Happy National pizza party day!
As colder days and nights approach, a night on the town seems like way too much pressure when you could be home in your favourite pj’s and fluffy blanket.
We have got the perfect solution, turn your home into your own personal pizzeria with these scrumptious Mushroom Baguette Pizzas. Do not let the cold stop quality time with the ones you love.
Mushroom Baguette Pizza
Ingredients
- 4 large portabello mushrooms / 400g large brown mushrooms
- 100g baby portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 baguettes
- 1 x 375ml tomato based pasta sauce of choice (tomato & basil works very well or use arabiata for a chilli kick)
- 250g mozzarella cheese, grated
- 200g mixed olives, sliced
- 1-2 Tbsp capers
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chilli, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200˚C, fan on.
Place oven rack towards the top 3rd of the oven.
Place the portabellos on a baking tray. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Dry roast for 7 minutes until just tender but not fully cooked through.
Allow to rest skin side up and release their liquid.
Slice.
Halve each baguette lengthways.
Place on a baking tray and brush with a little olive oil.
Bake in the oven for 5 min to crisp up.
Place pasta sauce in a small saucepan and reduce until slightly thickened and a good spreadable consistency.
Spread a few tablespoons of pasta sauce onto each baguette half.
Top each half with cheese, sliced portabellos, raw baby portabellinis, olives and capers.
Finish with a sprinkle of Italian herbs, salt and pepper.
Return to the oven and bake for 6-8 min, until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
Serve straight away with some chilli on the side.
HERE’S A FEW FUN FACTS ABOUT PIZZAS… TO GET THE PARTY STARTED
In ancient Greece, the Greeks covered their bread with oils, herbs, and cheese, which some attribute to the beginning of the pizza.
In Byzantine Greek, the word was spelled “πίτα,” pita, meaning pie.
The Romans developed a pastry with a sheet of dough topped with cheese and honey, then flavored with bay leaves.
Our modern pizza had its beginning in Italy as the Neapolitan flatbread.
The original pizza used only mozzarella cheese, mainly the highest quality buffalo mozzarella variant. It was produced in the surroundings of Naples.
An estimated 2 billion pounds of pizza cheese was produced in the United States in 1997.
The first United States pizza establishment opened in New York’s Little Italy in 1905.
The best pizza on the planet (2023) hails from Naples. After all, it is the birthplace of the world’s favourite dish. Naples is crammed full of award-winning pizzerias, but 10 by Diego Vitagliano offers something really special. The team here only uses high-quality seasonal ingredients and there isn’t a single pizza on the menu that will set you back more than €10.
Rated at nr 43. Massimo’s in Cape Town, South Africa made it to the Best Pizza on the planet list in 2023. Here the pizzas are ultra-thin with crusty crusts and topped with seasonal ingredients such as garlic butter, soft cheese and (obviously) mushrooms!
ALSO SEE: Eggy pizza bread
Feature image: Supplied
Recipe provided by The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association
