Pheasant and Anchovy Puff Pastry Pizza

Pheasant breast and anchovy puff pastry pizza

Yes - the anchovies are optional! I thought I would get that bit out of the way straight from the outset as I know there are many people who are totally put off by even the thought of anchovies on their pizza. Personally, I love them - and the surf  'n' sky (as opposed to surf 'n' turf) theme they give to the dish - but if you don't share my affection for these little fishy fillets, simply omit them from the recipe and follow the remaining instructions with the anchovies off the table.

The second potential issue some may find with this recipe - if perhaps less controversial - is the use of puff pastry as a pizza base. This is something I have done many times before and have also seen others doing so. It may be new to you but I promise it does work very well and gives a new twist to your favourite type of pizza, whatever that may be.  

Cook Time

Prep time: 15 min (plus cooling time for sauce and pheasant breast)

Cook time: 35 min

Ready in: 50 min (plus cooling time for sauce and pheasant breast)

Yields: 1 medium pizza (approximately 10" in diameter)

Principal pizza topping ingredients

Ingredients

• 14 ounce (400g) can chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 1 skinless pheasant breast fillet
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1/2 pound (225g) puff pastry
• Plain (all-purpose) flour for rolling pastry
• 1 small beaten egg
• 6 to 8 small anchovy fillets
• 6 to 8 baby plum tomatoes, halved down through core
• 6 to 8 pitted black olives, halved down through core
• Generous handful coarsely grated/shredded cheddar cheese

 

Assembled simple pizza sauce ingredients

Method

Note that you may wish to make the sauce and even fry the pheasant breast the night before if time is short when cooking in the evening. Simply refrigerate them (separately) in appropriate containers.

Pour the canned tomatoes into a saucepan. Add the garlic and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Put the saucepan on to a medium heat and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until a rich, lush sauce is formed. Remove from the heat, cover, set aside and leave until completely cool.

Preparing to lightly pound pheasant breast

This bit is not absolutely essential but it does help tenderise the pheasant breast and allows it to cook more quickly and evenly. Season the breast on both sides with salt and pepper and slip it into a plastic freezer bag. Lightly pound the breast with a rolling pin for a few seconds until it is flattened slightly and a little larger in size. Be careful not to hit it too hard or it will quickly tear and come apart!

Gently frying pheasant breast

Pour a little vegetable oil into a small, non-stick frying pan and bring it up to a medium heat. Fry the pheasant breast over a low to medium heat for 4 minutes each side or until just cooked. Remove from the pan to a plate, cover and leave to cool.

Large dinner plate is used as a template for cutting pastry

Put your oven on to preheat to 210C/Gas Mark 7/425F.

Roll the pastry out on a clean, dry, floured surface to a square just large enough that you can use a 13" (32cm) dinner plate as a template to cut from it a circle.

Puff pastry pizza base ready for baking

Lay a sheet of greaseproof baking parchment on a large baking tray or sheet and carefully lift the circle of pastry on to it. The easiest way to achieve this is to very loosely roll the pastry around your well floured rolling pin and then unroll it on the paper. Carefully crimp the outer half inch (1.25cm) of the pastry to form a rim of sorts. Use a fork to very gently create a series of holes all over the inner circle as shown. Be sure to take the time to do this (takes a couple of minutes) as it prevents what will be the main bed of the pizza rising too much during the initial cooking process. 

Glaze the border of the pastry well with beaten egg and put the tray in the oven for an initial ten minutes.

Partly baked puff pastry pizza base

Take the pastry from the oven. It should already have started to colour slightly. Give the border/rim only another brush with the beaten egg for an extra colourful final crust.

Toppings are carefully added to puff pastry pizza

Spoon about two-thirds of your sauce mixture on to the pizza base. I will include another recipe at a later date showing what I did with the remaining sauce. It will keep in the refrigerator for easily a couple of days. Use the back of your spoon to swirl the sauce gently around to ensure it reaches but does not encroach upon the rim.

When you are happy the sauce is evenly dispersed, decorate with the finely sliced pheasant breast, anchovy fillets, halved tomatoes and olives.

Cheese is scattered over pizza toppings

Scatter the cheese carefully over the topping and return the pizza to the oven for ten further and final minutes.

Pheasant and anchovy puff pastry pizza is served

Slide the cooked pizza carefully from the baking sheet on to a chopping board and season with a little more pepper (optional). Use a sharp knife to cut the pizza into segments before sliding on to your serving plate.