You can use any ingredient any way you like on pizza, of course. But one key to making a truly great seasonal and thematic pizza using ingredients not traditionally associated with it is to rethink their application as toppings. In concert with that? Reinterpret the original dish, balance the flavors, and try not to go overboard. These are core tenets to apply when thinking about how to make the Ultimate Thanksgiving Pizza.
To take something that could just be a kitchen sink pizza and turn it into one almost worth making an entire Thanksgiving feast out of, we turned to a pizza purist, a pizza maker who would typically never engage in schtick, Thomas DeGrezia of Sofia Wine Bar in New York City for a considered philosophical approach. DeGrezia’s pizza pedigree stretches back to his grandfather’s well-known Bensonhurst, Brooklyn slice shop J & V Pizzeria (established 1955).
“I’ve always considered myself a pizza maker who sticks as close to tradition as possible,” DeGrezia said. “Perhaps it’s a fault instilled in me by the older generation of pizza makers who inspired and taught me. So when Ooni’s Head of Content, Arthur Bovino, asked me to make the Ultimate Thanksgiving Pizza, my initial reaction was: No. Why would you do that? And not gonna happen. But Arthur also knows how much I love Thanksgiving and that I can’t say no to a challenge. So when he said, ‘I know you wouldn’t normally ever make this pizza, that’s why I want you to make it,’ I couldn’t say no.”
Because this pizza is meant to be something anyone can do using their own Thanksgiving leftovers, this recipe is a little more about philosophy, ratio, technique and application than how to make the main dishes for which the American holiday is known. Consider the following approaches. Round or square? Should there be tomato sauce? How should the cheese be applied? Do gravy and cranberry sauce have a place? How do the turkey and stuffing get applied? And do any other leftovers belong?
For Tommy, it’s all about one of the best parts of Thanksgiving, the leftovers sandwich, and thinking about this pizza as “a baked, open-faced sandwich on pizza dough.” That means a square pan pie, which you can make in a 16 by 16-, 14 by 14- or 12 by 12-inch pan in Ooni ovens (depending on which model you own) or in a 12 by 18-inch pan in your home oven. Tommy’s recipe for Grandma Dough needs to be made two to three days before you bake. But you can stretch Ooni’s Classic Pizza Dough (or store-bought dough) out in a pan to great effect.
Mashed Potatoes “Our base. Regardless of how you make your potatoes, to transform them for pizza, they need to be extra creamy. Mine follows one rule: a stick of butter per potato. Yes, you read that correctly, one to one. Essentially, it’s a Robuchon purée [the late, great French chef Joël Robuchon’s signature dish: Purée De Pomme]. If your potatoes are not smooth and silky, add butter. Lots. The best way to do this is to melt one stick of butter at a time and whip it into the leftover potatoes until they’re a silky-smooth mixture that’s easily spreadable. You’ve never invited me over for Thanksgiving, so I’ve never had your potatoes. My advice? Start by adding two to three sticks of butter. Once they’re fully combined, mix two cups of shredded cheese (preferably Monterey Jack and cheddar) into the potato mixture and blend until well incorporated.”
Stuffing “Not much needs to happen except to keep it out at room temperature, so it crisps in the oven. I make a traditional veggie stuffing (mushrooms, onions, and celery sautéed in butter) but you should make yours the way you always do. This is all your favorite flavors being present in each bite. The key is to not use too much and to add the stuffing to the pizza halfway through the bake.”
Turkey “Everyone makes theirs differently, and I’m not going to tell you how to make yours. My only suggestion is about how to store whatever is leftover Thanksgiving night after dinner. Shred a pound of whatever you’ll be using (white, dark, or a blend) and store it submerged in gravy (or any natural juices from cooking) in a container. This will help keep the meat extra moist when it comes in contact with the intense heat of the oven while baking. If you forgot to do that, just shred the turkey and submerge it in gravy when you take the ingredients out of the fridge to prepare the pizza.”
Ham “I know not everyone bakes a ham on Thanksgiving, but if you have, it adds a wonderful contrast. I bake mine with honey and pineapple juice, and like the turkey, when I put aside the ham for this pie, I stored it in its juices. If you have deli ham (honey-baked or otherwise) use it. Remember to cut the ham into small (penny-sized) squares and remove unwanted fat.”
Gravy “My gravy runs thin. For this pie, it should add moisture but not be too runny (and definitely not goopy). For the right consistency, I suggest adding it to a saucepan with a half cup of red wine for a flavor boost and reducing it until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.”
Cranberry Sauce “This is one of the most boring parts of Thanksgiving to me, and it’s a tricky thing to add to pizza whether you go fresh or canned because of the way it looks. I make mine fresh but just use the recipe on the back of the bag (one bag of cranberries, one cup of water, one cup of sugar). Either way, I suggest mixing whatever cranberry sauce you served at Thanksgiving with orange juice (I used two blood oranges, but you can use regular OJ) over heat just until it’s a loose mixture, and then straining before using it as a post-bake drizzle or dip.”
Hot Honey “A little drizzle along the edge of the crust adds a nice accent.”
To recap: Loosen your mashed potatoes with several sticks of butter, then mix the cheese into it. Add the stuffing (not too much) mid-bake. Shred your turkey and submerge it in gravy. If you’re considering a non-standard topping, make it ham. Reduce your gravy til nappant. Pass a juice-loosened cranberry sauce through a sieve. And drizzle the crust with hot honey (make your own!).
“As much as I don’t want to admit it,” Tommy added, “I would totally make this pizza again to extend the eating on what is my favorite holiday, one that’s not about gift-giving but company and great food. I hope you enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving.”
