Selasa, 04 September 2007

Whole Wheat Vegetarian Pizza with Herbs, Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions

I am pretty certain that if someone conducts a "Favourite Fast Food" poll, one of the winning contenders would be a Pizza!! And that's precisely what I voted for too:) Pizza has been a food-lover's delight since ages!! Originated in Italy, it has found its place in every country and region after undergoing several transformations to become a universal favorite, like Toronto Pizza or Ottawa Pizza and though most of us would prefer ordering in a pizza, let me tell you that there is none that can match a freshly-baked pizza in your own oven with your favourite toppings and cheese! And I have a recipe that will take out the tiny guilt feeling that all calorie-conscious people like me might have while savouring a pizza - ladies and gentlemen, bring your hands together for the Wheat Crust Vegetarian Pizza with Herbs, Caramelized onions and Goat Cheese!!

Ingredients
Whole Wheat Pizza dough - I recommend Trader Joe's
some all-purpose flour for dusting
1 large onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp rosemary (oil or herbs)
1 tbsp basil (optional)
2 tbsp fresh oregano
2 tbsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp pizza sauce (optional)
1 1/2 cup mozarella cheese
1 cup goat cheese (you can substitute this for the cheese you like!)

Toppings
1 large capsicum or bell peppers
2 large tomatoes - cut in rounds (you can use pizza-sauce instead too)
1/2 cup chopped olives
1/2 cup pineapple
1/2 cup chopped jalapenos

Method
Place oven rack in the lowest position and preheat to 450 degrees. Coat a large non-insulated baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of a standard large pizza that can fit your baking sheet. Transfer this onto the baking sheet and bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, about 8-10 minutes.

To caramelize the onions, combine olive oil, onion and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onion is softened about 5-7 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden.

Now remove the baked crust and arrange all your toppings on it, starting with the tomatoes. If you are using pizza sauce, like Oakville pizza, apply it before putting any toppings. Now add the cheese liberally, then sprinkle the rosemary, basil, oregano and red pepper, and bake again at 450 degrees
till the veggies are cooked and the cheese melts! Once it is cooked and the base is hard enough, turn your oven to BROIL setting, sprinkle the goat cheese, and broil for 5 mins to get the golden colour of cheese.

Cut into slices with a pizza-cutter and enjoy piping hot! With the goodness of whole wheat, veggies and cheese to back your healthy meal plan, this pizza is bound to find a place in every household.

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