Chorizo and Manchego Pizza
Today’s pizza combines the smoky richness of chorizo, the nutty sharpness of Manchego cheese, and a touch of heat from chilli flakes for a Spanish-inspired pizza topping combination.
We absolutely love chorizo, a cured and spiced sausage widely used in Spanish and Latin American cuisine, delivering a deep, smoky flavour with just the right amount of spice. Manchego, a traditional sheep’s milk cheese from Spain, is known for its buttery texture and nutty, slightly sweet, and mildly tangy taste. When paired with fresh mozzarella, it creates a rich and complex balance of creamy and sharp flavours. It’s a refreshing change from our usual go-to hard cheeses, Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano, and its nutty, slightly tangy profile complements the smoky, spiced depth of chorizo beautifully.
To complete the topping combination, we add a sprinkle of dried oregano for an aromatic touch, chilli flakes for a subtle kick of heat, and a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for a smooth, velvety finish, bringing balance and depth to the pizza.
Chorizo and Manchego Pizza
Equipment
- Outdoor Pizza Oven, Pizza Steel, or Stone (if using a home oven)
- 1 Pizza Peel
- 1 wooden chopping board or peel for prep and serving
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough ball
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- Manchego cheese
- Chorizo
- Dried oregano
- Chilli flakes
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: Follow any of our dough recipes. You will need to prepare the dough at least 24 hours ahead of time.
- Prepare Cheese: Place your fresh mozzarella in a container or bowl with a paper towel at the bottom to allow some of the water to drain. Finely grate the manchego cheese. Tear mozzarella into medium-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Prepare Chorizo: Slice the Chorizo into medium-sized slices. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven:If using an outdoor pizza like an Ooni pizza oven, aim for a temperature of 450-500°C at the center of your pizza stone. Use an infrared thermometer to ensure accuracy. It should take around 25-30 minutes to reach temperature.For a home oven, using a pizza steel or stone, place the stone or steel inside the oven and preheat to the highest temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Base: On a lightly floured surface, stretch out the dough by hand according to the steps outlined in our dough recipe. Once you're happy with the shape of the base, lightly dust your pizza peel and transfer the dough onto the peel.
- Assemble Pizza: To assemble the pizza, start by drizzling a light amount of olive oil over the base of your dough. Next, evenly distribute pieces of fresh mozzarella across the dough, ensuring they are around 2 cm in diameter and at least 1.5 cm apart. Liberally sprinkle grated Manchego cheese over the pizza.Next, add slices of chorizo, followed by a sprinkle of oregano and chilli flakes. Finish with a light drizzle of EVOO.
- Bake Your Pizza:If you're using an outdoor pizza oven, launch the pizza into the oven and bake for 60-90 seconds. Keep an eye on the pie and rotate every 10-15 seconds to ensure even cooking and to avoid burning.For a home oven with a pizza steel or stone, the bake time should be around 7-10 minutes.
- Serving: Once the pizza is done, remove from oven and place on a serving board. Now, it's time to enjoy your homemade Chorizo and Manchego Pizza!
