When I was recuperating after surgery and before radiotherapy and chemotherapy all I wanted was three things: a cup of tea, a lamb burger with beetroot relish and pizza. I made these pizzas before my HNC prognosis so I have modified them a little to suit eating difficulties you might have now. Please note that they represent a level 6/7 on the IDDSI Food Framework. (Ver2.0/2019)
They provide an excellent source of vegetable, protein and added flavours of smoky bacon, sopressa salami and anchovies. If you are a pizza / pineapple person you can add that too!
Pizza with zucchini and sopressa salami
Ingredients
2-4 pizza bases I use Lebanese pita breads (wholemeal/white) or you can use pre-made bases that contain olive oil – small or medium size.
Tomato Base
2/3 teaspoons of olive oil
1 large brown onion diced super fine (if you don’t have dysphagia you can slice these and just add to toppings or do both)
1 zucchini – large (grated)
2 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
1 large tomato (diced)
3/4 tablespoons of tomato paste – use as much as you need to cover the bases
Onion Jam
Topping
All vegetables should be finely diced for ease of swallow.
- 12 slices of mild sopressa salami finely sliced from a good continental deli
- 2 rashers of smoky bacon – (finely diced)
- Capsicum (note: make sure you can tolerate the skin otherwise I would omit or chargrill them and remove skin.
- Anchovies – I add quite a few as I love them – make sure they are good quality, pink and drowning in oil – chop them up finely and place around the pizza
- ½ cup Olives – black Kalamata– pitted and cut in half and also sourced from a good continental deli
- Mozarella cheese
- Parmesan Cheese – preferably freshly grated
- ½ cup Pineapple (optional and cut small)
Pizza Trays – I use small to medium trays without holes in them. Holes in trays will make the base crisper and I want mine softer for easier swallow. Oil the trays well with olive oil before putting the made-up pizzas on them. When they bake there is a lot of moisture and this can cause them to stick to the tray as the moisture evaporates.
Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Spread a small amount of onion jam on the pizza bases
- Grate the zucchini and add it, onion, garlic to a hot pan with olive oil and pan fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, fresh tomato and cook it down until it resembles a firmish paste that you can spread on top of the pizza base.
- If you are using fresh sliced onion, now is the time to place it on the pizza, followed by the sopressa salami, bacon and capsicum. (if adding pineapple add that too) then add sliced button mushrooms.
- Spot anchovies around the pizza and add olives.
- Finish off with a mix of mozzarella and parmesan cheese – I don’t add an amount as I think you should add what you like. I make sure it is patted out to the edges of the pizza.
I make the pizzas up whilst they are on the pizza trays. Place in a preheated oven and cook until golden brown on top if you are eating straight away or you can place them uncooked inside a plastic bag and twist close.
Place them in the freezer until needed. They will keep well for months.
