Greek Pita Pizzas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I first tried this recipe, I was a little skeptical.  It basically seemed like a pita pocket heated up.  And while it's true that it does have all the familiar flavors of a pita, there's something about heating it up and melting the cheese that makes the sum greater than its parts.

I also loved that this recipe was fast (although there is a little chopping involved) and flexible.  I followed the basic steps below although I cut our pitas in half so I could maximize the toppings to pita ratio and forgot to toss the vegetables in the red wine vinegar.  I also omitted some things I didn't have on hand like the red onion and fresh oregano (I do use a light sprinkle of dried oregano instead) and added in things like bell pepper and fresh spinach.  Finally, I didn't have hummus one of the times I made this so I used a chickpea spread recipe instead that doesn't call for tahini.

Enjoy this for a fast, flexible twist on pizza and stuffed pita sandwiches.  I served this once with a Greek salad but I think I liked having a regular leafy salad with it even better for a change in texture.

 

Greek Pita Pizzas
Taken from: Pink Parsley
Serves

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 4 (8-inch) pita breads (I only used 2 but halved them widthwise)
• 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano (I used a light sprinkle of dried oregano instead)
• 1/2 small red onion, halved and sliced thin (I omitted)
• 1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 2 handfuls of washed baby spinach, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes (I used chopped tomatoes instead)
• 1/2 cup hummus (hummus tastes great but in a pinch, I used this chickpea spread recipe that doesn't call for tahini)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• tzatziki sauce, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Brush 1 tablespoon of the oil over both sides of pitas.  Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake about 3-5 minutes, or until lightly golden.
2.  Meanwhile, combine the remaining oil, vinegar, and oregano in a medium bowl.  Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine.  Toss with the olives, onions, tomatoes and any other vegetables.
3.  Spread approximately 2 tablespoons of the hummus over each pita, leaving a small border.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of mozzarella on each pita, Divide the vegetable mixture evenly over the cheese, then sprinkle with the feta.  
4.  Cook until the vegetables are softened and the cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes (I like to broil the last minute or two to make sure it is nice and melty).  Drizzle with tzatziki sauce and serve.