Guy Fieri has built a brand on over-the-top, out-there food creations. As host of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” he’s eaten almost every outlandish dish across the U.S. One dish that nearly threw him for a loop, however, was a pizza topped with carrots and dukkah from Weights and Measures in Houston, Texas.
In an episode of his old Food Network show, he visited the modern American restaurant and watched as the kitchen prepared the dishes. “That’s what we’re going to eat, is a roasted carrot pizza?” Fieri asked the chef with some apprehension in his voice. “This is weird!” he exclaimed as he looked at a bowl of thinly sliced carrots, adding, “This gets weirder as it goes,” as the chef poured orange juice into the mixture of carrots, orange zest, honey, and butter. Fieri was equally confused by the dukkah, an Egyptian spice blend that’s now popular throughout the Middle East and North Africa. His wariness waned when he got his first taste of the blend on its own while the carrots roasted in the pizza oven.
The pie came together with bechamel sauce, gruyere cheese, Fresno chiles, and the roasted carrots. As the dukkah was poured over the cooked pie and cilantro was added, Fieri admitted, “I am lost.” But once he took a bite, he was found. He found it so delicious that it gave him goosebumps, and he called it one of the top three most unique pizzas he’s ever had.
Why this pizza works
When Guy Fieri took a bite and realized all these ingredients came together to create a delicious pie, he explained what worked. He found the gruyere added tang, the roasted carrots brought sweetness, and the chiles provided the heat. They all worked well together to bring a balance of flavors. But what he really found special in the pie was the spice mix. “Without the dukkah … it wouldn’t be the same,” he proclaimed. It truly sounds like it belongs on our list of the most unique pizzas in the U.S.
If you’re wondering what dukkah is, you’re not alone. Fieri had seemingly never heard of it either. People sometimes confuse it with Za’atar, another spice blend from the same region. It’s made with crushed nuts, seeds, and spices. Most often, it’s sesame, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper mixed with hazelnuts, though any nut will work. The result is a bright, nutty flavor with a little spice; perfect for a pizza topping.