Hello friends!

Here is another fun and tasty recipe for your viewing pleasure. :) I whipped this up last night for dinner, and Ben walked in right as I was pulling it out of the oven. Perfect timing – love when that happens.

My initial plan was to make pesto tortilla pizzas, but … well, we sort of ate all the tortillas in the house more tortillas than I was expecting when we had grilled veggie and portobello fajitas earlier this week. (Worth it.) So I had to be a little bit inventive. Thus the idea for chickpea pizza crusts, which turned out to be delicious. This one is definitely a keeper!

Following is the basic recipe I used — but I made this up as I went along, and I encourage you to do the same! Use whatever veggies you like, or make a pizza crust from whole wheat flour instead of chickpea flour, or use a different sauce instead of pesto. It’s totally adaptable to your tastes! Also, this recipe serves two — as in, it makes two pizzas. It could probably feed more if you served it with some sides!

Ingredients

For the crust
1 1/3 cups chickpea flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil

For the toppings
2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
1/2 large onion, sliced into strips
6 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
any additional toppings you like (I used sliced fresh tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Some fresh garlic would have been boss, too.)

For the pesto
(I am totally just guessing here. I never, ever measure the ingredients for pesto, so it always comes out differently. I just throw these few items together and adjust until it tastes good.)
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup walnuts
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

First, make the batter for the pizza crust. You have to let it sit for a while, so it’s best to start with this step and get other things accomplished while the batter is resting.

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpea flour and half of the water. Stir to combine, then add the rest of the water and continue stirring until you remove most of the lumps. Set the bowl aside and let rest for 30 minutes.

While the batter rests, start sauteeing the veggies. I used about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to sautee with, but you can use whatever you like.

While the veggies are sauteeing away, make the pesto. Pulse everything except the olive oil in a food processor a few times, then add the oil in a stream until the mixture emulsifies and gets really green and beautiful.

After everything is prepared and the crust has rested, you’re ready to rock. Turn on your oven’s broiler, and heat a 10-inch pan over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with enough olive oil to coat the bottom. When the pan is heated, pour in half the batter. Cook for about five minutes or until the bottom of the crust is nice and golden and the top of the crust has almost set.

At this point, remove the crust from the pan. (I had to enlist the help of two sturdy but flexible spatulas to prevent any crust breakage.) Place the crust on a cookie sheet and ready it to be topped with deliciousness while you use the remaining batter to make the second crust.

When the second crust is ready, you’re all set to top it off! Spread a layer of pesto across the top of each crust.

Then add the sauteed veggies and top with whatever else you like — I used crushed red pepper and sliced fresh tomatoes.

Place the pizzas in the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes. Watch this process carefully to prevent any burnage. You want the top of the pizza crusts to get fully cooked and the veggies to get just a little blackened and crispy. Remove the pan from the oven, and be careful! That sucker is hot.

Transfer to a plate or cutting board and let cool for a few minutes.

Slice as you so desire, and serve with a side of sauteed chard (and if you’re as big a chickpea freak as I am, throw some of those in, too!).

Yum! Eat up and enjoy. :)