Pizzettas are great for Fridge Foraging
Pizza is one of the world's favorite foods, we eat it at home, in restaurants, and standing on the street corner too. The history is hard to trace because many countries have a flatbread recipe as well. I think it's safe to say the Italian pizza was made in Naples Italy around the 18th or early 19th century. I remember my trip well to Naples, the home of the Margarita Pizza named after the queen of Savoy who visited the area. The rest is history as they say, and there are countless variations that are thriving today.
Pizzettas are mini versions of full-size pizzas. Probably the first personal size pizza, it can be made just the same as large but easier to handle in my opinion, especially on a grill.
I had my first Pizzetta years ago in Honolulu at the famed Indigo Restaurant. I was there at a Les Dames D' Escoffier Conference and the owner of the restaurant conducted a demonstration on how to make his version of a Pizzetta. It had a Hawaiian influence for sure. More recently, I am enjoying making pizza dough with the advent of easy-fool-proof recipes like 2 ingredient or no-knead recipes. The recipe for the 2 ingredient dough is great for fridge foraged pizza. Since you are using baking powder for the levaning you don't have to wait, as it will rise when baked.
Pizzetta means "little pizza" in Italian. It's a perfect vehicle to use up bits of cooked vegetables, meats, and cheeses. This recipe is amazingly easy to pull together and have dinner on the table in a flash. Fridge Foraging at its finest, A few pantry staples are all you need to make this quick and tasty recipe.
How big is a Pizzetta ?
It's mostly the perfect size for an appetizer, snack, or light meal- it ranges from 3 inches to the size of a personal size pizza or about 8 inches.
Easy Pizza Sauce
This is my go-to pizza sauce when I am making lots of pizzas. It freezes great.
Ingredients:
1 - 6 ounce can of tomato paste
2 cups of water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1 Teaspoon dry Italian Herbs
Instructions:
Mix together and let sit for at least 2 hours in Fridge. Spoon a thin layer on each Pizzetta, then add other ingredients.
What kind of yogurt should I buy for the 2 ingredient dough?
The key is to get a low-fat or fat-free Greek-style yogurt since this is a lean dough. I like the Fage brand It has to be thick enough to stand up to the flour. It avoids it from being sticky and holds up in the oven.
For the plant-based dough, you can use plain coconut yogurt.
I don't have self-rising flour, can I make it?
Yes, self-rising flour is easy to make- mix into 1 cup of flour 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.
Here is the link to my favorite pizza peel
Fridge Foraged Pizzettas
Chef's note: 2 tablespoons of Tomato paste can be a quick stand-in for pizza sauce.
Ingredients:
Pizzetta Shells: Makes 2 - 8 inch Pizzettas
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
Toppings for 2 pizzas
1/2 cup pizza sauce or tomato sauce
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced and cooked
1/2 cup bell peppers, sliced thin and cooked
1/8 cup chopped pitted olives
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or plant-based cheese)
4 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese (or plant-based equivalent)
4 tablespoons of jarred pesto
1 tablespoon of cornmeal
Preheat oven to 450F
Instructions:
Mix self-rising flour and yogurt together to make form a dough. Knead for 2 minutes until smooth and pliable.
Divide dough in half and roll or press out onto a floured surface. Roll or press until the shell is about 8 inches.
Sprinkle cornmeal on peel or pan and place the shell on the cornmeal to keep it from sticking.
Spread half of the sauce on each shell, followed by half of the rest of the ingredients. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is bubbling. Take out and let cook for a couple of minutes before cutting.
Pizzettas on the Grill
This recipe is adapted from the famous Indigo Restaurant in Honolulu, Hawaii. Although the restaurant has since closed, the recipe lives on.
Makes 4 individual pizzettas
Pizzetta Shells: Makes 4- 8 inch Pizzettas
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
Ingredients for topping
¼ cup olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoon garlic, minced, plus 1 tablespoon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced small
2 tablespoons sweet Thai chili sauce
6 Tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided
2 recipes of 2 ingredient pizza dough (makes 4 pizzettas)
3 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (1 ½ cups)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onions, and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, brown sugar, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until a golden brown color for about 30 minutes.
In the same pan, place chicken thighs sprinkled with salt. Add additional garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until firm. Add chili sauce and cook an additional 2 minutes coating chicken as it cooks. Add 3 Tablespoons of chopped cilantro and take off the heat. Let cool to room temperature before adding to pizza.
Preheat grill to medium and keep lid closed until ready to use. Mix and knead dough until smooth and not sticky. Divide dough and form 4 small pizza shells. On a cutting board, sprinkle a generous amount of cornmeal and stretch dough as far as you can without tearing it. Open the grill and slide dough off the cutting board onto the grill, turn down the grill to low, and close the lid. About 5 minutes later, the dough will start to puff up and develop golden grill marks on the bottom of the pizza shell. Take the shell off of the grill and turn it over on a generously coated cutting board with cornmeal.
Add the caramelized onions, chicken, tomatoes and cover with cheese. Slide back onto the grill and let cook until cheese melts and the bottom of pizza is cooked about 5 minutes or longer. When ready slide the cooked pizza back on the cutting board and sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Cut into slices and enjoy!
"I LOVE PIZZA; YOU CAN’T REALLY GO WRONG WITH PIZZA."
Nick Jonas.
