Deep Fried Pineapple Pizza Baozi (夏威夷披萨包)

Sort of a joke, but actually pretty delicious.

Ingredients

For the bao dough (“%” is baker’s percentage):

• AP flour (中筋面粉) 200g (100%)

• Full fat milk (全脂牛奶) 80g (40%)

• Water 28g (14%) (see note below for adjustment if using King Arthur flour)

• Sugar 8g (4%)

• Salt 2g (1%)

• Instant dry yeast (即发干酵母) 2g (1%)

For the Tomato sauce:

Tomato (西红柿) 200g, or about one large

Garlic 1 big clove. Minced

Liaojiu aka Shaoxing wine (料酒) 1/2 tbsp

Light soy sauce (生抽) 1/2 tbsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Sugar 1/4 tsp

MSG (味精) 1/8 tsp

White pepper powder (白胡椒粉) ~1/8 tsp

Toasted sesame oil (香油/麻油) ~1/4 tsp

Slurry: Cornstarch (生粉/粟粉), 1/2 tsp; mixed with water, 1/2 tbsp

Other filling components:

Pineapple (菠萝) ~80g. Half cm dice, preferably fresh and ripe.

Ham (火腿/午餐肉) ~70g. Half cm dice.

Low moisture mozzarella cheese ~80g. Half cm dice.

Optional: Kewpie mayo (丘比蛋黄酱) ~50g. For the non-tomato mayonnaise version.  

Process:

To make the dough:

Add in salt and sugar to one side in the flour bowl, add the yeast in the other side.

Add milk to the salt and sugar side, then add water to the yeast side.

Mix until it becomes shaggy bits, press into a ball, transfer to a working surface and knead for 6-8 minutes till relatively smooth. Shape into a ball and ferment till double in size.

When dough is fermenting, you can make the filling.

To make the filling:

Roast the tomato over fire (or blanch it) then peel off the skin. Remove the core, seeds, and juice. Cut into 1/2 cm dice.

To a pan, add in one tbsp oil, fry the minced garlic till fragrant, add in the tomato dice. Fry ~1 minute, add in the liaojiu aka Shaoxing wine, quick fry, then add in the light soy sauce and the seasoning except MSG. Fry it together until most of the liquid is evaporated, then add in the MSG and slurry.

After it thickens, heat off, add in the white pepper and toasted sesame oil. Set aside.

Then dice the pineapple and ham, set aside.

To make the Bao:

Take the dough out from the bowl, punch a hole in the center. Extend the dough along the hole and form it into a thick ring. Tear it in half, then tear both pieces in half. Evenly tear them into 8 pieces. Or use a scale to help portion out 40g/piece.

Roll the edge of the dough and fold towards the center to form a ball, then roll the seamed side. Work through the 8 pieces and let it rest for 15 minutes.

As they’re resting, cut out 8 pieces ~2*2 inch parchment paper and lay them out in the steamer.

Once rested, take one ball, seam side facing up, use your palm to press it down into a thick disc. Then use the rolling pin in one hand, gently roll into the center, than use some light force roll back out from the center.

Roll along the wrapper in a circular motion until you get a wrapper that’s ~12cm in diameter. Set aside following the sequence of rolling, remember which one is first and which one is last.

Work through the wrapper. Then grab the first rolled out wrapper, place 1/2 tbsp of that tomato sauce (or Japanese mayo if using), then 1 tbsp each of cheese, ham and pineapple. The sauce should go in first so that it won’t squeeze into the pleats later.

To wrap, take one side and start pleating.

Use the thumb and index finger to pinch the pleats and the outer rim of the wrapper thinner, so that we can “extend” and create more room for pleating and sealing. Once finish pleating, pinch and twist the top to seal it tight. (Uncut video available).

Place the finished one in the steamer, cover to prevent dry out.

Work through the 8 baos, then proof over 35C water for 5-15 minutes depends on your ambient temperature. When you poke your finger into the dough, if it slowly bounces back in 2-3 seconds, then it’s ready to steam.

To steam, bring a pot/wok of water to a rapid boil, place the steamer on it, let it steam on medium high for 8 minutes. Then shut off the heat, let it sit for a minute or two. Take it out.

They can be eaten right away. Or, let them cool down to touch, then deep fry.

*DO NOT DEEP FRY ANY BAO THAT GOT LEAKAGE

To deep fry, heat up 2-3 inch worth of oil in your utensil of choice to 185C. Place the now cool to touch bao pleat side down, fry for 35-40 seconds.

Then flip, and fry the other side for the same amount of time.

Take it out and lay it on a paper towel-lined plate. Work through the baozi and eat them while hot.