PIzza with Courgette and Almond Base

The Cookery Book

VEGETARIAN

Pizza with Courgette and Almond Base

Serves 2

Preparation: About ten minutes

Cooking Time: 16 - 18 minutes

Easy and fun to make

A recent publication called the Diabetes Weight Loss Cook Book, written by Giancarlo Caldesi and his wife, Katie with GP Dr David Unwin and his wife Dr Jen Unwin, a clinical health psychologist has some fabulous recipes some of which are free to download.

So we are now trying some of these - and the beauty of this quick to prepare Pizza is that it has no flour or yeast and you can add any toppings of your choice to ring the changes. It is unbelievably good. You can add any flavourings you like and the best thing of all,

is that these pizzas are made with all fresh ingredients and are very healthy.

I just did this for the family, and when they saw all the ingredients laid out in order for

them to choose their own toppings, eyes were out on organ stops - it was certainly very colourful and such a fun way for the family to eat.

They are surprisingly filling and no extra side salad etc was necessary.

Utensils:

3 flat baking trays, lined with reusable silicon sheets

Flat spatula

Large bowl for mixing the pizza base

Wooden spoon

Bowl for discarded peelings and egg shells

Chopping board

Sharp knife

Platters to display ingredient toppings

Small saucepan and wooden spoon

Ingredients

For the base

Extra-virgin olive oil, to grease
25g (1oz) Parmesan
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon salt
150g (5½oz) ground almonds
1 medium courgette (about 175-220g/6-8oz), peeled and coarsely grated

For the tomato sauce (this amount will cover three pizzas if you add half the amount of ingredients to augment the above, which is for only two servings)

125g (4½oz) tinned whole Italian plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the topping

75g (2¾oz) mozzarella cheese, drained, and a selection of the following:
A handful of stoned olives, halving them is better for arranging - also try stuffed olives
8-10 slices of salami (FOR NON VEGETARIAN OPTION)
8-10 slices of spicy chorizo (FOR NON VEGETARIAN OPTION)
8 anchovies, drained from the oil
Thin strips of red pepper (green and yellow look colourful)
2 spring onions, finely sliced or finely chopped red onion
A pinch of dried mixed herbs (optional)
A sprinkling of dried garlic granules (optional)
A sprinkling of
Extra-virgin olive oil, to finish
A few basil leaves, to finish

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Line 2 baking trays with parchment and brush with oil. Put all the ingredients for the base together in a bowl and mix with a large metal spoon.
It will form a fairly thick dough. Divide the dough into 2 and put a mound onto each tray. Press and shape each with wet hands into a circle 1cm deep and 18- 20cm in diameter. These should fit onto a large dinner plate when cooked.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and slide the silicon sheets with the pizza bases carefully onto a flat surface, then set aside.
Meanwhile, blend the ingredients for the tomato sauce together in a small saucepan, heat through, stirring thoroughly, remove from the heat and set aside.
At this stage, the bases can also be cooled, wrapped tightly in clingfilm and kept in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for 3 months. Defrost before use.
Put the oven trays back into the oven upside down to form a very hot, flat surface to cook the pizzas on. Increase the oven temperature as hot as it will go.
When you are ready to cook the pizzas, top each with half of the tomato sauce, leaving a fingerwidth border around the edge.
Tear the mozzarella over and add your chosen toppings. If you have a large cake slice, flat baking tray or flat wooden pizza shovel, use this to move the pizzas onto the upturned trays.
Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the mozzarella is bubbling and the crust becomes crisp and browned. Remove from the oven and serve with a drizzle of oil and some basil leaves.