Every weekend, when I sit down to menu plan before grocery shopping, I like to choose one meal that is simple enough for my kids to make with me. Sometimes it’s cookies, or spaghetti and meatballs, etc. My son comes running into the kitchen with his stool every time I am in there, even if I am washing dishes. He likes to know what is going on at all times. One of their favorite things to make is pizza. I think because they both like to eat the cheese more than actually putting it on the pizza!
I love this pizza, because it’s a great way to get the kids to eat their vegetables! This is a favorite in our household that I make a lot! The recipe is easy enough that you can cut in half and just have one pizza. The combination of broccoli sautéd with garlic and the sun-dried tomatoes make an unusually delicious pizza, making me excited to have left overs the next day!
Recipe from The America’s Test Kitchen, Healthy Family Cookbook
Pizza with Garlicky Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
This pizza is fabulous with tender broccoli, garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Unusual but fabulous, this is a fun vegetarian pizza option.
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 8 ounces broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced thin
- salt and pepper
- 1 recipe pizza dough, or enough dough to make 2 pizzas
- 2 cups pizza sauce (homemade or store bought)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position, place a baking stone on the rack, and heat the oven to 500ºF. Let the baking stone heat for at least 30 minutes (but no longer than 1 hour). If you don't have a baking stone, you can heat an inverted cookie sheet in the oven instead. If you don't have a round one, than make your pizza rectangular instead.
- Meanwhile, heat the 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the broccoli and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the water, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover, add the sun-dried tomatoes, and cook until the broccoli is tender and the water is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter, divide into 2 equal pieces, and cover with greased plastic wrap. Keep one piece of dough covered with plastic wrap while rolling out the other dough. Roll one piece of dough into a 14-inch round. Transfer the dough by rolling it around the rolling pin, then onto a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper.
- Lightly brush the outer 1/2-inch edge of the dough with 1 teaspoon more oil. I also like to sprinkle the edges with garlic powder. Spread 1 cup of the pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edge. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and half of the broccoli mixture.
- Slide the parchment paper and pizza onto the hot baking stone (or cookie sheet). Bake the pizza until the edges are brown and the cheese is golden in spots, 8 to 13 minutes. (Assemble the second pizza while the first bakes.)
- Remove the pizza from the oven by sliding the parchment paper back onto the baking sheet. Discard the parchment paper and slide the pizza onto a cutting board. Slice the pizza into 8 slices and serve hot. Cook the other pizza while the first one cools.
