Pizza Primavera
By Nancy Eisman
According to the Food Lover’s Companion, a comprehensive compilation of the definitions of thousands of food, wine and culinary terms, alla primavera means spring-style and refers to fresh, seasonal vegetables as a garnish to various dishes. While pasta primavera is the most popular presentation of recipes prepared in this spring-style manner, topping a flour or cauliflower-based crust is another delicious way to go.
Spring’s array of light, colorful vegetables includes greens and herbs, white, purple and green asparagus, morel mushrooms, parsnips, artichokes, fava beans, romanesco, variety radishes, fiddlehead ferns, red, gold and candy-striped beets, variety carrots, spring onions, garlic and leeks, baby sprouts, new potatoes and more.
This is a sans tomato sauce pizza with a base layer of vivid green and extremely tasty arugula pesto. I’ve used a store-bought dough that goes right from the freezer to the baking sheet, gets topped with whatever you fancy, and is then popped into the oven for merely 10 to 12 minutes of baking time. Make your crust from scratch, if you like, or pick up some ready-to-use dough at your favorite neighborhood pizzeria. If you want to up the nutrition factor, TJ’s, Costco, Wal-Mart, Target and Whole Foods all carry ready-to-bake cauliflower pizza crusts.
The arugula pesto is a mixture of arugula, garlic, nutritional yeast, white miso, olive oil, lemon or lime juice, pine nuts, salt and pepper. You’ll also love this spread on sandwiches or tossed with pasta. The color is absolutely beautiful, and the taste is just fantastic.
So, turn on the oven or fire up the grill, and get ready to celebrate spring with this pizza primavera. Take your pick of veggies, top your base, bake your pie, and enjoy this scrumptious, seasonal specialty.
Arugula Pesto
3 cups fresh arugula
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender or processor — season to taste. Add a bit more oil, juice, or water if you prefer a thinner consistency. Set aside.
Pizza Primavera
Preheat the oven to 400°F
1 10” or 12” pizza crust
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ bunch Easter egg or French breakfast radishes, cleaned and quartered
6 Dutch Yellow® Potatoes, cubed
1 package Melissa’s Steamed Golden Beets, cubed
1 package Melissa’s Steamed Fava Beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces plant-based mozzarella, shredded
In a large sauté pan, add the butter and olive oil, plus salt and pepper, and then cook the radishes and potatoes for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring, until tender.
Place the pizza crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the arugula pesto evenly over the crust; evenly distribute the radishes, potatoes, beets, and fava beans over the pesto spread crust; sprinkle with shredded cheese over the top.
Bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
According to the Food Lover’s Companion, a comprehensive compilation of the definitions of thousands of food, wine and culinary terms, alla primavera means spring-style and refers to fresh, seasonal vegetables as a garnish to various dishes. While pasta primavera is the most popular presentation of recipes prepared in this spring-style manner, topping a flour or cauliflower-based crust is another delicious way to go.
Spring’s array of light, colorful vegetables includes greens and herbs, white, purple and green asparagus, morel mushrooms, parsnips, artichokes, fava beans, romanesco, variety radishes, fiddlehead ferns, red, gold and candy-striped beets, variety carrots, spring onions, garlic and leeks, baby sprouts, new potatoes and more.
This is a sans tomato sauce pizza with a base layer of vivid green and extremely tasty arugula pesto. I’ve used a store-bought dough that goes right from the freezer to the baking sheet, gets topped with whatever you fancy, and is then popped into the oven for merely 10 to 12 minutes of baking time. Make your crust from scratch, if you like, or pick up some ready-to-use dough at your favorite neighborhood pizzeria. If you want to up the nutrition factor, TJ’s, Costco, Wal-Mart, Target and Whole Foods all carry ready-to-bake cauliflower pizza crusts.
The arugula pesto is a mixture of arugula, garlic, nutritional yeast, white miso, olive oil, lemon or lime juice, pine nuts, salt and pepper. You’ll also love this spread on sandwiches or tossed with pasta. The color is absolutely beautiful, and the taste is just fantastic.
So, turn on the oven or fire up the grill, and get ready to celebrate spring with this pizza primavera. Take your pick of veggies, top your base, bake your pie, and enjoy this scrumptious, seasonal specialty.
Arugula Pesto
3 cups fresh arugula
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender or processor — season to taste. Add a bit more oil, juice, or water if you prefer a thinner consistency. Set aside.
Pizza Primavera
Preheat the oven to 400°F
1 10” or 12” pizza crust
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ bunch Easter egg or French breakfast radishes, cleaned and quartered
6 Dutch Yellow® Potatoes, cubed
1 package Melissa’s Steamed Golden Beets, cubed
1 package Melissa’s Steamed Fava Beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces plant-based mozzarella, shredded
In a large sauté pan, add the butter and olive oil, plus salt and pepper, and then cook the radishes and potatoes for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring, until tender.
Place the pizza crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the arugula pesto evenly over the crust; evenly distribute the radishes, potatoes, beets, and fava beans over the pesto spread crust; sprinkle with shredded cheese over the top.
Bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
