Pizza is junk food at its finest. So here’s a quick, fun, and easy way to make
one. Using pita bread gives you a foolproof crust. If you
choose the right bread, you’ll be halfway there. The type of pita bread makes a
world of difference. I have been on a
neverending search for heavenly pita
bread.
Here are some of my hints when
choosing pita bread:
- When choosing your pitas, squeeze the package gently. The bread should feel soft and give.
- I’m lucky! I have a Middle Eastern grocery store in my area. So I can usually get the best variety and freshest selections (due to high turnover rate). My latest favorite is from a small bakery that sells to my local store. Experiment with different varieties. Some like it Sicilian (thick crust) and some like it NY style (thin crust). Choose one depending on your mood.
- If you have choices, don’t settle for the ones at the big grocery stores in the middle isles (i.e. Sarah Lee). They may have been sitting on the shelf for a while. They just don’t cut.
- If you have to shop at the big grocery stores, try Stonefire brand. I haven’t tried it, but it looks like it might work. Let me know what you think.
Now it’s time to make the pizza. The first thing I do is put
my pita bread in a convection oven (toaster oven or regular oven will do
too). Bake the bottom side. Then brush on a little olive oil on the top
and sprinkle with your choice of dried herbs (i.e. basil, oregano, rosemary,
etc.) and bake until slightly crisp.
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| Oregano Topped Baked Pitas |
The pitas are now ready to top. Spread some pizza sauce over the pitas. (Stay tuned for an easy to make homemade
pizza sauce.) Top with your choice of
toppings. I use Daiya mozzarella and finely
sliced fresh veggies like red bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions. To add flavor try sun dried tomatoes, roasted
garlic, fresh herbs, etc.
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| Yum! Finished Pita Pizza |
Hint: Use a little diced
fresh jalapenos to open up the flavors, just enough to bring out the flavors
but not to give it heat (unless you like it hot).
Yves vegan “Canadian bacon” and pineapple can make it
Hawaiian style. Yves makes a pretty good
version of vegan “pepperoni” too. You
can experiment with vegan “sausage”. I
like Gimme Lean ground “sausage “style. Try
adding fennel seed, sage, or shoyu (soy sauce) to give it a little extra flavor. Roll into small
uneven balls, pan fry them with a little oil to get them crispy, and then use
them as a topping.
So many choices. Get
creative. BBQ “vegan chicken” topped
with ranch. white sauce with roasted garlic and broccoli … You get the idea. Have fun.
The best thing is there are no rules.
Put the topped pizza back in the oven and bake until the
veggie look cooked (it’s about 5 minutes for me). Let them cool slightly. Craig likes to top the finished pizzas with
vegan bacon bits and Go Veggie! vegan grated parmesan (Craig likes them both).
Parmela makes a vegan parmesan that is aged.
I’m dying to try it.
You can freeze the leftover pitas and heat them up over the
flame of a gas burning stove (a little trick I learned from an Israeli family).
Enjoy!
Products:
YUM YUM! Those look delicious, I want some NOW!
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