Apparently it's "National cheese pizza day". Honestly, who thinks these things up? I'm not complaining really; who wouldn't want to celebrate pizza? It's one of my favourite foods, and I even invested in a pizza oven in place of a normal BBQ this summer. Thanks Aldi for making them affordable. Anyway, Bert came home from work one evening a few weeks ago insisting that we try Aldi's hot dog stuffed crust pizza. The lads had all been discussing how great it was, and poor Bert felt left out*. I cycle pass Aldi every day so popped in on the way home to pick up said pizza.
Oh.
New York or BBQ: that was the choice. Now Bert is exceptionally fussy when it comes to food. The only vegetables he eats are sweetcorn and carrots (at a push) unless you count baked beans. If we go out for dinner then the restaurant must have steak (no sauce) or burger and chips (no salad, no dressing, no mustard, relish or ketchup, thank you). He'll eat pizza.. but only if it's deep pan or calzone and certainly not if it's got mustard or BBQ sauce on it - as both these pizzas had. Hmm. Back to the drawing board. Did anywhere else make Hot Dog stuffed crust pizzas?
Yes! Iceland to the rescue. For £2, I bought the 531g cheese and tomato hot dog pizza. It also meant I could add red onion to my side and mini sausages to his. Win win. For the record Iceland, this pizza does not serve three adults. Who would just eat a third?
"A smoked hot dog sausage stuffed crust pizza base topped with tomato ketchup, mozzarella cheese and red Cheddar cheese."
I found that it took much longer than the suggested 15 minutes to cook - but my oven admittedly isn't the most reliable. After 20 minutes I was too hungry to wait any longer and retrieved the anaemic looking pizza.
I don't think I was expecting the pizza to blow my mind, which was a good job really seeing as it wasn't particularly exciting. The base was a bit stodgy but nowhere near as bad as the cheapie frozen deep pan supermarket pizzas. The topping had a good covering though, and wasn't particularly strong - a plus point for mild cheddar loving Bert, but a downside to me and my affinity towards the smellier cheeses**.
As for that hot dog crust, it was a cheap but cheerful affair that gives you that 'I really don't want to know what meat it's made from, or if it's even meat' thought. I did think though that it needed to be surrounded in cheese, or sauce, or something. Needless to say I had a handy supply of (ASDA's maple bacon flavoured) ketchup to dunk the crusts in, but I still thought it was lacking. Cheese makes for the perfect stuffed crust, but hot dog? I'd rather not, dog.
6/10
*Please don't feel too sorry for Bert, I make him (from scratch) homemade Calzones on a weekly basis.
**Munster is my favourite but I'm a sucker for Stilton and goats cheese.
You are so amazing I love your reviews they are simple relatable Whitty and the best!!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Holly, I'm glad they make you smile!
DeleteI cant believe he eats burgers like that - oh the shame! SHAME! :-) that must be really challenging!
ReplyDeleteI used to be a really fussy eater (although not about fast food) but ive got better as i've got older, the change started when i went to uni, and when i came home for visits, as long as it was home cooked, i was up for it! Although that was many moons ago. My no nos are peas, baked beans (texture, urgh), cauliflower cheese, beetroot, most indian food, fish pie (this was something home made by my mum that never was very nice and makes my skin crawl thinking about it!), goats cheese ..... actually the more i list there are probably some weird thing like i only eat melted cheese. but most veg apart from peas are fine!
Def think it was the stodgy base that put me off these pizzas from iceland. i did have a hot dog stuff one from a generic pizza take away but i dont remember that being very nice either - as you say the hot dog seems to just fall out of the crust, rather than have something cosying up to it in the crust. Garlic and cheese stuffed crust would prob be my favourite, although i do prefer v thin bases.
It's funny isn't it. I have a friend who swears she eats everything... so being the precocious mare that I am I've compiled a list over the 17 years we've known each other of things that she doesn't like -which includes baked beans! I love BB (has to be Heinz) and used to hate all other veg. Nowadays the only flavours I really, really can't bare are aniseed/liquorice and beetroot!
DeleteYes to the garlic, and I too are more of a thin based pizza kind of girl - stone baked all the way. Cheese and garlic crust does sound like the dream though...
haha thats funny about your friend. my brother still claims i am too fussy. but we both agree on no fruit in savoury food (like raisins in salads and other dishes).
Deleteha i love liquorice/aniseed ever since i was a kid. my parents used to let me have a TINY bit of pernod with loads of lemonade as a treat on special occasions - yummy. But yes, beetroot tastes like dirt! my friend says blueberries taste like dirt!