Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Ciabatta pizza and the Half Chinese Quay Lo

This is actually a recipe that I never thought of blogging but my Quay Lo said I should share this with my readers and my blogger friends because he said the ciabatta pizza is very delicious.  He thought my fusion pomodoro sauce was very tasty and can be used as a sauce for many other dishes like pasta dishes, seafood, or even poultry and meat.  I told him an Italian chef would ban me for adding sambal belachan to the pomodoro sauce and using it with Italian cuisine.  LOL! 

Well, I thought that the sauce would definitely appeal to the Asian palate more than the Western, but then my Quay Lo disagreed. He thinks Westerners will like it too. He pointed out that the dried shrimp is rather like anchovies, with the same flavor boosting quality. He also pointed out that many Westerners like chili, and spicy dishes. I did not argue with him but quietly I said to myself,  you are already half Chinese so you should not be so sure about that.  This reminded me of what our Hong Kong Chinese friend said about my Quay Lo many years ago, after uttering something not so nice about Quay Los in general.  He said that Quay Los are very calculative people, especially Americans, because when it comes to paying for any food bills, they will pay for their share only and seldom insist on paying the whole bill. Then he quickly added "Your Quay Lo is different, he is already half Chinese.”  Of course, this was after his wife kicked him under the table. Maybe he also quickly remembered that my husband and I were hosting the lavish dinner we were in the midst of at the time. But, honestly I think he felt free to speak openly, and was at ease with us, and only afterwards realized he was at risk of being misunderstood. I would not disagree with his assessment that my Quay Lo is half Chinese though, because as much as my Quay Lo teases me for being “Chintzy” ( e.g. for saving up nice wrapping paper or plastic ice cream tubs or bargaining for the best price for my purchases, etc.) , I find that he has picked up quite a lot of my “Chintzyness” lately. I half suspect that one reason he likes these quick and easy half pizza/half sandwiches is that they are far easier on the budget than sending out for pizza delivered. Of course, they are delicious also. No wonder he said to me the other day “Lucy, you are a great trainer.” WOW!

Ciabatta pizza




Ingredients:
2 ciabatta bread, halved
1 boneless chicken breast, poached in chicken stock and roughly shredded
½ C black olive, thinly sliced
1 C sliced mushroom, sautéed in butter
2 C mozzarella grated cheese
1 C pamersan grated cheese
1 sun dried tomato, thinly sliced
fusion tomato base sauce (please see recipe below)

Method for assembling the pizza:
Lay the bread on the baking pan. Layer with fusion tomato base sauce, the amount is up to individual preference.  Add a layer of mozzarella cheese. Add chicken meat, black olive and mushroom. Topped with parmesan cheese. Bake at 220 degrees C for 20 mins or till cheese are melted and slightly brown.

Fusion pomodoro sauce


Ingredients:
(A)
2 tbs olive oil or butter as preferred
6 roma plum tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
5  bibs garlic, cut into thin sliced
2 tbs chopped parsley
1 C basil leaves
1 tin 6 oz. plum tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste
(B)
1 tsp kosher salt (adjust to individual taste)
1 tsp sugar (adjust to individual taste)
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 level tsp sambal belachan (click here for recipe) (optional)
2 tsp Maggie chicken stock (without MSG, adjust to individual taste)

Method to prepare the sauce:
Heat olive oil or butter in pan.  Add chopped onion and stir fry till slightly translucent and add sliced garlic. Stir fry till fragrant. Add cut tomatoes, parsley and basil leaves and mixed well with onion and garlic. When the tomatoes become a little soft, add the tin of plum tomatoes and break them up with your ladle. Add (B) and turn down heat to low and let it simmer for 30 mins.  


You can save the balance of the sauce to about a week for future use.


I shared this recipe at Miz Helen's Country Cottage - Full Plate Thursday.

50 comments:

  1. I use to spice up my dishes with garam masala and chili powder so adding sambal is not that bad. By the way ciabatta pizza looks delicious.

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  2. It does look like something my whole family would love. That was an amusing story about your Quay Lo and being half Chinese.
    My mom used to put curry powder into her spaghetti sauce when she cooked it for us last time. It tasted very appetising actually. Something the Italians would frown upon I think.

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  3. I think that this pizza would appeal to all tastebuds. It's a fantastic cross-cultural mix, especially the fusion tomato sauce.

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  4. Brilliant idea to add the sambal into the sauce. There are no rules to cooking. Ok, only one rule - that it must taste good :) And you have certainly met that criteria!

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  5. Hi Quay Po, wow, love the dish, and your creative photography brings it out in 3D!
    Re quai los....
    no offence to hubby....

    All I know is I hardly ever see what wallet they have. And have learned long ago when going out with kwai los its 'every man for himself'.

    I know a lovely lady dated first time by a White guy.
    Holy Smoke, when the bill came, he asked waiter to "split it". Waiter said, "huh"?
    Looking at the lady, ha ha ha. She disappeared after that date, ha ha.

    In fact I do have several actual lady friend's experiences being dated by kawi los.

    One of our first experiences here was being invited to a Caucasian wedding.....Holy Smoke!....I had to buy my own drink!
    Not one White wedding we have attended were we served free drinks. Here I mean Whisky, Brandy.

    And we learned the meaning of showers here. Its not taking a bath....but being invited to girl's house before her wedding....and was given a list of presents she would like to have. Imagine that!
    My wife suddenly had a bad cold, and me 'previous engagement'. Ha ha ha.
    Now we know.
    Have a nice day.
    Lee.

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  6. This looks so yummy. I am going to have to make this, my family would love it.

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  7. For the record: I have never been to a western style wedding that featured a "no host" bar. I also have not been to a personal function of any type that had a "no host" bar. However, I think that there are lots of business functions where this is practiced and I'll tell you the reason for it. In Western societies everyone has become very conscious of personal responsibility and liability law. There is an avalanche of court cases filed for every imagined transgression possible. This includes suing bars and party hosts for liability in cases where a guest or customer has had too many drinks and subsequently driven a car and had an accident. Clever lawyers can convince a jury or a judge of almost anything, so no one wants to take the risk of being held liable for supplying the booze. As to the remark about a "Guaylo" wanting to split the bill on a date, I think that is utter nonsense. I have never heard a single credible story of it happening and I certainly have never done it. I'll tell you what I have done. I've regarded male AND female colleagues and friends with full respect. Not only for who they are but out of respect, and sometimes admiration for their individuality. Something else, I do not judge a person by their ethniticty. I judge people for how they speak and how they act. In other words, for their talk, and their walk.

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  8. actually i beg to differ. I have a number of american friends, they never say they will not pay for the other person. but maybe it is just my friends haha.

    nice recipe. looks yummy~ ok seriously need an oven at home.

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  9. Your hubby was right and thank him for persuading you to post this recepie;)

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  10. Oooo..... I love love love that pizza.

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  11. My youngest son was asking me when I am going to make him some pizza last weekend...maybe I can do this simple one huh:D Looks delicious!

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  12. Well, who cares what you're putting to the food...as long as it's delicious! Guess, we Malaysian will definitely can turn the world of cuisines around with just a snap of our fingers. hahaha... Malaysia BOLH, right!
    Kristy

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  13. Veronica...this is so delicious...just reading your instructions already makes me drools on my keyboard...and your photos haih..you really make me hungry now !!! I want to make my own ciabatta bread and turned them into this fusion pizza :) Thanks for sharing the recipe..your Quay Lo is so right...good recipes are to be shared :))) Lucky you listened to him and share with me :) or I will miss having this deliciousness to make my day !

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  14. Hi,Quay Po
    Thanks for visiting and dropped me some words in my blog.I really like the quote that stated below your "Quay Po Cooks"title blog, very meaningful.
    Love your pizza too, actually i just had my pizza for breakfast yesterday.

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  15. Your recipes always comes with a story that makes it so interesting. I would love to try but again I don't have an oven. :(

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  16. I'm hearing my tummy rumbling, and at this hour nearing dinner time.

    Actually I'm still 2 hours away from my dinner *sob*

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  17. I am glad that you were talked into posting this recipe it sounds delicious. Diane

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  18. The proof is in the taste. So cook it and pass it around. Lovely pictures.

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  19. Wow what a fabulous bread pizza u have made... Tat fusion tomato sauce should be the trick rite... Will try it out one day....

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  20. I think its a good idea :). Nah..they wont ban you.

    Anyway, nother lady had blog about something similar. Here is the link to her post http://www.nava-k.com/2011/09/belacan-tuna-spaghetti.html?utm_source=BP_recent

    Belacan Tuna Spaghetti

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  21. Glad you decided to share this recipe because it sounds fantastic!

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  22. This is delicious! Thanks so much for hearing your Quay Lo and posting this recipe. It really looks very tasty!

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  23. This dish is just mouth watering, Quay Po! I definitely will try to make this. I have bookmarked the recipe now, and thank you so much for sharing the sauce recipe.

    Cheers,

    Wi
    A Single Girl's Musings

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  24. My husband makes fusion tomato sauce by adding sriracha!

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  25. Your pizza looks fabulous. My husband loves spice on his foods, so I bet he'd like this one a lot!

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  26. So glad 'quay lo' convinced you to post this recipe because it does sound very interesting, and very fusion! And no offense to some of the commenters above, I do think it's all about culture. In America and many other places, couples do 'go dutch' and split the bill, I don't see what's wrong with it and I don't think it's stingy. TO each his own I say :D

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  27. Your pizza are loaded with ingredients. hehe....

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  28. Bananaz certainly would have Chintzyness. Keeping plastic bag in different shapes and sizes separated as small, medium & large as garbage liner all nicely folded in triangle shape and treating them like gold hahaha. Oh yeah lovely pizza yummy.

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  29. Wow! These are fantstic combination of pizza. My son happen to pass by and took a peek. Next he went to his dad and requested to eat pizza for dinner. Yummy!

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  30. That sure looks good and with the ciabatta...love that bread!

    thanks for your visit to my jifpj =)

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  31. Wow... no wonder you said it's a fusion sauce, got sambal belacan added as flavor! I might give it a try since we're also making our own pasta sauce with blanch tomatoes, thanks for sharing!

    Hehe, I learn a new word today... Chinzy, yeah... it's highly like he also adopted the Chinese taste bud as well as culture, lol!

    Keep well and have a nice day!

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  32. OMG!!! the food, it makes me hungry now.. You have a wonderful food pictures here, like it was real infront of my eyes now ha ha ha.

    anyhow thank you for visiting my blog have a blissful day ahead :)

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  33. Pizza is universal and yours looks delicious, Veronica! It just so happens that October is...Pizza Month too!

    Thanks for sharing...

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  34. Thanks for dropping by. Your photos are fab too! :)

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  35. Funny story about your Quay Lo being half-Chinese and your pizza looks so tasty! Look at those melted cheese!!! Love 'em! ;D
    Your fusion tomato sauce looks so beautiful too. ;)

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  36. Your ciabatta pizza looks packed to the brim with deliciousness, it looks completely delicious and indulgent. I love the idea of the fusion tomato sauce too. Great work!
    *kisses* HH

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  37. i am here now,
    evrytime reach yr home,
    emmmm......ymmmy2
    cos only eat...eat...eat.....
    but "makan" is "hock"...
    :)

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  38. My mom used to make pizzas like this all the time! So simple but so delicious.

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  39. @Swathi
    Oh that's a good idea, I will have to spice up my next ciabatta pizza with garam masala and chilli powder too.

    @Kiddothings
    Oh I am sure will be a big fan for your mum's spaghetti sauce.

    @OohLookBel
    I am so delighted to see you again:D I think cross-cultural mix are very interesting.

    @NEL
    Thanks. yes, never be afraid to try anything in your own kitchen.

    @Uncle Lee
    Thanks for your compliment on my photos. From what you said about the Quay Los, it seemed to me it is stereotyping. Stereotyping are seen as negative ways of judging people. They may be amusing or annoying, but they sure can also be harmful.

    @Words of Deliciousness
    Yes, your family like spicy food, they will sure love this.

    @Darling
    I guess the key is not to generalize and stereotype people. It is definitely not what a thinking person would do.

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  40. @ladyviral
    I don't think they are just your friends my dear. Some people just have mis-conceptions:D

    @Dzoli
    Oh I am glad you like this recipe.

    @Wendy
    I think your kiddies will like this too minus the sambal bellman.

    @Jeannie
    I am quite sure your son will like this.

    @Kristy
    Haha, that is what I call confidence!

    @Elin
    Looking forward to see your homebred ciabatta bread.

    @Wai Kitt
    You are welcome and thanks for dropping by. Yes, I love my own quote too! hehe

    @Carolyn
    Go get and oven QUICK! QUICK! LOL!

    @Priya
    thanks.

    @yvonne
    I have done that so many times, food blog hopping before meal time will do this to us.

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  41. @The Blonde Duck, @Diane, @Keat, @Sarah, @Eftychoa, @Simply Life
    Thanks.

    @Angeline
    Yes, that's the trick:D

    @Small Kucing
    Thanks for the link. Nava has lots of interesting recipes.

    @Wi
    Look forward to see the post on it.

    @That Girl
    Oh that's good to know. I will try adding that the next time.

    @Mary
    Anyone love spice will definitely like this one:D

    @Janine
    Yes, I don't think splitting the bill is stingy. In fact, it is good for friends who meet up often and dine together. It is hard to remember who pay the last bill and reciprocate. It is definitely not a sign of being stingy.

    @mNhL
    Oh yes, I love lots of ingredients in my pizza.

    @Bananaz
    haha, me too I also fold them nicely in triangle shape!

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  42. Your ciabatta pizza looks fantastic and mouthwateringly appealing. A definite winner in my books, my dear. Your fusion tomato base sauce must be the ingredient that pulls this whole dish together it sounds wonderful with all the combination of flavours. Another lovely dish.

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  43. First of all I think it's okay to "doctor" up pizza to your liking. Tha's the fun thing about pizza...it may have started out Italian, but there are now so many versions...what better way to be creative. You're version sounds perfect! (When I made muah chee I added my spin on it by using almonds and adding chai spice to the sugar...was that wrong? hehe)

    Second, I wouldn't call it "chintzy"...just frugal. I grew up in West Michigan where there is a high concentration of Dutch...there they were known for being chintzy, but not just that my grandma lived through the depression and was very conservative and knew how to save and streach a meal. Well it rubbed off on my parents. I still remember my mom saving and washing plastic bags and hanging them to dry. She used to make us our own TV dinners, and to this day I do not like to waste food or anything really. I know where to get the best price on most anything. :) Now with everyone in to recycling it comes in handy...hehehe!

    As for splitting the bill, I have seen people who will and won't it all depends on if you are out as friends or business or on a date. I certainly wouldn't generalize it as all westerners. People are funny! Okay I did generalize there! :)

    Oops...didn't mean to go on and on! Have a great evening!

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  44. looks delicious ! love the sauce

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  45. Just mouthwatering...looks so easy to prepare and delicious!

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  46. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. I sure hope you enjoy your Red Plate!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

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  47. @LeQuan
    Thanks. You are right about the flavor of the pizza is enhanced by the sambal bellman.

    @Lyndsey
    Yes frugal is the word. My Quay Lo just like to pull my leg. hehe.. No worries about going on and on, I just love to hear about it.

    @thepickyeater, @Kalyan
    Thanks

    @Miz Helen
    Thanks and I will:D

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