Ingredients for Pizza
- 6 medium-small beets, trimmed and scrubbed
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt to taste
- Handful of all-purpose flour
- 1 (16-ounce package) store-bought pizza dough
- 8 ounces soft ricotta cheese
Toppings
- Arugula
- Fresh parsley or rosemary
- Thinly sliced candy cane beets (*seasonal*)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425˚F. In a medium pot of salted water, bring beets to a boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until fork tender. Rinse beets and slice into quarters. In the food processor, combine the beets, garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, vinegar, and salt. Pulse until all ingredients are well blended and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Set the beet sauce aside.
2. Next, find a large clean surface in your kitchen (such as a cutting board or smooth countertop). Lightly dust the surface with some flour and begin to roll out your dough with a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a thin circle that is 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Place the dough round on a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake according to package instructions for about 10 minutes, until golden in color. Remove crust from oven.
3. Spread the beet sauce evenly over the crust and drop 1-inch clumps of ricotta on top. Bake for another 10 minutes, so the cheese can get nice and gooey. Remove from the oven.
4. Add the fresh green toppings at the end so you have a nice mix of cooked and raw textures. This little touch gives the Beet-za an almost healthy-ish feel.