pizza pizza

pizza night has always been one of my favorite things to do with friends. order in, turn on the boob tube and crack a cold beer. however, since going vegan, pizza night has not been as simple. i mean, i do have the luxury of being close to pizza luce, where they offer vegan options, but fussy me, i'm not a HUGE fan of soy cheese on my pizza.

it was clearly time to start making the pizza's at home. here's what i came up with...

 

taco pizza  (inspired by happy joes)

1 package soy crumbles or gimme lean burger style
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 head lettuce
1 can chopped black olives
2 scallions - chopped
1 tomato - chopped
1 cup soy sour cream
1 1/2 cups refried beans (black or pinto)
1/2 cup hot sauce
salsa (of your choice)
salt and pepper
olive oil

heat your oven to 400 degrees.

in a small skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. add your soy crumbles, cumin, cayenne and chili powder. you may need to add a little water to get everything mixed together.   set to the side once heated through. 

in a small saucepan add your beans and heat until soft and easy to stir. 

spread the beans onto the crust first, then the soy crumbles. put in oven for 15-18 minutes, or until crust is nice and browned, then remove. now, it's time to layer.

 

1. hot sauce
2. soy sour cream
3. lettuce
4. tomatoes
5. olives
6. scallions

 

 

bianca pizza
(roasted garlic, sliced red onion, fresh basil and tofu, smothered in a cream sauce)

1 package silken tofu (extra firm)
1 package wildwood super firm tofu
1/2 cup water
4 onion bouillon cubes
1 red onion
1 garlic bulb
1 package fresh basil
olive oil
salt and pepper

 

slice the wildwood tofu into cutlets. in a skillet, add 2 tbsp olive oil. add the cutlets to the oil and fry up until golden brown. add salt and pepper to taste. set aside to cool to room temperature.

 

in a small saucepan, bring your 1/2 cup water to a boil. add your onion bouillon cubes. stir until the cubes have dissolved. in a blender or food processer, add your silken tofu. blend until smooth, then slowly add the onion boullion mixture and 1/4 cup white port. blend until smooth, then transfer to a small saucepan.

heat the cream sauce on low heat while preparing the other ingredients. add salt and pepper to taste. feel free to add herbs if you would like, such as chives or oregano.

at this time i suggest putting your crust into the oven to begin cooking. you want to cook it 90% as you will add your toppings at the very end and put back into the oven again for 6-8 minutes.

to roast your garlic, slice off the top of the garlic bulb, exposing the cloves. pour 1 tbsp olive oil nd me sure the entire bulb is covered so it doesn't burn. put into oven until golden brown, approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven. remove from the oven. with your thumbs, pop each clove out. they should come out easily with a small push. once the tofu has cooled, slice the cutlets into long strips. again, it's time to layer

1. 1 tbsp olive oil
2. tofu slices
3. fresh basil leaves
4. roasted garlic cloves
5. red onion - sliced thinly

now, put into oven for another 6-8 minutes. remove and add cream sauce to the top. smother as much or as little as you like. add cracked black pepper and drizzle some olive oil.

thin crust (you can also use store bought, pre-made crusts)

1 small package of active dry yeast (7 grams)
1 cup warm water
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp melted earth balance
2/12 - 3 cups flour (plus extra for kneading)
olive oil

(makes 2 crusts)

mix together the yeast and the warm water. then add your sugar, salt, butter and the flour, a little at a time. it should create a large ball and pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. be sure to add flour as needed for kneading. divide the ball in 1/2. let sit for 10-12 minutes, then roll out your crust to the size and desired thickness. bake in a 400 degree oven, preferably on a pizza stone (you can pick one up for $10)

enjoy!

 

Comments

[David Wolfe Rawfoods]

Oh I can't wait to try this recipe!

[David Wolfe Rawfoods]

This looks great! Can't wait to try it!

[Amy Holly]

I salivate EVERYTIME I check out your site! Here's to wishing you were the the cook at my home!

[Crystal]

Both those pizzas look fantastic...can't wait to try the taco pizza!

[Sal]

taco pizza sounds great! I'm not a big lover of soy cheese either!

[jd]

Those pizzas look A-MAZING!

I'm in the same boat as you though - I'm not a big fan of vegan cheese, so I end up getting as creative as possible with my pizza :)

BTW, I used to eat Happy Joe's Taco Pizza all the time before becoming veg - no one has even heard of it where I'm living now... Thanks for bringing back the memories!