Take a store-bought pizza crust, spread it with creamy ricotta cheese, sprinkle on raw, diced garlic, top it off with caramelized root vegetables and a handful of Asiago cheese, and what do you get? Sensual deliciousness. You can enjoy this magic as a main course, or cut it into small wedges for a cocktail party appetizer. Here’s the recipe:
Roasted Root Vegetable Pizza
A delicious way to enjoy the autumn harvest.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 medium potato (peeled or unpeeled), cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch-long matchsticks
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 1 small onion, chopped
- Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
- 1 thin, already-baked, store-bought pizza crust approximately 12-inches in diameter
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese
Instructions
- Center the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Scatter all of the root vegetables (except the garlic) onto the baking tray. Sprinkle them with the olive oil and the salt and pepper, and then toss them about with your hands until all are slick with oil. Put the baking sheet in the preheated oven, and give the veggies a toss every ten minutes until tender and beginning to caramelize – 25-30 minutes.
- Put the pizza crust on a pizza peel or a rimless baking tray. Spoon the ricotta cheese onto the center of the crust, and then spread it out (I use an offset spatula here) to within 1 inch of the edge. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the cheese. Distribute the roasted veggies evenly over the crust, dust with the Italian seasoning, and top with the Asiago cheese.
- Lower the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Slide the pizza directly onto the oven rack, and bake until the cheese melts and the edge of the crust begins to color – about 10 minutes. Slide the pizza back onto the pizza peel or rimless baking tray, and then transfer to a wooden board. Slice and serve at once.
Carla Carpenter says
I saw your video this morning on the beautiful window garden. Just love it! Question: with all those plants and the cut flowers you have around the house, how do you keep your kitties out of them? I find plants and cut flowers are cat magnets, and they ruin them. Any secrets you have on this?
Shanna says
Hi Kevin! I just wanted to say that your videos and recipes reach me at just the right time when I need some inspiration. The plant/flower window is a project I’m planning for the future. Take care and enjoy the autumn season! -Shanna