DIRECTIONS
Place a baking stone or baking steel in the oven and preheat the oven to degrees 500 F.
In a large bowl, mix the lamb with the shallot, garlic, tomato paste, pepper paste, chilli, cilantro, coriander, cumin, black pepper, salt, and cayenne until evenly combined.
Divide the pizza dough in half, work with one piece at a time. Roll one piece of dough out, dusting with minimal flour till you get an 8-inch circle. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornmeal over a pizza paddle or the underside of a baking sheet. Place the rolled-out pizza dough on top. Top the pizza with half of the crumbled lamb mixture and brush the sides with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of nigella seeds on top of the pizza and slide the dough directly over the pizza stone. Cook the pizza for about 10 minutes, till the sides begin to puff up and the lamb is cooked, about 10 minutes.
While the pizza cooks, make the pickled onions. In a small bowl or jar, add the onions, sugar, and salt. Pour the vinegar and press the onions to submerge completely. Let sit for a maximum of 10 minutes before using.
When the pizza is ready, top the pizza, drain the vinegar and top with the pickled onions. Repeat to prepare the second pizza.
INGREDIENTS
For the Pizza
22 ounce pizza dough store bought or homemade, at room temperature
A little all-purpose flour to roll out the dough
1 pound ground American lamb
One shallot, minced
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Turkish pepper paste (see my kitchen notes)
1 green chilli such as Serrano, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
2 tablespoons cornmeal or semolina
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons nigella seeds
For the pickled onions
1 small red onion or shallot, thinly sliced into half crescents
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup vinegar