This year, I decided to shake things up a bit and subscribe to a local farm for the spring to late fall growing season. I’d never heard of CSA (or Community Supported Agriculture) until about eight months ago. For an average cost of $22 per week, I get a share of freshly harvested seasonal produce from a local organic farm for the 26-week season. The element of surprise with each delivery really pushes me out of my culinary comfort zone and challenges my creativity as I dream up new recipes.
Pizza is easily one of my favorite foods. I like the crust thin, slightly chewy in the center and charred on the outside. A wood-fired oven is best for achieving high temperatures, but any regular oven cranked up to 500 degrees gets the job done. Experimenting with unusual topping combinations is fun, and usually has tasty results. With an abundance of fresh beets and garlic whistles from my farm share, I decided to have a pizza party with a few friends. Garlic whistles are the tops of the growing garlic plant and have a taste and texture similar to asparagus when roasted. Their flavor is a nice counterpart to sweet red beets, with caramelized shallots and goat cheese to pull it all together.
1 medium red beet
4 garlic whistles, or garlic spears, cut into 1″ pieces
½ Tbsp sweet (unsalted) butter
½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, sliced
White wine vinegar, to taste
1 lb pizza dough, warmed to room temperature and cut in half
4 oz mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated
1oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the beet and slice into thin rounds, about 1/4 ” thick. Lay the sliced beets down on the parchment paper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes, then scatter the garlic whistles in the pan. Roast for another 10 minutes or until soft and cooked through. Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper to taste. While the beets and garlic whistles are cooling, melt butter and olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Once butter is melted and foamy, add the sliced shallots. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until shallots are thoroughly browned, about 15 minutes. Add a splash of white wine vinegar for extra flavor, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside. Turn up the oven heat to 500 degrees, or as high as it will go, and insert a lightly greased pizza stone for best results. On a floured work surface, roll out the pizza dough into a thin round, about 10 – 12″ in diameter, making sure not to let it stick. Dust a pizza peel with semolina flour or cornmeal, and place the dough on the peel, sliding it around to ensure movement. Brush the outer edges of the crust with olive oil and top with mozzarella. Lay down the sliced beets in a single layer, and scatter garlic whistles on top. Dot with crumbled goat cheese and add caramelized shallots. Slide the pizza into the oven and bake until crust is crispy and cheese is bubbling, about 8 – 10 minutes. Top with chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Makes one pizza, enough to feed two people. Double the recipe to make two pizzas, enough to feed four people.
*If you don’t have a pizza stone or pizza peel, place the stretched dough on a greased baking sheet before adding toppings. Slide in the oven when ready.
by Amanda Jones
