Margherita Pizza With Almond + Sunflower Crust

Margherita Pizza With Almond + Sunflower Crust

This is a delicious vegetarian classic of roasted tomato sauce, milky Buffalo mozzarella and sun-ripened tomato on a thin, crisp pizza base.  I’ve also added a light spread of pesto to the almond base that gives the pizza a delicious basil aroma and flavour when eating it. What I love about this crust is that it’s the perfect use for leftover almond pulp from making your home-made almond mylk. For a crisp base to a pizza crust, I always recommend using a pizza stone for cooking once you’ve added the topping ingredients for the second bake.

 

What’s great about it

Almonds are high in magnesium and potassium that is essential for muscle and nerve function.  They are also high in protein to promote recovery and support the immune system. The pesto is full of superfood green goodness that is anti-inflammatory to the body. Tomato is high in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your body against disease.

INGREDIENTS

Almond + Sunflower Pizza Crust

Pulp from leftover almond milk (you should have about ¾ of a cup of almond pulp) 3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds

generous pinch sea salt

¼ cup sunflower seeds

Topping

2 tablespoons pesto (you can use classic basil or superfood)

¼ cup roasted tomato sauce (see my quick recipe below)

1 ball Buffalo Mozzarella, sliced

2 tomatoes, sliced

METHOD

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Combine almond pulp, olive oil, flaxseed, sea salt and sunflower seed.

Mix well and allow the almond crust to rest for 5 minutes.

Roll into a ball and flatten out onto baking paper.

Lay another sheet of baking paper over the top and roll out into a thin circle.

Place the pizza crust onto a baking tray and bake for 20 – 25  minutes or until golden.

Remove almond crust from the oven and turn up the heat to 180°C.

Spread base of the crust with pesto.

Dollop over roasted tomato sauce.

Top with sliced tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes until golden.

NOTES & INSPIRATION

Use a pre-heated pizza stone for a crisper crust.

Be inventive and change toppings - I love sautéed spinach with roasted pumpkin and persian feta or sautéed mushrooms with caramelised onion and Gruyere, finished off with rocket leaves just before serving.

Yes you can make this pizza crust using traditional almond meal. Just combine 3/4 cup with the same ingredients and a little water to help it bind.  You can also use 1 egg in place of the water which tends to hold it together a little better.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Slice 6 Roma tomatoes in half and place onto a baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with pepper and sea salt. Roast in a preheated 180 C oven for 30 minutes or until collapsed. Place tomatoes in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Cool and store in the fridge until needed.  Perfect for pizza, vegetables, fish and lasagne.

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