I played Queen’s Greatest Hits album while I was cooking which is why the above video is set to Queen’s under pressure. I’m a big fan of playing music while I’m cooking. It’s very relaxing. Even if it is loud dance around in the kitchen while nobody is watching music.

This is simply one of the easiest dishes in the world to make. It is super quick to make and while the base is baking in the oven you can prepare the toppings. Once the base comes out of the oven you can add the toppings of your choice. If you’re avoiding wheat or gluten then this is a must try but remember to get gluten free oats. I got the recipe for the pizza base from Green Kitchen Stories which is truly one of my favourite places for vegetarian food inspiration. The tomato pizza sauce is my own and the combination of toppings is also my own. I don’t like too much cheese on any pizza, even when I’m enjoying a regular one from my local Italian restaurant in Cape Town, The Woodlands Eatery. They get it just right of course. I don’t like to use mozzarella so instead I go for emmental because it is savoury but yet mild in taste. I also don’t like to cook cheese, I only add it right at the end once the toppings are cooked and then only to melt it.

Peasant Pizza Recipe

Pizza Base Ingredients

1 x head of broccoli

1 x cup of oats (ground in a food processor to make flour)

3 x medium eggs

salt to taste

Toppings

1 x punnet cherry tomatoes

handful of fresh basil

pinch of Malden salt

olive oil

coconut oil

1/2 yellow pepper sliced into strips

1/2 aubergine - sliced and fried in coconut oil

1/2 block of Emmental cheese

1 x avocado

handful of rocket and spinach

pecorino cheese grated and sprinkled on top

fresh chopped chilli (optional)

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees C. While your oven is heating, you can place the cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, salt and olive oil in the oven to roast. Grind the oats in a food processor until you get a flour and then add your head of broccoli one floret at a time. You will begin to smell the beautiful raw oat broccoli mix. Remove the mix from the food processor and add the eggs and salt. Knead into a dough and then place on a baking sheet on a backing tray and press into your pizza base. I made an oval base because my oven trays are narrow and long. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. While your base is baking, prepare your toppings. Slice your aubergines and fry them in a pan in coconut oil. Thinly slice the yellow pepper and avocado. Set aside. Grate the Emmental cheese and set aside.

Once your pizza base is ready, remove it from the oven along with the tomatoes. Mash the tomatoes and spread onto your pizza base. Add the aubergines and yellow pepper and bake in the over for another 13 minutes. Now add your cheese and leave in the over for a further 2 minutes. Remove your pizza from the oven and throw the rocket and baby spinach. Drizzle olive oil and finely grated pecorino cheese. I can’t eat pizza without fresh chilli but you can decide for yourself if you would like it or not!

That’s it. The kids will love it!.

It’s great for a quick Friday evening meal after a busy week or even quite nice as a starter at a dinner party and then perhaps you could serve my Ricotta Aubergine Cannelloni for as a main dish.

Bon Apetit!

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