Filipino Hawaiian Pizza with Ham, Pineapple, and Banana Ketchup Glaze
Recipe Guy
Fil-Am pizza | Ham and pineapple | Banana ketchup glaze
A Filipino-American Hawaiian pizza with savory ham, well-drained pineapple, mozzarella, red onion, and a tangy banana ketchup glaze used under and over the toppings.
About This Recipe
This Filipino Hawaiian Pizza keeps the familiar ham-and-pineapple combination but swaps ordinary tomato sauce for a bright banana ketchup glaze sharpened with pineapple juice, cane vinegar, soy sauce, and a touch of chile. Part of the glaze bakes under the toppings; the rest goes on after baking so its sweet-tangy flavor remains clear.
Ingredient Notes
Pineapple
Pineapple packed in juice gives both fruit and glaze liquid. Drain it thoroughly and blot the pieces dry; surface juice turns to steam and can make the center soggy.
Ham
Use a fully cooked ham steak or thick-cut ham rather than paper-thin deli slices. Pat it dry and cut it small so the edges brown instead of steaming.
Banana ketchup glaze
A short simmer concentrates the glaze and removes the raw edge from the vinegar. Reserve the finishing portion before the pizza goes into the oven.
Prepared pizza dough
A 16-ounce fresh or fully thawed dough ball is reliable for this topping load. Let it warm, covered, for about 1 hour before stretching.
Filipino Hawaiian Pizza with Ham, Pineapple, and Banana Ketchup Glaze Recipe
A Filipino-American Hawaiian pizza with savory ham, well-drained pineapple, mozzarella, red onion, and a tangy banana ketchup glaze used under and over the toppings.
Yield: 1 (12- to 14-inch) pizza, 8 slices Serving size: 1 slice (1/8 pizza)
Yield note: A 1-pound dough ball makes one 12- to 14-inch pizza. The 8-ounce can of pineapple supplies about 3/4 cup drained fruit plus enough juice for the glaze, with no partly used large can to store.
Shopping List
- 16-ounce prepared pizza dough ball
- banana ketchup
- 8-ounce can pineapple chunks or tidbits in juice
- cane vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- low-sodium soy sauce
- red pepper flakes
- low-moisture mozzarella
- fully cooked ham steak or thick-cut ham
- red onion
- scallions
- fine semolina or all-purpose flour
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 pound (454 g) prepared pizza dough, fresh or fully thawed
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or fine semolina, for the peel
Banana Ketchup Glaze
- 1/3 cup (80 g) banana ketchup
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice reserved from the can
- 1 tablespoon cane vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Ham, Pineapple, and Cheese
- 6 ounces (170 g) low-moisture whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella, shredded
- 4 ounces (113 g) fully cooked ham steak or thick-cut ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks or tidbits in juice, drained to about 3/4 cup fruit and 2 tablespoons juice reserved
- 1/4 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) thinly sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
Instructions
- Set the dough in a lightly oiled covered bowl and let it stand at room temperature for about 1 hour. The dough should feel supple and stretch without immediately shrinking back.
- Drain the pineapple over a bowl and measure 2 tablespoons of juice for the glaze. Spread the pineapple pieces on a double layer of towels and blot the tops firmly; leave them there while the oven heats.
- Place a pizza stone or baking steel on the upper-middle oven rack and heat the oven to 500 F for at least 45 minutes, leaving 6 to 8 inches below the broiler. If using a metal pizza pan, heat the oven fully but keep the pan at room temperature.
- Combine the banana ketchup, reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
- Cook the glaze for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until glossy and thick enough that a spoon drawn through it briefly exposes the bottom of the pan. Cool for 10 minutes; it will thicken a little more as it stands.
- Measure about 1/3 cup of the glaze for the pizza base and reserve the remaining 2 tablespoons for finishing. If the finishing glaze becomes too thick, loosen it with 1 teaspoon water before using.
- Pat the ham dry and cut it into 1/2-inch pieces. Shred the mozzarella and slice the red onion and scallions so all toppings are ready before the dough is shaped.
- Dust a pizza peel with the flour or semolina. Press the dough from the center outward, keeping a 3/4-inch rim, then stretch to a 12- to 14-inch round. Rest it for 10 minutes if it resists. For a pizza pan, shape it directly in the pan.
- Spread the 1/3 cup glaze over the dough, stopping 3/4 inch from the edge. Add three-quarters of the mozzarella, then distribute the ham, dry pineapple, and red onion with small gaps between the pieces. Finish with the remaining mozzarella.
- Slide the pizza onto the hot stone or steel and bake for 9 to 13 minutes, rotating once after 5 minutes, until the crust is browned, the cheese bubbles, and the ham edges begin to color. A pizza baked in a metal pan may need 12 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer the pizza to a rack or cutting board. Drizzle the reserved banana ketchup glaze in a thin line over the hot pizza and scatter the scallions on top.
- Rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then cut into 8 slices. Waiting briefly keeps the hot fruit and cheese from sliding away from the crust.
Nutrition Estimate
Approximate values per serving, not a laboratory analysis or medical nutrition label. Actual nutrition will vary with dough, ham, banana ketchup, cheese, pineapple packing liquid, glaze reduction, and exact slice size.
Tips For The Best Filipino Hawaiian Pizza with Ham, Pineapple, and Banana Ketchup Glaze
- Blot both ham and pineapple: Even drained ingredients hold surface moisture. Drying both toppings gives the crust a better chance to crisp and helps the ham brown.
- Reduce the glaze gently: Banana ketchup contains sugar and can scorch over high heat. A low simmer thickens it without making it bitter.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella adds more liquid to an already fruit-topped pizza. Low-moisture cheese delivers stretch with better browning.
- Leave space between toppings: A visible patchwork of cheese is better than complete coverage with fruit and ham. Open areas let steam escape during the short bake.
- Glaze twice: The baked layer seasons the crust, while the final drizzle preserves the bright banana ketchup, pineapple, and vinegar notes.
How To Serve And Store
Serve hot with a cabbage slaw, cucumber salad, or chile vinegar at the table. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat at 400 F on a preheated sheet pan or oven rack for 6 to 8 minutes; the microwave softens the crust. Freeze individual slices for up to 2 months, separated with parchment, and reheat from frozen.
Common Questions
Can I use fresh pineapple?
Yes. Cut 5 ounces of peeled pineapple into small pieces, blot very well, and use 2 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple juice from a separate container in the glaze.
Can I use Canadian bacon?
Yes. Use 4 ounces, quarter the slices, and pat them dry. Its leaner texture and tidy rounds work especially well on a thinner pizza.
What can replace banana ketchup?
Use 1/3 cup tomato ketchup mixed with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and a small pinch of ground allspice. The result will be useful but will not have the same banana ketchup character.
How do I keep Hawaiian pizza from getting soggy?
Preheat the stone or steel fully, reduce the glaze until thick, blot the ham and pineapple, use low-moisture mozzarella, and stay within the listed topping amounts.
Can I make the glaze ahead?
Yes. Refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Warm it gently or thin with a teaspoon of water before spreading and drizzling.
