I am not lacking in vegetarian and vegan options with the September batch of new cookbooks that have landed on my desk.
One of the latest is Vegan Pizza, 50 Cheesy, Crispy, Healthy Recipes (Andrews McMeel, September 2013) by Julie Hasson…
Here's a first slice.
Chili-Mac Pizza
Makes 1 large 13- to 15-inch pizza
This fantastic recipe comes to you from the awesome all-vegan barbecue cart, Homegrown Smoker, in Portland, Oregon. Jeff Ridabock created this amazing pizza, which we just couldn’t get enough of.
10 ounces cooked macaroni noodles
1 ½ cups Creamy Cheese Sauce (page 29) or Cheddary Cashew Cheese Sauce (page 28), or more as needed
1 (14.7- to 15-ounce) can vegetarian chili
1 batch pizza dough (see page 2)
About 3/4 cup shredded vegan mozzarella-style cheese
Diced onion, for garnish
Chopped corn chips, for garnish
Diced jalapeño, for garnish
1. Preheat the oven, preferably with a pizza stone inside, to 500°F for 30 minutes, while getting the pizza ready.
2. In a small bowl, toss together the cooked pasta and enough of the cheese sauce so that it’s nice and saucy. Set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the chili to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once it comes to a simmer, remove from the heat.
3. Divide your dough into 2 even pieces. Keep 1, and return 1 to the bucket, cover, and refrigerate for later use. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll out your dough into 1 large 13- to 15-inch round. Don’t worry if your dough tears. Simply patch it back together with your fingers. Lightly dust with additional flour if the dough is too sticky. Try not to use too much, or your crust will be very dry. Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough to a large sheet of parchment paper.
4. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread the macaroni over the cheese, leaving a 1/4-to 1/2-inch border around the edge. If it won’t all fit, that’s okay. Spread or dollop the chili over the macaroni.
5. Carefully transfer the pizza and parchment paper to the pizza stone, if using. Otherwise, place the pizza on a baking sheet, and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, and check the pizza. You want the cheese to be melted and the crust to look nicely brown. If it’s not done, continue baking for a few more minutes.
6. If desired, sprinkle the pizza with the diced onion, chopped corn chips, and diced jalapeño.
7. Let the pizza cool for 5 minutes, cut into slices, and serve right away. Serve any remaining cheese sauce on the side for drizzling, if desired.
Variation: Skip the chili, corn chips, jalapeño, and onion, and make it a straight-up mac and cheese pie.
(* Recipe from Vegan Pizza, 50 Cheesy, Crispy, Healthy Recipes by Julie Hasson- published by Andrews McMeel, September 3, 2013- all rights reserved)