“Who puts broccoli on a pizza?!” Ā If you have seen Inside Out, you probably know exactly what I’m referring too.
We finally got to see the movie Inside Out. Ā As I was munching on my popcorn, I was oblivious to what was coming next. Ā I literally spit and started laughing when the broccoli scene came. Ā It just seemed so surreal. Ā I don’t want to give away too muchĀ in case you plan to watch.
I’m not the biggest fan of animated movies. Ā I got dragged into this. Ā I have to say the imagination maestros outdid themselves. Ā Ah! Ā The way that theĀ Inside OutĀ writers chose to tell the story is gorgeous, complicated, and crazily imaginative: inside the control room of the protagonist’s mind. Ā It covers a whole range of emotions and feelings. Ā It makes you think.
We got to celebrate our teen’s bday last week. It was a simple and casual day, exactly like how he wanted it. Ā The movie got me thinking about how kids go through so many emotions. Ā As parents we struggle to talk sense into them when they are down. Ā Sometimes we forget that even though they’re just kids, they have complicated feelings too. The fact is that they have to face all their emotions. Ā They have to go throughĀ their own personal emotional thrill ride. That’s what makes us whoĀ we are.
Anyways, as a family, we all have our feelings about broccoli pizza. Ā We love our pizza. Ā WeĀ don’t eat it much, but we do like it. Ā I’m not a big fan of ordering take-out pizza. Ā IĀ preferĀ making my own. Ā Although a bit of planning is required, this particularĀ recipeĀ requires no time. Ā The pesto can be made ahead. Ā Sometimes, I buy the dough from our local pizzeria. Ā If you have everything on hand, it comes together in minutes. Ā The way it rises in the ovenĀ is amazing. Ā The texture is not really chewy because we are not working the dough that much. Ā You could add a bit of oil and work the dough for another few minutes for the texture. Ā It is an easy no-stress dough that works all the time.
- 11/2 cup of water at 110 degrees
- 1 packet of active dry yeast-1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 4-5 cups +1/3 cups of Bread flour(works best) PLUS some flour for dusting and making the pizza
- 1 tsp salt
- Garlic -2 whole
- Basil 1 cup packed
- ⅓ cup pistachios
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon juice or 2 tbsp
- Corn meal- 2 tbssp
- Pasta Sauce
- fresh basil
- Broccoli sliced thinly
- cherry tomatoes halved
- Feta cheese
- Olive oil to brush the side
- In a large mixing bowl add the warm water with the yeast. Add sugar and let it bubble up for 10 minutes.
- After it has bubbled, add the salt and 1 cup of bread flour, mix with a wooden spatula. Once it's all incorporated, add ½ cup of bread flour and mix again with a wooden spatula. Keep adding ½ cup of bread flour in intervals until the dough is formed into a ball, not too sticky or very dry. When you take it out on a floured surface, it will be slightly sticky, elastic, but not too sticky. Knead for a minute and form a ball and let sit for 5 minutes. Do not make it too dry. My dough used 3½ cup total bread flour. If the dough is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time to bring it together. Rest the dough for 5-10 minutes.
- You can make 2 medium pizzas or 1 large pizza.
- Cut the top of the garlic and pour some oil on it and wrap in a aluminium foil with a little bit of opening. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. It will roast and sweeten. Take it out and let cool for a bit. Squeeze the top and take out all the flesh.
- In a blender or nutri blender add the garlic, basil, pistachios, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Blend till smooth. Check for salt and add a bit as needed.
- Keep aside.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees or more for about 20 minutes. Crank the heat up.
- On a baking sheet or a wooden pizza peel put some cornmeal, take ½ of the dough and pat it flat to about ¼ inch or less. If the dough shrinks, rest for a bit. Dust your fingers with some flour and pat it out. Top with a tablespoon of pesto, tomato sauce, some broccoli and tomatoes. Top with some cheese. Brush the sides with some olive oil for a beautiful crust.
- Use a pizza stone or you could just baking on a sheet tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotate the pan in the middle for even cooking. If you use your parchment remove it once baked. If you are using a sheet tray, remove it on a cooling rack for a bit and slice.
- Tear some basil and crack some pepper before serving.
Happy birthday to your teen! I like how he celebrates. And I can’t imagine anyone in your house preferring to order out when you cook like this! Looks wonderful and I’ll take some broccoli on my pizza any day!
And you know my son and I went with another family to see Inside Out after the last day of school and I also surprisingly enjoyed it a lot. It got me thinking more than I would’ve imagined. Thinking about what you said as well as how happiness can come from sadness and really, how complicated it all is! It was good. : )
Isn’t it, the movie was quite thought provoking. It is all so crazy inside our minds. I hope your son loved the movie.
Thanks always Monica for your kind words. My boys do like to eat in, but the little one as we call him ‘the explorer’ loves to try crazy things outside too.
Hope you are having a good summer sweety.
xoxo
Those roasted garlic bulbs!!! are amazing! I love broccoli and this is a great way to incorporate more veggies in daily meals.
Thanks Angie. So right, veggies and the sweet roasted garlic pair so well.
Excellent pizza Ash! Actually your dough is very very similar to the one we make at home. We always use bread flour and the only difference is, we add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in the water-yeast-sugar mixture while proofing.
We loved your idea of baking the garlic before using it in the pesto! It must be much smoother in flavor and lighter in the stomach, right?
We never tried broccoli on our pizza, and we ‘d LOVE to do this in our next pizza session. And you’re right; homemade pizza is SO MUCH BETTER than store-bought/take-out.
Again, excellent work. Kudos!
Lot’s of greetings,
Panos and Mirella
xoxoxo
Oh, thanks so much for your feedback and nice words of encouragement always.
Yes, roasting it is so much more sweeter and smoother in flavor, definitely better on the tummy too. I’d love for you to try it out, you won’t be disappointed.
Hugs back and thanks again for stopping by.
xoxo
I would totally eat broccoli on a pizza! This looks delicious, Ash, and veggie pizzas are my very favorite….especially when they’re only 30 minutes! š
Oh right. If it wasn’t for 30 minutes, I’ll think about making my own;)>
I love broccoli on anything and everything! We make our own pizzas too because the kids like mine more than the take aways but I admit, I do succumb to outside pizza just because I’m exhausted from all that cooking at work! Love this pizza, the broccoli, the pesto and the roasted garlic!
Oh yes, I’m sure. Cooking outside and cooking for a bunch of boys, now that’s work. But, I’m sure your boys love yours way better than outside.
thanks hun.
Firstly happy birthday to the teen ! I honestly didn’t even concentrate on the pizza dough recipe bit my attention was hooked at adding pistachios to a pesto ! Yumm so totally trying the pesto soon
As for broccoli on pizza never say never
http://www.mumbaitomelbourne.com/food-and-health-blog-posts
I agree, never say never. The whole combo here works perfect. Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.
Lol haven’t see that movie but hubby would say the same thing, haha! Love this pizza and I always prefer making my own too! š
I’m sure you make your own. Looks at the amazing food you put out. It’s actually pretty darn good on a pizza, you have to make it for you hubby, on my behalf;).
Short answer? Geniuses put broccoli on pizza. Artists add roast garlic. GREG
Oh, thanks so much. You are too kind. Have to say I love roast garlic on anything.
We don’t often have broccoli on pizza, but it goes really well. And we always have garlic (sometimes roasted, sometimes plain) on pizza! This looks great — thanks.
Thanks John. I agree, it does go so well although it sounds kind of off.
Such a beauty… My younger daughter is crazy for both broccoli and pizza… I gotta make this for her!