Ratatouille Pizza

My future sister in law was visiting last week, and she made us the most amazing grilled veggies.

L hates zucchini, eggplant, and summer squash, but he loved them.

So this recipe is a bit Sandra Lee, but it is so darn good and I don't have any idea how to flavor these so well without the store-bought marinade.

Since I can't leave well enough alone, I had to create a dish to use them in.

These veggies shine with low fat pesto and a crisp crust. Ratatouille Pizza is a vegetarian slice of summer.

Ratatouille Pizza



Herbed Pizza Crust

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup warm water

Mix together dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add oil and water and mix at medium speed until it forms a dough. Knead on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Let rise one hour in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap.

After 1-2 hours, punch down dough and let rest 20 minutes. Roll out to size and top as desired. If you like it thin, like I do, you will have enough for one large and one small (stay tuned).


Toppings
1 small graffiti eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 large summer squash, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1/2 cup Ken's Steakhouse Garlic & Herb Marinade

1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 Tbsp good parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and sliced as thin as possible
12 oz. fresh mozzarella, packed in water, sliced as thin as possible
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp garlic powder

Toss veggie slices with marinade. Let sit at least 3 hours, or overnight.

Preheat a grill and grill basket over direct flame. Grill veggies until well charred and softened. Remove and cool.



Combine basil, pine nuts, yogurt and 3 Tbsp parmesan in a mini food processor (I use the attachment that came with my stick blender). Blend until combined.

Prepare all other toppings.


Putting it all together:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone or heavy pan inside for 30 minutes. Remove stone and place on stovetop (for the heat-proof surface) place dough on stone and allow bottom surface to cook. Once the dough is cooked enough on the bottom that it slides freely, flip it over. Spread with pesto. Top with grilled veggie slices, then mozzarella, then tomato slices. Dust with parmesan cheese and garlic powder.



Bake for about 20 minutes, until crust is crisp, tomatoes are roasted and cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before cutting.





And with your extra dough... make something decidedly NOT vegetarian! Good old fashioned American pub food.



Buffalo Wing Steak Flatbread

Remainder of pizza dough

3 oz of leftover steak, sliced thin
1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese crumbles
3 Tbsp Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/8 cup parmesan cheese

Keep the oven at 500. Roll the dough out to a 1/4 inch thickness. Top evenly with remainder of ingredients. Bake until dough puffs and cheese bubbles, 5-7 minutes. Cool and tear off pieces. Enjoy with a good beer.