of the hard-boiled eggs and reserve to decorate the pizza when it comes out of the oven. Chopped the yolk of the other hard-boiled egg and sprinkle in the center of the pizza. Decorate with black olives, sprinkle the oregano, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Bake for 10 minutes (or follow instructions on the package of the pizza crust), remove from oven, and decorate with the slices of hard-boiled egg. Drizzle the pizza a portuguesa with a little bit of olive oil if desired. Enjoy!

You might also enjoy: 

• Shrimp Pizza
• Pizza Empanadas