The Sexy Sugar Free Vegan Project: Potato, Rosemary + Blackberry Pizza
You know what? Lately I've been craving comfort food – you know, like mum used to make. And for me, that means bread and potatoes. Plain and boring? Never! Too high in carbs? Nope, don't care! I reckon the humble spud is just in need of a little good press... and maybe an exotic new partner (enter sexy blackberry!). Whilst sweet potato has been stealing all the glory in healthy kitchens lately, I reckon it's time for a recipe that makes the original potato the hero.
Take a look at this – regular variety potatoes (especially with the skin on) contain more than twice the amount of antioxidants as sweet potatoes, twice as much potassium as bananas, and a bunch of other great vitamins, like B6. Betcha didn't know that! Honestly, if you've made it three weeks without sugar and animal products, I think it's time for a treat, don't you?
Paired with blackberries, rosemary, and my incredible Raw Vegan Pine Nut Parmesan, the potato just got a makeover. What's more, I popped it all on top of a spelt flour pide pizza and topped it off with a generous splash of good quality extra virgin olive oil. What can I say? Dinner last night was... delectable! Ooh, and don't forget a nice glass of red wine just in case you need a few more antioxidants.
Let's start with making a nice vegan version of parmesan cheese – if you're new to vegan cheese-making, its all about the nut cream. Yes, I did just say that. If you have a dehydrator, you'll need to prepare this the night before, so you can get these crispy, crunchy shards that look like real shaved parmesan. If you don't have a dehydrator, don't sweat it, you can easily make a crumbly, sprinkle-on version.
Raw Vegan Pine Nut Parmesan
½ cup raw pine nuts, soaked for 2 hours or more
½ cup raw macadamia nuts, soaked for 2 hours or more
¼ cup water
1 tbsp of lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
method
Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Spread the mixture onto lined dehydrator sheets and dehydrate on a medium setting for about 8 hours, then flip over and dehydrate for a further 4 hours until really crisp.
If you do not have a dehydrator, omit the water and olive oil, and process the rest of the ingredients into a fine grain, resembling the texture of grated parmesan.
Now, let's get started on the dough, which I made with white spelt flour. Some people who are allergic to wheat may be able to tolerate spelt and, although it does contain gluten, I feel it's a healthier alternative to wheat flour, as it's rich in protein, B vitamins, magnesium and fibre. Once in a while, a little comfort food is a good thing, right?
Potato, Rosemary & Blackberry Pizza
(makes 2 large pizzas, serves 4-6)
2 medium potatoes, washed and scrubbed
1 punnet blackberries
½ cup raw vegan pine nut parmesan (recipe above)
¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
2 cups rocket leaves
1-2 lemons
for the pide pizza dough
1 tbsp (2 x 7 g sachets) dried yeast
1½ cups warm water
3¼ cups white spelt flour
1 tsp salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
method
Dissolve the yeast in ½ a cup of the warm water and set aside in a warm place for about 10 minutes until frothy. Use your fingers to work ½ a cup of the flour into the yeast to make a sloppy paste. Sprinkle lightly with a little more flour, then cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes to form a ‘sponge’. (I made the mistake of putting it into a small dessert bowl, and it completely spilled out over the top, so choose a large bowl for this).
Put the remaining flour and the salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the sponge, oil and remaining water. Use your fingers to work it to a soft, sloppy dough – don't worry, it's meant to be very sticky! Knead gently, adding flour as needed, until very smooth and springy. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, then cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
(At this point, you can also refrigerate the dough until you are ready to use it. It will keep for around 24 hours, but take it out of the refrigerator a good 3 hours before you want to use it, to give it time to return to room temperature slowly.)
Preheat the oven to 210°C/425°F with two pizza stones or oiled cookie sheets in it. Divide the dough in two, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Use your hands to press and flatten each piece of dough out to a 20cm oval, sprinkle a little extra flour onto the dough if required.
Now comes the tricky bit, carefully remove the hot pizza stones or cookie sheets from the oven and lightly flour. Lift on the pides, stretching them gently and evenly. Brush liberally with the remaining garlic and rosemary infused oil, before layering the potato slices on top, evenly and right to the edges. Sprinkle on the blackberries, some more rosemary leaves, and a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper and salt. Return to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crispy.
In a large bowl, toss the rocket leaves in lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve the pizzas with the Pine Nut Parmesan and rocket leaves sprinkled over the top, along with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Oh my gosh – it's delightful!
How do I sign up to The Sexy Sugar Free Vegan Project?
To join, simply enter your email address below. I'll send out little goodies and tips along the way. Then, simply follow Wolf and Willow each day and try out as many recipes as you can. Easy!
