![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/10\/_mg_2150.jpg\" "\\"Fresh")
Fresh Nopalea Grande<\/p><\/div>I was walking through one of my local markets and, in the produce section, a large oval green shape caught my eye. \u00a0As I turned to look closer and my eyes focused on what I was seeing, my smile grew at the same time. \u00a0My market had fresh cactus! \u00a0I had literally made my pickled cactus sauce, ode to the Nevada desert pizza, “The Hwy 15 Pizza,” a couple days ago. \u00a0I was going to order some cactus online until this fortunate meeting of me and the spiked Napolea Grande<\/em> leaf. \u00a0If you can’t find it in your local store, I found this informative site that grows and sells Organic Cactus called RivenRock.com. \u00a0They have videos and recipes on using their products, which I relied on when I brought my “leaf” home from the store.<\/p>\n I continued to shop, but now I was on another mission — to do another version of my Hwy 15 Pizza that featured a sauce made from pickled cactus. \u00a0Lets see, what other desert ingredients can I bring to this pizza party? \u00a0I figured I would keep this in the same vein as the original Hwy 15, but add something to it here and there to see where this experiment might lead. \u00a0I found some Queso Fresco<\/em>, which is a light, fresh Mexican cheese that can substitute for goat or feta cheese as a lighter fresher cheese option. \u00a0I thought this might work well, allowing the other ingredients to shine. \u00a0I figured I would once again use the pickled cactus sauce as the base, but add some fresh jalape\u00f1os into the mix.<\/p>\n After wandering around, I figured I had enough new items to create something that started on Hwy 15, but maybe ended up out on a deserted dirt road that wandered across the Nevada desert.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Mesquite Pizza Dough<\/p>\n Pickled Cactus and Jalape\u00f1o Sauce<\/p>\n Queso Fresco<\/p>\n Fresh Cactus Leaf<\/p>\n Thin sliced Pancetta<\/p>\n Whole Sage Leaves – chopped, or torn<\/p>\n Fresh Jalape\u00f1os – sliced<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Spread dough and add the pickled cactus\/jalapeno sauce.<\/p><\/div>I had come up with the idea of creating a new dough for my original desert-themed pizza. \u00a0While researching ideas for this pizza, I inevitably came across mesquite, which many know as a “flavor” associated with grilling. \u00a0This could be an interesting thing to add to the wood mixture in a WFO. Though it’s not necessarily associated with Nevada, I felt that it did embody desert life and was heavily used by Native Americans as a staple food source. \u00a0They create a mesquite flour by grinding down the dried mesquite pods in a mill. \u00a0It lacks any gluten and has a very intense flavoring – which changes when cooked\/baked. \u00a0It can become bitter. \u00a0The website where I purchased my mesquite generally recommends blending the mesquite flour at 1\/3 of the volume of what you are making.<\/p>\n I chose a Fire-Roasted Western Honey Mesquite Flour<\/em>. \u00a0Peter suggested I start with my first batch at 10% mesquite to total flour. \u00a0I used the basic Neo-Neopolitan Pizza dough and added in my mesquite.\u00a0 (Note<\/strong>: If you’ve read my blogging much, you’ll have heard a few comments by my son Owen, or other family members. \u00a0Owen may have a knack or a finely tuned palate. \u00a0I once was making a few pizzas with some Bianco DiNapoli Tomatoes,<\/em> used straight, as the sauce to see how good they were. \u00a0Owen said, “Dad, this is the best sauce you’ve ever made!” \u00a0Well, all I did was open the can. \u00a0Thanks Owen! \u00a0He did it again with this Mesquite Dough. \u00a0He said, “Dad, this is the best crust you’ve ever made!” \u00a0He had no idea I made this with the mesquite flour. \u00a0He just showed up for some testing of the finished product. \u00a0Anyway, as Owen can vouch, it’s good!)<\/p>\n Here’s a link to The Mesquitery where I got the Fire-Roasted Western Honey Mesquite Flour: \u00a0www.mesquiteflour.com<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Neo-Neopolitan Dough Recipe: *Link<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This is really an elaborate variation of a basic herbed oil that you can use as a sauce, or topping on any pizza.<\/p><\/div>The idea for this “sauce” comes right from Jersey’s own Mossuto’s Pizzeria. \u00a0Here’s the link to my version of their Fat Lip Pizza – *Link. \u00a0I wanted to incorporate cactus into the pizza for obvious reasons. \u00a0When you think of the desert cactus is likely one of the first iconic images that you think of. \u00a0I picked up a jar of Pickled Nopalitos<\/em> (Cactus) and had a jar of my Mom’s Soy Pickled Jalape\u00f1os<\/em> around and went from there.<\/p>\n – Pickled Nopalitos (Cactus)<\/p>\n – Pickled Jalape\u00f1os<\/p>\n – Garlic<\/p>\n – Olive Oil<\/p>\n – Fresh Ground Pepper<\/p>\n Chop the cactus and jalape\u00f1os and some garlic to taste and place in a bowl.<\/p>\n Add olive oil and freshly ground pepper.<\/p>\n Measure and add ingredients to taste. \u00a0The cactus is somewhat sweet with a nice tang from the pickling. \u00a0The jalape\u00f1os add some heat and a little salt – because I am using my soy pickled jalape\u00f1os. \u00a0Pull the solids from the sauce onto your pizza, being careful to manage how much oil you get on the pizza. You don’t want it to be too runny. \u00a0Mix the ingredients and let sit to marinade for as long as you can for the flavors to come together.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Slice thick enough to hold up in the oven.<\/p><\/div>Fresh Cactus Leaf<\/h2>\n To prepare your cactus leaf check out this simple video demonstration at RivenRock.com. \u00a0*Link<\/p>\n It’s really simple. \u00a0You use the scrubber side of a sponge to lightly remove the spines. \u00a0Then you simply trim the edges and slice your cactus into the shape you want to use.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n All the layers together – into the oven it goes…<\/p><\/div>A Wandering Desert Road Pizza<\/h1>\n Spread the dough<\/p>\n Add a scoop of the sauce and spread across the dough. \u00a0Add more as desired, or place on top of the pizza before, or after cooking.<\/p>\n Break off chunks of the Queso Fresco<\/em> to cover the pizza.<\/p>\n *Prior to assembling the pizza:<\/p>\n Lightly fry up the chopped sage leaves and sliced jalape\u00f1os until just tender. \u00a0They will cook <\/span>more in the oven. \u00a0I used a little of the Pickled Cactus Sauce as the oil.<\/p>\n Add pancetta over the cheese.<\/p>\n Add your sliced fresh cactus<\/p>\n Top with some of the saut\u00e9ed jalape\u00f1os and sage.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Into the oven it goes.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n When it comes out of the oven, which slice you’ll eat, nobody knows! Delicious textures, flavors and a memorable celebration of the desert to say the least!<\/p><\/div>When the pizza comes out of the oven, you might drizzle a little of the Pickled Cactus\/Jalapeno sauce, or just dig in.<\/p>\n Layers! \u00a0What struck me here was the layers of flavors\/textures created using fresh cactus and pickled cactus. I am now a born again cactus fan! \u00a0I have since made some of my favorite homemade salsa using chopped fresh cactus. \u00a0It has a really fresh flavor. \u00a0I sliced the cactus thick enough so that it retained it’s moisture. \u00a0It was like the oasis of moisture on my pizza, just like the cactus is in the desert. \u00a0The pickled cactus added a vinegary accent, while the fresh cactus gave a soft fresh juicy note as you bit into it.<\/p>\n I will definitely keep playing with this new ingredient while exploring my desert pizza experiment as well as on other foods I enjoy like: tacos, burgers, salsas, salads and maybe more?!<\/p>\n Enjoy!<\/p>\n {gallery}wanderingdesertroadpizza{\/gallery}<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A Wandering Desert Road Pizza<\/h1>\n
PREP<\/h3>\n
Mesquite Pizza Dough<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/10\/_mg_2165.jpg\" "\\"Spread")
Pickled Cactus and Jalape\u00f1os Sauce:<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/10\/_mg_2158.jpg\" "\\"This")
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/10\/_mg_2153.jpg\" "\\"Slice")
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/10\/_mg_2170.jpg\" "\\"All")
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/10\/_mg_2182.jpg\" "\\"When")