The Pizza Variations vol. 1 -- Schnitzel Pizza

In a world beset with overly complicated moderne interpretations of classic fare, the invention of yet another gourmet this or that comes off as an excuse to bloviate about one’s heightened sense of taste.  It’s as if people wish to trumpet their incredible good taste as a methodology to transform one’s self into the local culinary celebrity. In the post-Food Network™ world, it’s like bragging about your humility.

However, the dictates of the 21^st Century have prompted at least some of us to combine genuine classics from the old country and transmute them into something a bit more handy. The classic steak and potato dinner has become a burger and fries, simply because one can’t make a left turn in a Volvo station wagon and eat a baked potato.

This dish combines one of my favorite dishes – Weiner schnitzel – with the all purpose utility infielder, pizza. I’m not sure why it came to pass, but I am certain that a televised sporting event was involved.

Hardware:

• 4 thinly sliced pork cutlets
• 1 cup pizza sauce – canned is okay
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
• a few sprinkles of parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• bread crumbs
• thinly sliced red onion
• Pizza crust – can be pre-made
• Fresh basil

Technique:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F - with a pizza stone or pizza pan
The star ingredient: The Pork cutlets

• Heat a saute pan with olive oil
• Cook pork cutlets first - scramble one egg in a bowl, measure a cup of bread crumbs in a bowl.
• Dip cutlet in egg wash, then bread crumbs and sauté in pan - 3-4 minutes each side.
• When done, let rest, then thinly sliced cutlets.

Assembling the pie

• Mist crust with olive oil
• Spread pizza sauce over crust – I used Don Pepino
• Add mozzarella cheese
• Add parmesan cheese
• Add red onion
• Place cutlets toward center of pizza - leaving a hole for where the egg will go.
• Cook pizza for 7-8 minutes.
• Remove pizza and crack egg in the middle - leave yolk whole. Add fresh basil.
• Place back in oven for 1 minute
• Then set to broil for 1 minute
• Remove, let set a few minutes - then cut into slices – the yolk should be runny.

Easy, fun and artistic. The perfect way to enjoy a schnitzel dinner while standing up and watching the Hometown Heroes best the Bad Guys From Out of Town.