For the past while I’ve been fixated on adding olives, feta and pesto to nearly all my savoury meals. Everything tastes better with olives/feta/pesto right? Well, yes and no. After realizing that my last three meals had included all these ingredients I decided it was time to branch out again.
So, I present to you pizza without the OFP combination.
The base spread is tomato salsa with left over Guacamole, topped with chargrilled capsicum, red onion, chillies, cheddar and mozzarella.
A delicious combo. I didn’t miss OFP one bit.
For general pizza making instruction view:
Broccoli or Mushroom Simple Pizza
For other yummy pizza toppings view:
Zucchini and Onion Pizza.
Potato and Leek Pizza
We’ve just moved to our fourth house-sitting place since returning to NZ. House-sitting place number three lacked a functioning kitchen. It had no kitchen gear and no fridge! (no fridge?!).
Our current place is full of kitchen goodness including a pizza stone. To celebrate we made Zucchini and Onion Pizza.
I’m quickly coming to the conclusion that nice pizza base + pesto + feta + any* leftover vegetables in your fridge + more cheese = a good pizza.
For cooking instructions see:
Potato and Leek Pizza or Broccoli/Mushroom Simple Pizzas
Mmmm, pizza. So quick (well, it is when you used pre-made bases), easy and yummy.
*lettuce being the exception that quickly comes to mind.
Potato Pizza is a simple way of combining both major food groups into one delicious meal.
In the past I’ve always had problems getting the potatoes just how I want them. Either they’re too leathery, or too hard and underdone, or … just not as good as they should be. Indeed, I would say that I generally have problems with frying things and it’s my worst cooking method (although I seem to have finally got the hang of frying eggs).
Tonight I decided to take a different approach and decided to roast/fry the potatoes in the oven – and it worked just great and the pizza was delicious. Here’s how I did it.
Potato and Leek Pizza
(serves 1-2 depending on desired belly fullness)
Ingredients
– One small pizza base (yes, I’m lazy, feel free to make your own)
– 2 tbsp basil pesto
– One large potato
– 1 sprig fresh rosemary, or 1-2 tsp dry rosemary (inferior, less classy, easier)
– Extra light olive oil, or other cooking oil
– One leek (or about four spring onions)
– 30gm grated mozzarella cheese
– 30gm grated cheddar cheese
– salt grinder
Method
1. Heat oven to 200c
2. Scrub the potato and cut into thin slices. Cut the slices in half if they’re too big.
3. Pour a little oil into a baking dish and make sure the bottom is covered.
4. Put in the potatoes, drizzle over the rest of the oil.
5. Sprinkle the rosemary over it.
6. Cook until half-done (5-10 minutes) and then turn. Complete cooking.
While waiting for the potatoes:
7. Spread the pesto on the pizza base
8. Chop the leeks. They can be small to large depending on your whim.
9. Nibble on some of the cheese (we call this “emergency cheese” as we’re normally pretty hungry by the time we start cooking).
And now the potatoes are done:
8. Put the potatoes in a single layer on the pizza. Eat the rest.
9. Arrange the leeks over the potatoes.
10. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese.
11. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese (yes, the order is important).
12. Put on a baking tray at the top of the oven, cook until golden and bubbly (5-10 minutes)
13. Grind some salt over it, cut it up and serve. Don’t be too hasty and burn the roof of your mouth.
Enjoy, Thomas.
Damn that was a good pizza. I really like the pizzas that Thomas and I cook now, and they’re simple, tasty and cheap. We tend to alternate between mushroom and broccoli pizzas. The lemon works surprisingly well.
Simple Pizza
Ingredients
- Plain commercial pizza bases (brand: Romanos)
- Pesto (brand: Genovese)
- Mozzarella cheese (about a grated handful)
- Mild or tasty cheddar cheese (about a grated handful)
- Parmesan cheese (about two tbsp of fine grated)
For mushroom pizzas
- About 125gm Portobello mushrooms
For Broccoli Pizzas
- Head of broccoli
- One lemon
- Approx 50gm of feta cheese
Tools
- Pizza stone
- Cheese grater (coarse and fine)
- Lemon zester (or fine grater)
Method
1. Turn oven on to fanbake at 230c.
2. Insert pizza stone.
3. Spread pesto on pizza base.
For Mushroom Pizzas
a. Roughly chop mushrooms.
b. Cover pizza with chopped mushrooms.
For Broccoli Pizzas
a. Grate about 1tsp lemon zest.
b. Sprinkle lemon zest over pizza.
c. Chop broccoli into small pieces.
d. Sprinkle broccoli over pizza.
e. Chop feta into small pieces.
f. Distribute feta pieces over pizza.
4. Sprinkle mozzarella over the pizza.
5. Sprinkle cheddar over the pizza.
6. Sprinkle parmesan over the pizza.
7. Put pizza on the pizza stone into oven.
8. Cook until the top is bubbling and golden brown.
9. Remove pizza and leave for a couple of minutes.
10. Slice and serve.