PIZZA IN A CUP/THICK CRUST PIZZA

This time I am pretty late in posting the sweet punch challenge.  Pizza was this month's challenge.  As I have already posted the thin crust pizza, I wanted to make thick crust and pizza in a cup.  This pizza cups looks cute for parties and kids will surely love it. I have used the inverted muffin tray for making the Pizza cups and before rolling I have just sprinkle redchilli flakes, grated garlic and dried Italian Herbs. Hope you all will enjoy the virtual show here. Take a look at the thin crust Pizza which I have posted earlier. I have chosen to make Basil pesto pizza.  So if you want to know the BASIL PESTO HERE IS THE LINK and FOR MARINARA SAUCE HERE IS THE LINK.

 

    

PIZZA
 

Recipe source - Pioneer Women

FOR THE CRUST (MAKES TWO CRUSTS):

Ingredients :

1 teaspoon Active Dry Or Instant Yeast
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
⅓ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil

TO MAKE THE CRUST:


Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.


In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, and then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it. ***It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

 

The topping I used for Thick crust Pesto Pizza: 

 

Black olives
Artichokes
Onion
Roasted Asparagus
Mushrooms

the above topping are my favorite one for pesto pizza.  You can choose you own topping as well.

For filling the Pizza cup I used the following

First apply your favorite sauce then fill with the following

Colored bell peppers
Capers
Lettuce
Tomato
Pickled Chilies
Mozzarella cheese

This is kind of salad Pizza , but if you want you can also bake it with other favorite ingredients like capsicum, onion, tomato , olives and bake it.

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AGLIO E OLIO ( WITH SEA BEAN, ASPARAGUS AND BROCCOLINI)

Aglio e Olio is served with spaghetti, the sauce is made by lightly sautéing minced or pressed garlic in olive oil, sometimes with the addition of dried red chilli flakes. Finely chopped parsley/Basil can be added as a garnish, along with Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Yes today I am posting Aglio e Olio with all my favorite veggies in the pasta Farfalline...

Sea bean

Broccolini

Asparagus 

 

Almost everyone will be familiar with last 2 veggies.  Seabean when I first tasted it I just fell in love with that and tried few things which were so so excellent.  Here is a brief about the above veggies.

Seabean

The sea bean, aptly named as a fresh crisp bean that looks like sea coral and has briny flavor.   Sea beans can be eaten raw, steamed, tossed into stir fries or used as a bed for sea food.  They are also known as pousse pied.

Broccolini

Broccolini is a green vegetable similar to broccoli but with smaller florets and longer, thin stalks. Although often misidentified as young broccoli, it is a cross between broccoli and kai-lan, Chinese broccoli. Broccolini is high in vitamin C but also contains vitamin A, calcium, folate and iron. And this is excellent vegetable for sautéing, steaming, boiling and stir frying.

Asparagus

Asparagus is low in calories and is very low in sodium. It is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium.  Only young asparagus shoots are commonly eaten: once the buds start to open, the shoots quickly turn woody and become strongly flavored.

Ok coming to the recipe it’s so simple and easy.

First to prepare the veggies do the following procedure...

Sea bean - Just wash, drain and keep it aside.

Broccolini - separate like Broccoli floret, you can also use the stalks or reserve them for making soup or salad.  Wash the florets , add them in boiling water for a minute , remove and put them in the ice water to stop cooking in this way u get the vibrant green Veggie.

Asparagus - Similarly do this for asparagus. Then chop them to 1 inch pieces.

Keep all the veggies aside.

Aglio e Olio

Ingredients for sautéing:

Pasta - 1 cup any of your favorite shape cooked

Olive oil - 2 tbsp

Garlic - 3 or 4 very finely shredded

Shallots - 1 sliced (optional)

Red chilli flakes - 1/2 tbsp (you can also reduce this amount)

Basil or Parsley - 2 tbsp chopped finely

Parmigiano-Reggiano - as needed

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in the pan, before the oil is very hot add the garlic, followed by shallot slices and red chilli flakes.

2. once they are light brown add the broccolini, asparagus and the cooked pasta.

3. Now add the seabean, basil or parsely, salt (keep in mind the cheese and sea bean both has salt in it so add accordingly) give a high toss. Once sea bean is added you need not sauté for too long.

4.  Serve hot with shredded Parmigianino Reggiano.

 

 

Note:

The above is the recipe for basic Aglio e Olio recipe, you can add or minus the veggies of your choice.

Bon Appétit!!!!

You are most welcome to share any Seabean recipe in the comment section.

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GNOCCHI WITH PESTO(SAUTEED WITH ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOM)

"Gnocchi" is an Italian name for a variety of thick, soft noodles or dumplings. The smaller forms are called gnocchetti. If the gnocchetti are red in color then tomato is added, if they are green spinach is included. Here I have used potato Gnocchetti.

They are widely available as dried, frozen, or fresh in vacuum sealed packages in Supermarkets and Italian specialty stores. Classic accompaniments of gnocchi include Tomato sauce, Pesto. Either ways it tastes wonderful with pesto or marinara sauce. Our choice of gnocchi with pesto and sauteed asparagus, mushroom is here ....And I used Potato Gnocchetti.

Cooking Gnocchi :

Remove from the pack, pour the gnocchi in boiling salted water. Boil for 2 -3 minutes or until gnocchi float to the top, drain and keep aside.

Ingredients for Pesto :

Basil - 1 handful
Almonds - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp( Roasted and reserve 1 tbsp for garnishing)
Lemon juice - 1/4 tbsp
Pepper - as required
Garlic - 1 pod
Salt - as needed
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese - 1 tbsp
Asparagus - 5 to 8 (trim the edges, wash and chop to 2 inch)
Mushroom - 6 sliced
Gnocchi - 1 pack (1 lb)
Red chilli flakes - 1/4 tsp
Garlic 1 crushed for sauteing with asparagus and mushroom










Method :

1. Coarse run the first 5 ingredients in the blender or food processor.( don't make to paste its should be like coarsely powdered).
2. Saute the asparagus and mushroom in Olive oil, Red chilli flakes and olive oil by adding salt and keep it aside.
3. In the same pan add some olive oil, Cooked gnocchi give nice toss until slightly roasted by adding the pesto mixture.
4. Once it is done add the sauteed asparagus and mushroom. After quick tossing.
5. Transfer to the serving plate by adding the cheese and roasted almonds on the top.





Enjoy the taste of cheesy , crunchy, fresh gnocchi in every bite.............

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