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Mmmm…..pizza…..What could be better than a deliciously hot pizza after skiing in the backcountry all day? Nothing, no ifs, ands, or buts, gourmet pizza is definitely my favorite dinner to eat at a hut….hands down. If your mouth is salivating, but your mind is filling with doubt about the  feasibility of pulling off a gourmet pizza in a hut, rest assured Gentlemen and Ladies, YOU can do it. It’s actually quite simple and the ingredients can be lightweight too.

Gourmet Hut Pizza Ingredient list for 2 pizza lovers
~15oz bag of Pizza Mix
~1 packet of dried pasta sauce
~ 4 cups of shredded cheese
~1 cup olive oil
~toppings
~read directions below for creative ingredient additions

Step 1. Mix Pizza Mix with the suggested amount of water or until the dough just barely sticks to your hands.  I like to add a little mix, a little water, until I get the right consistency. The more flour you add, the less sticky the dough.

Step 2. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes, i.e. mash and squeeze this big ball of dough until you are bored (which takes about 2 minutes for me).

Step 3. Divide the dough into fist sized balls to make personal pizzas (my preferred method), larger balls to make a large pizza.

Step 4. Sprinkle flour onto a plate or cutting board and smash a ball on this surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Then use a round object like a Nalgene or can as a rolling pin  to get the crust even thinner and more consistent.

Step 5.  Fry the crusts in a covered frying pan flipping them so that both sides are golden brown. I like to do all the crusts at one time.

Step 6. Prepare your toppings. This can be done simultaneously with making the pizza crust if there is more than one chef. Some of my favorites toppings are sundried tomatoes rehydrated in hot water or olive oil, onion, olives, garlic, and basil, and feta. Shredded mozzarella is my go-to cheese, but if you want to really impress your hut mates, you can add/replace it with gouda, feta, blue, or parmesan cheese. The topping options are endless and the more gourmet the toppings the more gourmet the pizza although more traditional pizzas like mozzarella and pepperoni are also sure winners.

Step 7. Prepare your sauce. Again there are many creative options here but the two I will recommend are a more standard red sauce or a pesto sauce. The lightest option is to get powdered pasta sauce packets and rehydrate them at the hut.

Step 8. Putting it all together. Heat one side of the already fried crust and as soon as you flip it over, add the sauce, then cheese, then toppings to the hot side. Cover and cook on low heat for about three minutes. If the crust starts to burn before the cheese is melted, turn the heat down or move it to a corner of the wood stove, add more oil, and spin the pizza in the oil.

Step 9. Remove from pan, place in mouth, and give yourself a pat on the back for you have just made Gourmet Hut Pizza.

If you liked this recipe, please pass it on to someone else who might as well.

Bon Appetite,
Kelly Ryan and the San Juan Hut Systems

P.S. What is your favorite backcountry meal? Any chance you will spill the secret here on our Blog? Do you have any suggestions on how to make this Gourmet Hut Pizza any better? Send me an email at kelly@sanjuanhuts.com or better yet post your comments.