There’s really nothing better than a good old-fashioned vegan pizza party. Once the dough has doubled, call up a few friends, preheat the oven, and bust out the two liters. Here’s a look at my favorite topping combination, inspired by a delicious pie served up at Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint. Cashew ricotta is easy, light, and oh-so impressive when dolloped atop a crispy handmade crust. Combine the cheesy delight with caramelized onions and spicy, fresh arugula and you have a match made in vegan heaven. Components Pizza dough (recipe below) Cashew ricotta (recipe below) Pizza sauce 1 pack fresh Arugula olive oil for drizzling
Pizza Dough 2 tsp active dry yeast 1 tsp sugar 2 cups warm water 5 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp salt
In a large food processor mix the flour, yeast, and salt together. Stir the sugar into two cups of warm water. While the processor is mixing, slowly add the sugary water until a loose ball forms. Add more flour or water as necessary. Place in a large oiled bowl and let sit in a warm place for two hours. Once dough has risen, divide into 4 balls. Let rest for another 20 minutes. Prepare your toppings. Press the dough out from the center of the circle and pick up the dough, stretching it with your fists and pointer fingers. It doesn’t have to look perfect, just focus on a thin crust with a thicker exterior ring. Cashew Ricotta 1 cup raw cashews 3 cloves garlic 3 Tbs. olive oil 2 Tbs. nutritional yeast juice of 2 lemons rind of 1 lemon 1 lb. firm tofu (pressed and broken into pieces) 1 1/2 tsp. salt In a food processor, blend the cashews, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and lemon rind until a thick paste forms. Add the tofu and salt and blend until smooth. Add salt and lemon to taste!
Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 450°F. If you don’t have a stone a baking sheet will do just fine! Once the oven is fully preheated (20 minutes), remove the stone or pan and assemble the pizza. Stretch the dough and place on the surface, top with pizza sauce, caramelized onions, and dollops of cashew ricotta. Place in the oven and bake until crust is crispy (approximately 15 minutes). Once removed from the oven, top with fresh arugula and drizzle with olive oil. Slice and serve immediately!
CHICKPEA MAG WINTER 2012
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