Donnie Wahlberg’s brother Chef Paul Wahlberg upped his game with his last Blue Bloods-inspired meal in honor of the series finale.
Chef Paul, 60, capped off his Wahlburgers partnership with CBS and Blue Bloods by making a smorgasbord with stromboli, cheese and pepperoni pizza as well as pulled pork, chicken wings and an antipasto — and Us Weekly has the exclusive first look at all the recipes.
“When we were growing up, we would have English muffin pizzas,” Paul revealed in the exclusive video, referring to his childhood in Massachusetts with brothers Donnie and Mark Wahlberg and their other six siblings. “I’m sure a lot of New Yorkers will raise an eyebrow at. It doesn’t matter.”
Paul explained that if you were to “put an English muffin pizza in front of me now, I’m going to eat it and just be very happy because it’s going to remind me of my childhood.” He added, “It’s just that we loved.”
Despite loving an English muffin pizza with Donnie — who plays Detective Danny Reagan on Blue Bloods — and their big family, Paul made a dough classic pizza as part of his smorgasbord.
The two types of pizza are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Paul’s feast he cultivated in honor of Blue Bloods’ series finale, which airs on Friday, December 13.
Scroll down for all the recipes:
Stromboli
Ingredients:
2 (10 oz) pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
8 oz sliced capicola
6 oz sliced pepperoni
2 cups diced Spanish onions, sautéed
12 oz shredded good quality mozzarella
3 oz grated aged provolone
3 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 sprig rosemary, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg Wash:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
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Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pull dough from the refrigerator and let it rest for three hours or until it comes to room temperature.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle about 10×16 inches. If the dough continues to shrink, let it sit for 15 minutes to let the gluten relax.
Mix olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.
Mix aged provolone and mozzarella.
Brush the pizza dough with the oil mixture, leaving a two-inch space around the edges.
Layer half of the capicola, pepperoni and sautéed onions on the oiled parts of the dough. Top with half of the cheese mixture and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
Brush the edges with the egg wash.
Slowly roll the dough to form a log, making sure to tuck in the edges. Ensure the seam is on the bottom when you transfer the stromboli to a parchment-lined sheet pan or cookie tray.
Brush the top of the stromboli with the garlic olive oil mixture and cut three evenly spaced diagonal slits in the top.
Repeat the process with the other dough and fillings, placing on a separate sheet pan or cookie tray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Let rest for five minutes, then slice and serve with your favorite tomato sauce.
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Pizza Dough
Ingredients:
2½ cups warm water
1 packet dry active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
7 cups all-purpose flour, plus 3 tablespoons for dusting
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with a pizza stone or cookie tray on the upper middle shelf.
Bloom the yeast, sugar, and water for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
In a large bowl, add flour and salt, combine, and make a well in the center.
Add olive oil and bloomed yeast. Gently mix towards the center with a wooden spoon or spatula until a loose dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a clean, smooth work surface and knead until smooth and springy to the touch, about 10 minutes.
Form the dough into a tight ball, cover with a towel or oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and roll it into a smooth ball. Divide into 4 equal parts and roll into smooth, tight balls.
Place two balls on a floured surface and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Place the other two dough balls in separate oiled zip lock bags and refrigerate.
Let the dough balls rest for 15-20 minutes.
Stretch out the dough to form a circle about 10 inches across.
Place the dough on an inverted sheet pan or cookie sheet. Top with your favorite sauce, mozzarella, and toppings.
Slide off the pan onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Pulled Pork
Ingredients:
6 lbs. boneless pork shoulder
½ cup French’s mustard
6 oz water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Spice Rub:
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dry thyme
¼ cup light brown sugar
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Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix dry ingredients for the spice rub and reserve.
Remove the pork shoulder from the packaging, rinse, and pat dry.
Slather the pork with mustard and rub the spice mix into the meat. Let stand for two hours.
Place in a deep roasting pan and add water, honey, and vinegar, pouring the liquid gently on the sides of the meat. Loosely cover with foil and bake for five hours.
Remove the foil and cook for another 45 minutes. Check if the pork shreds easily; if not, cook for 30 more minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Shred the meat, discarding large pieces of fat but keeping some for flavor and texture.
Pour some of the cooking liquid over the shredded pork for added flavor.
Serve with BBQ sauce and coleslaw on slider buns.
Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
6 lbs. chicken wings, jointed and tips removed
2 tablespoons baking powder (aluminum-free)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rinse and thoroughly pat dry the chicken wings.
Combine spices and baking powder in a bowl.
Divide the wings between two large zip lock bags and add half of the spice mix to each bag. Close the bags and shake to thoroughly coat.
Place the wings on a wire-racked sheet and bake for 20 minutes, then flip each wing piece.
Continue to bake for another 20 minutes and check for an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove and let rest for five minutes. Toss in your favorite sauce and enjoy.
Chicken Salad Sandwich
Ingredients:
1 lb. or 4 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless cooked chicken breast, diced ½ inch
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ranch dressing
2 tablespoons diced onion
½ cup diced Granny Smith apple
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients and let stand in the refrigerator for a half an hour.
Serve on your favorite roll or toasted bread with fresh lettuce and crispy bacon if desired.
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Grilled Ham and Cheese
Ingredients:
6 slices cinnamon raisin bread
6 slices good quality Black Forest ham or baked ham
6 slices cheddar cheese
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 stick softened butter
Instructions:
Place a large skillet on the stove and turn to medium-low.
Take three slices of bread and spread with Dijon mustard.
Place a slice of cheese and two slices of ham (fold the ham to fit on the bread).
Add another slice of cheese and top with remaining slices of bread.
Butter the outside of the top layer of bread and place butter-side down in the skillet.
Butter the top outside of the now top layer of bread. Slowly cook until golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
Ensure the cheese is melted and the ham is warm. The combination of sweet, savory, pungent and creamy makes an amazing sandwich.
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Cold Antipasto
Ingredients:
½ lb. capicola, sliced thin
½ lb. mortadella, sliced thin
½ lb. finocchiona salami, sliced thin
½ lb. aged provolone, sliced in small triangles
¼ lb. aged Parmesan, shaved thin
2 roasted red peppers, marinated and julienned
Marinated artichoke hearts
Marinated lupini beans
Your favorite marinated olives
Fresh mozzarella or burrata
Pepperoncini or cherry peppers
4 oz. baby arugula
Instructions:
If using fresh mozzarella, use ciliegine; if using bocconcini or larger, dice it. Toss mozzarella balls in pesto and olive oil if desired.
If using burrata, smash and whip it, then place in a small bowl.
Arrange all ingredients in small piles on a large platter and serve. You can use the arugula to fill open spaces.
Blue Bloods airs on CBS Fridays at 10 p.m. ET. Stream every episode on Paramount+.
