Pumpkin, Goat Cheese, Fig & Walnut Pesto Pizzas
This pizza is free of gluten and refined sugar and can easily be made dairy free/vegan by replacing the goat cheese with a salty cashew cheese. For those who can eat dairy, this is also delicious with halloumi if you don’t have goat cheese. Filled with fruits, vegetables and nuts, this meal changes our typical understanding of pizza as a junk food to something wholesome, nourishing and bursting with fresh flavour. Give this a go for a weekend lunch or dinner treat with either figs or pears - whatever is available!
Serves 2 (Makes 2 small pizzas)
Buckwheat pizza base:
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 ½ tbsp. tapioca flour
¼ tsp. bi-carb soda
¼ tsp. Himalayan salt
100ml water
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Toppings:
6 large slices pumpkin, 1cm thick
4 heaped tbsps. pesto (homemade is best - see my pesto recipe here)
2 handfuls baby spinach
3-4 fresh figs OR 1 large pear, sliced
80g goat cheese
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
2 tbsps. caramelised balsamic vinegar (KEY garnish)
Fresh basil, to serve
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the pumpkin slices on a tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 20 minutes or until soft and beginning to caramelise.
Meanwhile, place all of the pizza base ingredients into a medium bowl and stir until you achieve a thick, smooth batter.
Spoon half of the batter onto a large sheet of baking paper. Cover with another sheet and then use a rolling pin to flatten it into a 20cm disc. Leave the mix in between the baking paper and set aside carefully on a flat surface. Repeat with the remaining batter so that you have two evenly sized bases.
Now you can make your pesto (if doing so). Add the walnuts to the oven for the last 3 minutes while the pumpkin is roasting, just until they’re lightly toasted. If using pear, slice into 8 pieces and add to the oven with the pumpkin in the final 10 minutes.
You can either use the two trays you have already had in the oven to cook the pumpkin, walnuts or pear. Otherwise, place two flat baking trays in the oven to preheat.
With the baking paper still on, place the bases on the preheated baking trays. Cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the figs, if using.
Remove the bases from the oven, peel off the top sheet of paper. Spread with the pesto, layer on the spinach, then the roasted pumpkin, fig or pear slices, dollops of goat cheese and salt and pepper. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
Once you remove the pizzas, sprinkle over some toasted walnuts and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle over some caramelised balsamic (or honey and regular balsamic) and a little bit of olive oil. Eat immediately and enjoy!
Here is the first version I ever made. Either figs or pears are delicious on this pizza - enjoy!