Pesto Pizza...A taste of Genoa

Pesto is one food that embodies Italy to it's core. The fragrant basil, grown all over Italy, is the main ingredient, to which is added, salty Parmesano Reggiano, from the region of Parma, and fresh local garlic. Next comes the rich pine nuts and, last but not least, the fresh and flavorful italian olive oil. It's a simple recipe for something that can be used in so many gloriously, different ways. 

Pesto originated in Genoa, on the North-West Ligurian coast of Italy. Here, the sea breezes gently kiss the basil, which grows prolifically throughout the region. The basil in this area of Italy is sweet and delicate, perfect when married with the other earthy ingredients. Toss it with pasta or slather it on top of chicken or fish. I love it as a base for pizza toppings. I can, honestly, put pesto on just about anything! I just love it! So, you'll definitely be seeing it weaved throughout my posts in the future.

One of my favorite spots along the Ligurian coast is an area called Cinque Terre. It's a stretch of coast that is comprised of five colorful, small villages, clinging to the rocky, coastal cliffs. They are connected by a narrow walking trail so that you can easily get from one town to the next. 

We chose to stay in the quaint village of Manarola. Manarola's pastel colored buildings climb up from the deep blue, rocky bay, onto a very steep hillside. This town is-NO JOKE-so steep! We were barely able to get our suitcases from the nice, flat train platform, down a very uneven, winding hill and then back up another narrow incline, to our little airbnb apartment. It was a haul...and there were injuries...(see below). Luckily, and with much huffing and puffing, we did manage to make it up to our room. After tending to "the injury", we set out to get a taste of Manarola and some of the famous pesto dishes!

                        Slight injury, due to steepness factor.

The picturesque, hillside town is very small and there is really just one narrow street. We hiked up to the very top, stopping for the requisite gelato, for energy! (Truth be told, I had to bribe my child with gelato to get her up the hill after the "skinned knee incident", as we refer to this now). After patting ourselves on the back for making it to the top of the town, we headed back down to the marina area where we found the most delicious restaurant, Marina Piccola Restaurante. This little gem sits right above the rocky shoreline and looks out over the small, blue and white fishing boats, which are haphazardly stacked up out front. 

We shared several tasty dishes, which included a pesto topped pizza, a fresh seafood pasta and another pasta with pesto...all to die for! We finished the meal with a sweet and light tiramisu. On a side note: My daughter insisted that we end each meal in Italy with her favorite dessert...you guessed it! tiramisu! She is now considered to be the world authority on this italian delicacy...ok maybe just Costa Mesa's authority...maybe just in our family? In any case, she knows her tiramisu!

I wanted to recreate one of those pesto dishes from Cinque Terre and have done so with my pesto pizza with goat cheese. I made a simple pesto with basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese and olive oil. It's so easy! You just blend everything up in a food processor or blender, adding just a little bit of the olive oil to get it started. Once it's starting to blend up, add the rest of the olive oil slowly until it becomes smooth. Add a little salt and pepper and you've got the makings for so many different and incredible dishes! I put mine in a jar and keep it in the refrigerator to use at will. You can also freeze it to use whenever you have a serious pesto craving.

The next step in this pizza making process is the pizza crust. You can use any crust recipe you like or even buy already made crust dough or baked crusts. I made a Plant Paradox compliant, gluten free crust with cassava flour and it was amazing! I've tried several versions and I think this is the best...so far! Only a few ingredients and no rising time, makes this an easy weeknight dinner too! Mix up the dry ingredients first and then add in the wet. Stir it together until it becomes a smooth ball. You can make one medium sized crust with this or divide it into two or three smaller crusts. I made three crusts. The designer in me likes odd numbers!

Place the dough balls onto a piece of parchment paper and make them into disk shapes. You can roll the balls out with a rolling pin or just press them with your hands, which I did, and it works out perfectly.  Put the crusts onto a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees F for 12 minutes, until they are starting to firm up and color just a bit. Next, take them out and top them with the pesto, sauteed mushrooms, thinly sliced onion, goat cheese and parmesan cheese. Bake again at 375 degees F for another 5 minutes or so, until the goat cheese starts to brown and the edges of the pizza crust turn golden brown. Oh it's heaven! To make it even more heavenly, I like to throw on some fresh basil and a little more parmesan cheese. Ah...Italy...I miss you and your glorious pesto so!

Pesto, Goat Cheese, Onion and Mushroom Pizza

Yield: 1 medium or 3 mini pizzas

Prep time: 5 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Basil Pesto* | 6 tablespoons  

Cassava Pizza Dough* | 1 recipe

Grated Parmesan Cheese | 1/4 cup

Thinly Sliced Onion | 1/2 cup

Sauteed Mushrooms | 1/2 cup

Crumbled Goat Cheese | 1 cup

Torn Fresh Basil Leaves | 6 leaves

*Recipe Below

DIRECTIONS

Make Basil Pesto and Cassava Flour Pizza Crust, as directed. Spread 2 tablespoons (or whatever amount suits your taste) Pesto onto each prebaked crust. Add onion, mushroom, goat cheese and parmesan, reserving some for garnish, and bake at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to color and the edges of the crusts turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with more parmesan and the torn basil leaves. 

SPECIAL DIET INFORMATION

Lectin Free, Gluten Free

Basil Pesto

Yield: 1 cup

Prep time: 5 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Garlic | 3 cloves

Toasted Pine Nuts | 1/2 cup

Parmesan Cheese | 1/2 cup

Kosher Salt | 1/2 teaspoon

Ground Pepper | 1/2  teaspoon

Fresh Basil Leaves | 3 cups

Olive Oil | 3/4 cup

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients, plus one tablespoon olive oil, in a blender or

food processor and combine until mixture is a fine paste. If you use the Nutribullet, just put all of the oil in and pulse. If using a blender or processor, pour remaining olive oil in a thin stream through the opening or feed tube, until thick and creamy. Add more olive oil if needed to bring to smooth consistency.

SPECIAL DIET INFORMATION

Lectin Free, Gluten Free

Cassava Flour Mini Pizza Crusts

Yield:  1 Large Crust or 3 Mini Crusts  Prep time: 10 minutes  Total time: 25 minutes 

INGREDIENTS Cassava Flour | 1/2 cup  Tapioca Flour | 1/4 cup  Garlic Powder | 1/4 teaspoon  Kosher Salt | 1/4 teaspoon  Aluminum Free Baking Soda | 1/2 teaspoon  Olive Oil | 1 tablespoon  Water | 1/2 cup  DIRECTIONS

Mix dry ingredients together until combined. Add olive oil and water. Stir together until a smooth ball forms. For mini crusts, separate the dough into 3 smaller balls of equal size. Place dough balls on a piece of parchment paper and flatten with your fingers or a rolling pin, to the thickness you like. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place parchment paper with crusts on it, onto a baking sheet and cook 12 minutes. Remove from oven and top crusts with your favorite pizza toppings. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and cook another 5 minutes.

SPECIAL DIET INFORMATION

Lectin Free, Gluten Free