Philly Cheese Steak Pizza w/Jalapeno Popper Crust

This weekend brought a break in the NFL playoffs as the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers prepare for the Super Bowl. While they readied themselves for the championship game, the all-stars from the other thirty teams in the league gathered in Hawaii to play in the Pro Bowl. When I initially starting planning this series of pizzas, I considered doing a Hawaiian pizza, but that seems too easy and too predictable. Instead, I decided to go a different route and select some of my favorite foods to combine and make an all-star pizza of my own.

Philly cheese steak sandwiches are one of my favorite sandwiches ever. There is nothing like a hoagie roll piled high with steak, onions, peppers, and cheese. Typically, most places serve these sandwiches with a side of fries, but I usually like to get an order of jalapeno peppers to split with my wife as well. So, I decided to make a Philly Cheese Steak Pizza, but with the crust stuffed with jalapenos and cheese, then sprinkled with bread crumbs to make a crunchy coating just like a jalapeno popper.

For the popper portion of the pizza, I roasted (for roasting instructions, click here) some jalapenos, peeled and seeded them, and then paired it with cheddar cheese for the filling. Before I go any further, let me say one thing about the jalapenos. These had to have been some of the hottest jalapenos I have ever cooked with in my life, and they almost made the pizza to hot to eat (and last week I made a pizza called the Firebomb).


Philly Cheese Steak Pizza w/Jalapeno Popper Crust

1 recipe Basic Pizza Crust
5 Tbsp olive oil
16 oz ribeye steak, sliced very thin
1 medium white onion, sliced thinly
1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
12 jalapenos, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut in half
1 cup cheddar cheese
14 slices Provolone cheese
12 oz mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. If using a pizza stone, place it in the lower third of the oven and let it heat at least 45 minutes. Prepare crust for two pizzas according to recipe. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry steak in one tablespoon olive oil until nearly cooked. Remove from skillet and let cool.

In same skillet, cook mushrooms in one tablespoon oil until soft. Remove from skillet and let cool.

In same skillet, saute onion and green pepper in one tablespoon oil until softened and lightly browned. Remove from skillet and let cool.

Stretch crust out to a 18 inch circle. Lay a ring of 12 jalapeno halves around the outside of the crust about an inch from the edge. Sprinkle half the cheddar cheese over the top of the jalapenos.

Fold outside edge of pizza over cheese and jalapenos and seal. Mix bread crumbs and one tablespoon olive oil. Brush outer ring of crust with remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle half the bread crumbs over stuffed crust, pressing to ensure crumbs stick.

Place seven slices of Provolone cheese on bottom crust.  Top with half the steak, mushrooms, onions, and peppers. Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese over top.

Bake at 500 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crumbs are browned. Let sit 2-3 minutes before cutting.