Archive for April 28th, 2010

28 Apr Spring Onion Pizza

Spring Onion Pizza, otherwise known as The Last Supper.

I often forget that pizza is one of my favorite dishes. Surprisingly, I rarely think to make it, but when I do, I am reminded how much I love the versatility (you can make it light and refreshing or thick and hearty), the creativity (slow cooked tomatoes and an egg? or how about green garlic and pears?), and the practicality (got some left over Indian food? how about some bell peppers and arugula that didn’t make it into last night’s salad?) of a good pizza pie.

May 1st is the first day of my annual month-long cleanse. One thing I won’t be eating in May is pizza. So, in part to celebrate my upcoming break from certain foods (more on this to come) and in part to use up some whole wheat pizza dough and other produce I had on hand, I tossed together this super simple spring dinner.

Spring Onion Pizza

1 whole wheat pizza dough

4 spring onions

1 quart organic cherry or grape tomatoes

half bunch of kale

2 oz grated hard cheese (e.g. parmesan or something stronger)

nutritional yeast

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using store bought pizza dough (which is what I did here – mastering homemade dough is on the agenda for this summer), unwrap and let rest for 20 minutes on a lightly floured surface (whatever flour you have on hand will do – white, whole wheat, spelt, etc).

Meanwhile, prep the vegetables: halve and chop spring onions, halve the tomatoes, wash kale, remove tough stems and julienne the greens. Heat a large pan, add some olive oil (one or two turns with the bottle will do) and onions, cooke on medium-high heat. When onions have started to soften, add tomatoes and a little salt and pepper.

While onions and tomatoes are cooking, prep a pizza pan or baking sheet (you can line it with parchment paper or lightly mist with olive oil, which is what I usually do). Sprinkle top of dough with a little flour and carefully roll or toss (gently stretch with hands, turning frequently) to desired thickness. Gently arrange on baking sheet. If I’m using moist, precooked toppings (like for this dinner), I pre-bake my crust for about 10 minutes, just to keep the center from getting soggy or being undercooked.

When tomatoes start to break down (or if you want them more saucy wait longer until they’re really broken down), add kale to the saute. The pre-baked dough should be done by now. When kale has softened and turned a brilliant dark green, turn off heat and start to assemble the pie!

If I’m not using a tomato sauce base, I usually start with a mist of olive oil, but that’s purely optional. Sprinkle on grated cheese (I used Old World Portuguese), spread onion, tomato and kale mixture evenly over dough, and top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast (has a tangy cheesy/nutty flavor that I like to enhance the cheese base).  Bake for 10-15 minutes, until crust starts to turn golden and cheese is melted. Let pizza rest for 10 minutes or so before slicing into it (among other things, it helps prevent burning off the roof of your mouth – trust me, I speak from experience).  Serve with a big ol’ green salad and savor the sweetness of these spring veggies.