Crispy Rice Pizza

Have you guys ever read Momofuku for 2? I looooove this blog. I've been fascinated by the likes of David Chang and his Momofuku chain of restaurants ever since it crossed my path. Momofuku for 2 is like my little ticket into Momofuku heaven and besides that, Steph, the author, makes her own utterly delicious looking Asian-inspired concoctions that make me weak at the knees!

Anyways, this is a winner. Pure & simple. Everything listed in the ingredients list is delicious on their own, and even more so when combined into this spectacular and easy to make dish! The only hard part of this dish would be making the pulled pork, but I simply used pre-made pulled pork, which made it even easier! Of course, I suggest making your own if you want to really knock your socks off but I had some on hand :)

Some people don't like crispy rice but I LOVE it, it's a bit crunchy, a bit chewy, a lot delicious. You get the fulfilling bite from the pulled pork, the tanginess from the kimchi and the velvety richness from the egg yolk. Let's all say it together: mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Like a little piece of heaven!

Crispy Rice Pizza

Yields: 2 servings

Original recipe here.

1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked short grain rice*

1/2 cup pulled pork

1/4 cup kimchi, roughly chopped

2 eggs

oil

Pour enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of a small cast iron skillet** and heat it up over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the rice and pat it down so that it forms a round rice cake. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the rice crisp up to form a crust. Be patient, this may take a while. After about 15 minutes, use a small spatula to lift up the rice cake to see if it has a golden brown crust. If it does, turn it over and crisp up the other side. If it doesn't five it a few more minutes before flipping. Once flipped, go ahead and fry up a sunny side up egg in another pan. While the egg is cooking, top the rice cake with some of the pulled pork and kimchi. When the egg is cooked, pop it on top of the rice cake and add a couple more pieces of pork and kimchi. Repeat this process to make another pizza. Enjoy hot!

*Short grain rice is essential for this dish because other rice varieties won't stick together to form a cake

** If you don't have a small cast iron skillet, feel free to make it in a regular pan

Dig in!

Zucchini & Eggplant PIzza

My sister brought home a plethora of zucchini home the other day. We've been trying to use it up because one, they are beautiful zucchini that should not go to waste and two, because zucchini is awesome and unbelievably delicious and not to mention versatile. So far we've made whole wheat zucchini muffins, zucchini frittatas and now this: zucchini and eggplant pizza!

I think so far this has been my favorite of the recipes we've tried. Actually, my sister made this genius pizza. Super thin crust, just how I like it and bursting full of flavor. Such a great combination with the eggplant and uber melty mozzarella. Try this immediately, I love it.

Zucchini & Eggplant Pizza

Yields: 1 large pizza, about 10 slices

Printable Recipe

1 (16 oz.) package of pizza dough (I use Trader Joes' whole wheat version)

1/2 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 - 1/2 cup pizza sauce/ marinara sauce

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1/2 purple eggplant, thinly sliced

10 - 15 basil leaves

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with non-stick spray or some olive oil. Take your pizza dough and press out onto the baking sheet till about 1/2 inch thick. Using your hands spread the minced garlic all over the top of the dough, then spread the pizza/ marinara sauce all over the dough, leaving a 1 cm thick border around the edges. Sprinkle with the cheese and oregano. Spread the basil leaves, zucchini and eggplant evenly over the surface of the pizza and cook in the oven until cheese is melty and crust is golden brown, about 10 - 15 minutes.

Crescent Pizza Rolls

When B and I go to Disneyland (which is often, since we have annual passports), we like to bring portable snacks with us. Don't get me wrong, you can find a plethora of good food and delectable snacks at Disneyland, but it comes to a point where sometimes I don't really want to spend $5.00 on a pretzel. These little babies are as portable as portable gets and uber delicious. I mean, I love crescent rolls on their own already but filled with cheese and pepperoni? Just stop right there!

Crescent Pizza Rolls:

Yields: 8 pizza rolls

1 can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1/2 cup of marinara, any kind you like

5 oz. of pepperoni or salami, chopped

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 cup mozarella cheese

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Line a baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up) and butter it. Open the crescent roll package and divide the pre-perforated dough. Mix all other ingredients together and scoop into the larger edge of the triangle of the dough. Make sure not to overstuff! Roll the crescent roll as shown on the directions on the package, from the larger edge of the triangle to the tip. Place on the baking sheet and top with extra cheese, if desired. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

Rachel Ray's "The Only Pizza You Will Ever Want Again"

After a long day of school, a long tedious meal is the last thing on anyone's mind. Rachel Ray sure comes to the rescue when you're in need of a quick and satisfying meal, after all she has come to be known as the "Queen of Quick." This pizza was definitely a tummy pleaser and full of flavor and actually surprisingly nutritious and substantial. 

As a note, I recommend making a stop at your local Trader Joes for your ingredients. They have individual portions of pizza dough for only about $1.50 and in plain, whole wheat (which we used), and garlic & herb. You can find all of the other ingredients there also, which makes for an easy shopping trip. 

Recipe is as follows (tweaked for convenience):

For the crust:

1 (16 oz.) package of pizza dough 

2 tsn. olive oil

2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano

For the toppings:

1/3 lb. broccoli, chopped and steamed

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 lb. chicken (pre-cooked), chopped

1 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese

10 sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

12 - 15 leaves of basil, chiffonaded

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. On a large baking sheet lined with foil, stretch out your pizza dough and form the crust. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and minced garlic, mix well. Spread the mixture over the crust. Top with the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and broccoli. Next, sprinkle the pizza with the mozzarella, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Top with the basil and serve.

How to Chiffonade Basil:

Stack your basil leaves on top of each other, then roll the basil into a little cigarette. Take your knife and slice the "cigarette" very thinly. And there you have it!