Vibrant Veggie Pizza

Festive Pavlova with Berry Compote

Ingredients

3 medium sized beetroots, peeled and cubed

350g flour

18g white sugar

1/4 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp beet powder

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

FOR TOPPINGS

1 beetroot, peeled

125g pesto

1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

225g asparagus

75g crumbled feta cheese

4 soft boiled eggs

1 cup spinach

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METHOD

Place the prepared beets into a saucepan and add enough water just to cover them. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium high heat and cook for twenty minutes, or until fork tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beets from the water and put them into the jar of your blender. Add ¼ cup of the boiling liquid to the jar with the beets, then blend on Speed 4 until beets are a smooth puree.

Mix ¼ cup of the beet puree and ½ cup reserved beet water, and whisk to combine. (You can discard remaining beet water at this point, and any remaining beet puree can be stored in an airtight container.)

Fit the KitchenAid Stand Mixer with the dough hook. Place the flour, sugar, yeast and beet powder into the mixing bowl, lock the head and place and turn to speed 2. Mix the dry ingredients for thirty seconds, then reduce speed to Stir and pour in the beet liquid. After about two minutes (as the dough begins to come together), add the olive oil and salt, then increase back to Speed 2 and knead the dough for seven to eight minutes.

Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise at room temp until doubled in size (or place in the refrigerator and proof overnight).

Once proofed, gently pull dough from the side of the bowl and knead gently into a ball, tucking the dough under to have a smooth surface. Place it on a lightly floured surface and cover with plastic wrap, then allow it to rise again for an hour (or until doubled in size).

Preheat oven to 218ºC.

While the dough is on second proof, prepare the toppings. Attach the KitchenAid Spiralizer attachment to the stand mixer and select the medium fine blade. Insert the beet according to spiralizing instructions, place a bowl under the machine to catch the spirals, and turn speed to Stir. Spread the spirals out on half of a sheet tray, and place the asparagus stalks and the cherry tomatoes on the other half of the sheet tray. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over all the veggies, slightly turn with your hands to evenly coat, then roast the tray in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.

Increase the temperature of the oven to 260ºC, and set a pizza stone or sheet tray in the oven to preheat. Place the proofed dough on a lightly floured surface and begin to press the dough into a circular shape and release any air that has developed. Pick up the dough and, using your knuckles, stretch the dough until you reach preferred thickness, using your pinky and thumbs to rotate and keep the shape uniform while you stretch. (NOTE: the toppings are heavy on this pizza so don’t make the crust too thin.)

Spoon a layer of pesto across the entire pizza, then layer the roasted asparagus and the cherry tomatoes. Quickly slide the pizza on top of the preheated stone or sheet tray and let it bake for nine to ten minutes, or until the crust is browning and bubbling. (It should slide off and transfer easily, but if it’s sticking, toss a bit more flour underneath until it slides.)

Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately top with a generous amount of feta cheese, the roasted spiralized beets, halved soft boiled eggs, feta cheese, arugula and greens. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and flake salt. Slice and serve immediately.