Roasted Vegetable Pizza with Lemon Ricotta Sauce

Sorry for the long hiatus, but the past two months have been about just getting by one day at a time. The good news is I am finally done with boards and have started clinical rotations which means I actually have a little free time on the weekends to get back in the kitchen!  To start, I have a fresh take on a house staple using seasonal ingredients for a delicious summertime dish.

Pizza will usually get you in trouble in one of two places, either you'll make a thick dough out of white flour which has very little nutritional value, or you'll top it with enough cheese to get a full day's servings of dairy in a single slice. This recipe is pizza healthier from the start with it's perfect whole wheat cracker-thin crust - a must in my opinion! The satisfying crunch of a crisp crust with the flavor of the whole wheat more than makes up for the fact that you are using less dough for these pizzas, saving excess calories. The crust does need about 1-1.5 hours to rise before baking, so keep that in mind if you plan to make this for dinner. During summer it's usually warm and humid enough that your rise time often can be cut in half if you cover your dough with a damp towel and place it near a sunny window, avoiding direct sunlight. If you don't have the time to make a crust from scratch you can substitute a pre-made pizza crust,  whole wheat pita or naan.

To top this pizza I use seasonal veggies, roasted in the oven until they are just cooked before adding them to the pizza. Pre-roasting veggies helps get some of the excess moisture out keeping your crust from getting soggy. This recipe is particularly forgiving when it comes to toppings, so feel free to branch out and try different combinations of toppings. Seasonal veggies are almost always the way to go when you're planning meals; they're easy to find, almost always on sale, and research has shown locally produced foods are more nutrient-dense than their mass-produced counterparts. For me it's all about flavor; using locally grown, seasonal veggies in your recipes is one of the easiest ways to get the best flavor when cooking at home. I fully believe the best place to get seasonal veggies is at your local farmer's market. To find a farmer's market or a CSA near you, visit Local Harvest.

If you're craving that gooey, cheesy slice while counting calories, try using ricotta cheese in place of pizza sauce. Ricotta isn't technically cheese; it's actually recooked whey which is a byproduct of cheese productions, but you'll find it in any number of Italian dishes. It's a very versatile ingredient; even it's fat free and low fat preparations are delicious and you can use it in both sweet and savory recipes. I've accented the light flavor of ricotta with some spices and a little fresh lemon to create a summery substitute for traditional tomato-based pizza sauce. Topping the pizza with just a little shredded mozzarella and some Parmesan for extra flavor helps give the taste and feel of eating a slice with extra cheese, but without the extra calories. I did a little research and just one slice of gourmet veggie pizza from a popular take-and-bake pizza chain will set you back 246 calories and 11 grams of fat. Two slices of this recipe will only cost you 210 calories and 7 grams of fat - not too shabby! Serve this with a fresh salad with mixed greens topped with fresh lemon juice and olive oil and you'll have an irresistible summer meal. Enjoy!

When working with a small amount of
dough, monitor it's rise by rising it in
a clear glass measuring cup.  You'll
easily see when it's doubled in size.

Roasted Vegetable Pizza with Lemon Ricotta Sauce, Serves 8
Whole Wheat Cracker Crust
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white or white whole wheat flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 T olive oil
1 cup warm water
Using a small food processor (3 cups or larger) or by hand, mix flours, salt, and yeast in a mixing bowl. While pulsing the dough, add olive oil and water until dough forms a ball, usually about 10 pulses. Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours. Divide risen dough into two pieces and place onto two pieces of parchment paper. Gently roll dough into a 12" round-ish crust about 1/4" thick. Set aside for assembly.

Lemon Ricotta Sauce
1/2-12 ounce container lowfat ricotta
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Juice from 1/2 medium lemon
Drain any excess liquid from the ricotta. Mix ricotta, spices, and lemon juice together. Set aside for assembly.

Toppings
1 small zucchini
1 small summer squash
1/2 vidalia or yellow onion
1/2 bell pepper
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T Parmesan cheese
Slice veggies into 1/4" slices. Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or under tender. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes, draining any excess liquid. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.

To assemble pizza, spread the top of one crust with half of the ricotta sauce. Top evenly with the roasted veggies. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until top is lightly browned as desired.