Mini Pita Pizzas with Goat Cheese

I've been craving pizza! And for months, I've planned to make pizza using pita bread for the crust. I finally did it!

I love the whole wheat mini pitas from TJs, so that was my base. Of course, I made marinara earlier that day (but you can use the jarred stuff to save time).

Goat cheese has been on my cravings list as well, so the pizzas are dotted with that awesome goodness.

MINI PITA PIZZAS WITH GOAT CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:
8-10 mini pitas

2 cups marinara

1/2 cup red wine

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup red onions, sliced very thin

8 crimini mushrooms, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded

1/2 cup spinach, shredded

2-3 oz. goat cheese

2/3 cup soy (or milk) mozzarella

Olive oil, for brushing

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Carefully halve pitas to make two rounds each. Brush the best-looking pitas with a little olive oil. Place on a cookie sheet (15 fit perfectly). If the pita has a curve, place it on the pan like a cup.

Lightly toast in oven until slightly brown, about 5 minutes.

Sauté garlic, onions and mushrooms in red wine for a few minutes so they are pre-cooked before adding to the pizza.

Remove par-baked pita crusts. Spoon about a tablespoon of marinara onto each crust and add the other toppings except for soy mozzarella. If using milk mozzarella, add it as the final ingredient during this step.

Bake another 5-8 minutes, just to heat vegetables and soften the goat cheese.

Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack. Finish by topping each pizza with soy mozzarella.

Use a pizza cutter to slice into wedges. Nah, eat ‘em with your hands!

CHEF’S NOTE: Make these cute and tasty itty bitty pizzas tonight!

Pizza Mania!

I'm getting cocky. And here's the proof:

Yesterday, Ron and I were running errands. He asked me if I'd remembered to buy pre-made pizza dough at Trader Joe's to use in our pizza making episode of "Gourmet Again!" being taped later that evening.

I replied without a pause, "I make my own dough now."

Cocky, perhaps, but the proof is in the pudding, or in this case, in the PIZZA! We made two 'zas, and I'm arrogantly certain that you'll love them both if you follow this recipe EXACTLY .....

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA - AND - GOAT CHEESE PIZZA

INGREDIENTS:

BBQ CHICKEN, SAUCE AND TOPPINGS

2 large fresh Chicken Breasts
1 cup BBQ Sauce
¼ cup Red Wine

½ cup BBQ Sauce (or my fave: use BBQ chicken juices, cooked down to a glaze)
½ cup Red Onion, sliced super-thin
2 large Tomatoes, sliced super-thin
6 oz. fresh Mozzarella, shredded

RED SAUCE AND TOPPINGS FOR GOAT CHEESE PIZZA

1 Tsp Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
¼ cup Red Wine
½ Tsp Basil

6 medium Crimini Mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 cups fresh Spinach, coarsely chopped
4 oz. fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled
4 oz. fresh Mozzarella, shredded

CRUST

1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
1 cup Warm Water (105˚ to 115˚)
2-1/2 cups unbleached White Flour
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt

DIRECTIONS:

SLOW COOK THE BBQ CHICKEN

Mix BBQ Sauce and Red Wine in a small bowl. Add to a large cooking pot or slow cooker with Chicken. Cook on super-low heat for 1-3 hours. Do not open the cover for at least 1 hour, then test each hour for doneness. The Chicken should shred easily.

MAKE THE RED SAUCE FOR GOAT CHEESE PIZZA

Heat Olive Oil in small sauce pan, sauté Garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add Red Wine, Basil. Simmer at least 15 minutes, an hour or longer if you have the time. Remove from heat.

MAKE THE CRUSTS

Combine Flour, Salt and Sugar in a small bowl. In another large bowl, dissolve Yeast in Water, then add Oil and dry ingredients. Stir dough until tough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. Place in oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours. (Note: my dough doesn’t rise all that much, but it rolls easy and tastes incredible anyway!)

Place Pizza Stone in oven and preheat to 450˚ F. Divide dough into two equal portions. Use a rolling pin to roll each into a 12-inch circle. Place each crust onto its own square of parchment paper on separate cutting boards. Pinch edges of crusts.

FINAL PREP

Spread ¼ cup of the remaining BBQ Sauce (or prepared BBQ glaze) onto first crust. Top with BBQ Chicken, Tomatoes, Red Onions, and Mozzarella. Use a pizza peel to slide parchment paper with crust onto pizza stone and bake each pizza in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

While the first pizza is in the oven, spread the Red Sauce evenly on the second crust. Lay out the Mushrooms, sprinkle on Spinach, Goat Cheese and Mozzarella.

Remove the first pizza and place on cutting board. Use the pizza peel to slide parchment paper with second crust onto pizza stone in oven. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove with pizza peel and place on another cutting board.

Slice each pizza into squares or triangles and enjoy!

Chef’s Notes: Shred a whole piece of Mozzarella just before topping the pizza. This produces a very fresh taste, as pre-shredded cheeses tend to lose some of their moisture and essence. 

Sunday in the Kitchen

Spent the weekend in the kitchen. It's been raining and blustery for several days, so what better activities than cooking and baking some special comfort foods?!

Yesterday, I stuffed pasta shells with a ricotta and spinach filling and smothered them in a homemade marinara sauce. Tangy and delicious! Later in the evening, I baked a super-moist chocolate cake and mini-muffins.

Today, I frosted the cake and muffins just as the morning was beginning to bluster like crazy. Then, I made pizza dough. In between the assembly and baking of two pies, I started the dessert we will take to our friends' home later tonight: a pear-apple-cranberry tarte tatin. I pre-heated the oven to 450 degrees F to accommodate the snacking pizza.

First, I rolled the pizza dough very thin, placed it on a square of parchment paper which was on top of a large wood bread board. Then I brushed the dough with olive oil, topped with 1/2 cup of leftover marinara, 3/4 cup of shredded mozzarella, super-thin slices of tomato and garlic, basil, salt and pepper, then threw on some more olive oil. I slid the parchment paper onto my pre-heated baking stone in the oven for exactly 15 minutes. I let the pie rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes, and ate half while making my dessert!

The pear-apple-cranberry tarte tatin is baked to perfection and the second pie just came out of the oven, so when I publish this post, it will be snackie time!