A Peruvian fusion that keeps the punch of a proper saltado intact. A golden crust and melted mozzarella meet freshly seared beef, onion, tomato, and yellow chili with that unmistakable flash of soy sauce and vinegar. Slice it as soon as it comes together and the whole idea suddenly makes perfect sense.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Mix almost all of the warm water with the dry yeast and sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes, until a light foam appears on the surface; if nothing happens and the yeast was freshly opened, check that the water was not too hot.
Add the bread flour, half of the salt, and the olive oil. Mix into a dough and knead for 6 to 7 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky. Cover with a cloth and rest for 35 minutes, until visibly puffier and yielding gently when pressed with a finger.
During the final 15 minutes of the dough rest, preheat the oven to 240°C / 465°F with the baking tray inside. Mix the tomato paste with the remaining water and a small portion of the salt until easy to spread. Stretch the dough into one large 32 to 34 cm / 13-inch round, transfer it to parchment, spread on a thin layer of tomato, and distribute the mozzarella. Bake on the hot tray for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden underneath and the cheese is bubbling with a few browned spots.
While the pizza bakes, cut the beef into short, thick strips, the onion into wedges, the tomato into firm wedges, and the yellow chili into strips. Season the beef with the cumin, black pepper, and the remaining salt. Have everything beside the skillet before you start—the saltado takes minutes and gives you no time to hunt for a knife halfway through.
Heat a wide skillet until very hot and add the vegetable oil. Sear the beef for 60 to 90 seconds without crowding the pan and remove it once it has browned edges while remaining juicy inside. Add the garlic, onion, and yellow chili and toss for 45 seconds; add the tomato for another 30 seconds. Return the beef, pour in the soy sauce and red wine vinegar, and toss for another 30 to 45 seconds, until everything is glossy and only lightly moist, never swimming in liquid. Turn off the heat and fold in the cilantro.
Take the pizza out once the crust and cheese are fully baked and immediately scatter the hot lomo saltado over the top, leaving some of the rim exposed. Do not return it to the oven: this keeps the beef juicy, the vegetables lively, and the saltado juices from soaking the crust. Slice and serve immediately, while you still have a crisp base, melted mozzarella, and a glossy topping that genuinely tastes like lomo saltado. Done! The second slice usually gets decided before the first one is finished. 😌
