Tag: pizza

Garlic Bruschetta Pizza

After all the baking and partying (such as it was) of the new year, time for something a bit different. My fellow foodies theme this month is “Veganuary,” meaning vegetarian dishes with no eggs or dairy products.  I’ve been wanting to make this garlic bruschetta pizza for a while anyway, and it happens to fit the theme too.

It’s downsized for one person, so there’s either enough for one large pizza or two medium ones (one dinner or two lunches, depending on how hungry you are).

All you need are a few simple ingredients that come together for a pretty impressive result. I’ve included the recipe for the dough, but if you don’t want to make the dough yourself (I find the kneading therapeutic right now), you can always just buy it ready-made in your supermarket or even ask at a local pizza place.

And, if you don’t want to be vegan, it’s just fine to add some shredded mozzarella or parmesan on top.




garlic bruschetta pizza cut up

Garlic Bruschetta Pizza Substitutions and Variations

  • add some fresh chopped tomatoes
  • ditch the “vegan” and try it with grated parmesan or shredded mozzarella
  • use fresh basil (add it right at the end of the cooking period)
  • top with sautéed onions and/or mushrooms

More Pizza Recipes

goat cheese caramelized onion pizzaGoat Cheese Onion Pizza

Mellowed sweet onions, slow-cooked onions, earthy goat cheese, leafy spinach, and crispy bell pepper are a fresh change from the usual cheese and tomato.

 

white pizza without ricottaWhite Pizza Recipe Without Ricotta

If you like white pizza, but would rather skip the ricotta (I’m not a big fan either), try this recipe instead. No ricotta in sight.

 

rosemary potato roasted garlic pizzaRosemary Potato Roasted Garlic Pizza

Think of this as potato chip pizza.  I, personally, am always in favor of extra starch.  You get hot pizza, a light dusting of melty cheese, and a crispy crunch.

 

 




Rosemary Potato Roasted Garlic Pizza

I had never heard of rosemary potato pizza (or pizza con potate – which sounds sooo much better than the English translation) until recently. But when a friend described it, I had to have it. Sadly, he lives 3,000 miles away. And, the place that serves it only has it seasonally. Either that, or I had to fly to Italy. So, I decided to make my own pizza. I ended up mind melding two recipes and came up with rosemary potato roasted garlic pizza with thin slices of potatoes, roasted garlic, and mozzarella cheese.

The potato slices are soaked in salted water to soften and then layered on top of the pizza to get crispy, while the cheese turns brown and bubbly. Roasting the garlic transforms it into something sweet, mellow, and spreadable (incidentally this is also great on crusty bread). All topped with sprigs of fresh rosemary, a drizzle of olive oil, and grated Romano cheese.

And yeah, you can definitely tell everyone you’re making potato chip pizza for dinner!

I’ve included the recipe and instructions to make your own dough, but feel free to take the easy route and buy pre-made dough from your supermarket or local pizza joint. That will get you pizza in about an hour.

Making the dough yourself does require a bit of time and effort, so it’s definitely a weekend, rather than weeknight meal. And, since this is a long weekend in the US, it’s the perfect time to try it.

So, order of operations: first start the dough (if you’re making your own). Then, while that’s rising, slice and soak the potatoes. While they soak, roast the garlic. Then wait for a while, while the dough rises, and put it all together. Once all the components are ready, it comes together pretty quickly.

The pizza is enough for one dinner, or you can split the dough recipe in half and use it for two lunches. The dough will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure to wrap it tightly so it doesn’t dry out. Or, you can freeze it.




Rosemary Potato Roasted Garlic Pizza Substitutions and Variations

  • add some cooked chicken
  • top with sliced red onion
  • add some hot red pepper flakes
  • switch the cheeses and use fontina
  • or, add some crumbled bacon

More Pizza Recipes

goat cheese caramelized onion pizzaGoat Cheese Caramelized Onion Pizza

Slow-cooked onions, tangy goat cheese, earthy spinach, and crispy bell pepper cooked together with a pre-made crust. Easy and delicious!

 

white pizza without ricottaWhite Pizza Recipe Without Ricotta

I love white pizza, and like ricotta, but somehow… not together. Instead, this pizza has lots of creamy mozzarella and summery basil.

 

garlic bruschetta pizza

Garlic Bruschetta Pizza

A few simple ingredients combine for an impressive result. Make your own dough, or buy it pre-made from the market or your favorite pizza place. Make it vegan, as is, or add some cheese.




Goat Cheese Caramelized Onion Pizza

Sometimes, meals are carefully planned. Other times, it’s pure serendipity. I spotted goat cheese on sale at the market and grabbed some. When I got home, I remembered I had some leftover pizza dough in the fridge. I decided to put them together and make a goat cheese caramelized onion pizza.

You can approach this recipe two different ways.  If you make the crust yourself (not hard, but it does take time), it’s a weekend meal. Buy the crust pre-made (you can get it at grocery stores or even your local pizzeria), and it’s a 30 minute meal. So, dinner in half an hour!

I made my own crust (following Smitten Kitchen’s easy recipe), but if you’re in a rush, you don’t have to. By the way, she says to roll out the crust, but I find it works better if I just place it on the baking sheet and gently press outward from the center with my fingers. 

If you do make the dough, it makes enough for one generous dinner serving, or two lunch servings.  It will keep in the fridge for several days, so you don’t have to eat it all at once.  Take it out and let the dough come to room temperature before you start working with it.

Cooking, of course,  is often a process of taking what you already know about food and flavors, doing a bit of research (in cookbooks or online) and combining bits of ideas and techniques.  I often find myself taking bits and pieces from two or three recipes and putting them back together in different ways.

In this case, I started with the pizza crust recipe I already had. Then I added the goat cheese. I took the caramelized onions and the bell pepper from one recipe, the spinach from a second, and the garlic oil from a third.   You can always mix and match to suit your own taste, or the ingredients you have on hand (see more in the Substitutions and Variations section).

Also, I don’t normally post “in progress” photos, but the pizza looked so good I couldn’t resist!

goat cheese caramelized onion pizza_1

 




Substitutions and Variations for Goat Cheese Caramelized Onion Pizza

  • Use roasted red peppers instead of fresh
  • Try a splash of balsamic vinegar
  • Add sliced mushrooms and basil
  • Substitute arugula for the spinach
  • Toss in some sun-dried tomatoes

 

More Pizza Recipes

white pizza without ricottaWhite Pizza Recipe Without Ricotta

Like white pizza, but not a ricotta fan? This recipe has no ricotta at all.

 

tortilla pizza for oneHomemade Tortilla Crust Pizza

A pizza shortcut! Topped with bell peppers and sausage. Quick and delicious.

 

rosemary potato roasted garlic pizzaRosemary Potato Roasted Garlic Pizza

I like to call this “potato chip pizza.” A whole different take on the usual pizza. No tomato sauce, and easy on the cheese. The potatoes end up golden brown and crisp.

 

Garlic Bruschetta Pizzagarlic bruschetta pizza

Pizza made super easy and without heavy tomato sauce. Make the dough (or even just buy it) sprinkle on a few ingredients, and bake. Done!

 




White Pizza Recipe Without Ricotta

The usual standard for white pizza is to use ricotta cheese. While I do like ricotta (heck I like nearly every cheese), I don’t usually have it in my fridge.  So, I switched cheeses and used mozzarella instead.  The nice thing about this recipe (or nearly any pizza recipe) is that it’s flexible and you can change it to suit your tastes or whatever ingredients you have at hand.

In this case, I used chopped garlic, olive oil, and dried basil, plus a dusting of grated parmesan.

I made the dough myself, from the Smitten Kitchen pizza dough recipe for one, but you can use store-bought dough if you don’t have the time or energy to make it yourself. Many supermarkets sell it, or you can try your local pizza place.




Once the dough is ready (or bought), all you have to do is chop the garlic, shred the cheese, and sprinkle basil over your dough.  If you’re really pressed for time (or feeling lazy) use the pre-shredded mozzarella.  I recommend you get the fresh if possible though; it tastes much better.

Note: the pizza is a light tan because I’ve been using King Arthur white whole wheat instead of all-purpose flour since the shutdown made white flour harder to find. It’s tastier than white flour, but not as dense and heavy as standard whole wheat.

Substitutions and Variations for Pizza Without Ricotta

Of course, there are almost as many possibilities for this as there are ingredients.

  • Use a mixture of mozzarella and goat cheese
  • Add mushrooms and/or eggplant
  • Saute some spinach and add that on top
  • Try some caramelized onions and/or sun-dried tomatoes
  • Use manchego instead of parmesan

Tools and Ingredients for White Pizza Without Ricotta

Oxo box grater

Oxo Box Grater

As much as I love my zester, there are times when only an old-fashioned box grater will do the job. The zester grates far too finely for this purpose. This box grater is from Oxo, so it’s easy to hold. It even comes with a little container to catch all the grated cheese (so it doesn’t get all over your counter). The container (and its lid) all fit inside the grater, to take up less space in your kitchen. Or, you can use the closed container to store any leftovers until the next time.

cuisinart roasting pan with cover

Cuisinart 12 inch pan with cover

I’m not normally a non-stick fan, but this pan has held up really well over the years. It’s the perfect size for a single person pizza too. And, since it’s nonstick I don’t need to do anything to keep the pizza (or anything else) from sticking. It cleans up easily, and the lid fits lots of other pans, so I can see how well my food is cooking.

More Pizza Recipes

rosemary potato roasted garlic pizzaRosemary Potato Roasted Garlic Pizza

Another no tomato sauce pizza, this one is a Roman classic, call it potato chip pizza if you like.  Because if one starch is good, two starches are better!

 

goat cheese caramelized onion pizzaGoat Cheese Caramelized Onion Pizza

Goat cheese, and lots of veggies are another different twist on the usual pizza.  Switch it around with spinach, mozzarella, and whatever veggies suit you. You could even crumble some sausage on top.

tortilla pizza for oneHomemade Tortilla Crust Pizza

The super-lazy at home pizza. Just make a tortilla crust (or even use a pita bread or pre-made tortilla), pile on the veggies and toppings, and you’re good to go.

 

garlic bruschetta pizza

Garlic Bruschetta Pizza

Another way to eat pizza. And it’s completely vegan and vegetarian. No cheese, no sauce, just delicious.

 

 




Homemade Tortilla Crust Pizza

I wanted homemade pizza one day and was feeling too lazy (and too hungry) to take the time to make dough and wait for yeast to rise.  Usually, I’d use pita bread for this, but I didn’t have any.  I didn’t have any of the usual substitutes either, (not even an English muffin). Necessity being the mother of invention, I decided to create another “base” for my pizza. The answer was homemade tortilla crust pizza.

It turned out that a tortilla made a perfect crust for my pizza.  I didn’t roll it out that much, but left it fairly thick (so it would be more like pita bread).

And, while I was low on pizza base substitutes, I did have sausage, fresh eggplant, and plenty of tomato sauce.

I made a quick tortilla crust, chopped  up the veggies, put it all together, and baked it.  It made a great, fairly easy lunch.

Of course, if you’re really in a hurry, feeling extra tired, you can always skip making the tortilla and use some from the store instead!




More Tortilla Recipes

fried egg burritoFried Egg Burrito

Super-quick (ready in about 10 minutes) and perfect for any meal. Great for a light snack or when you’ve got a bad case of the hungries.

 

egg chili cheese burritoEgg Chili Cheese Wrap Recipe

Chili, cheese, and eggs, all wrapped up in an easy sandwich. No fuss, one pot, and super-fast.

 

cranberry chipotle turkey burrito

Cranberry Chipotle Turkey Burrito

Use up leftover holiday turkey and relish, add some chipotle and you’ve got a whole new set of flavors.  Spicy, sweet, and tangy too.

 

pear dessert crepeEasy Pear Crepe Dessert Recipe for One Person

I know what you’re thinking. This is a tortilla page, where did the crepe come from? Look closely. It’s a tortilla. A super-sneaky easy way to get a crepe.