In our special cook book  A Taste of Utica on page 117, there is unique recipe for pizza.  This pizza is LOADED with all sorts of goodness and flavor.  It screams healthy, fulfilling, and taste-terrific food.

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Posted by Jo Giacovelli…”I sat down with Tom and here is the recipe for Lentil Pizza as he told it to me.”

*Note:  I believe there is a misprint in the book regarding the flour quantity for the 16” pizza crust.  I changed the white flour quantity from 1 cup to 2 cups because, given the amount of water used, 3 PLUS cups of flour made more sense.  

Tommy’s Lentil Pizza – a 16” pizza

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Dough (use this recipe or buy 1 1/2 lb from the store)

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  • 1 1/8 cup warm water
  • 1 1/2 TBS olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups unbleached white flour 
  • 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 TBS honey
  • 2 tsp yeast

Make the dough:  Using a bread machine, add all ingredients and set on dough setting.  Allow dough to rise.  When ready to use, remove from the machine, punch down and allow to rise another 10 – 20 minutes (double in size). 

The Lentil Topping  *You will have some lentil topping left over for use on other great recipes of your choice because 1 lb of lentils makes A LOT and you won’t want to put them all on your pizza. It will be too heavy.

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  • 5 cups water or chicken broth (I used Vegetable broth)*If using water only, add 3 chicken and 2 beef bouillon cubes.
  • 1 lb lentils (washed)
  • 1/4 cup barley (I used organic pearl barley)
  • 2 to 3 bouillon cubes (again, I used Vegetable)
  • 2 large cloves garlic (I used 2 tsp minced)
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning (I used 1 tsp Old Bay)
  • 2 –3 TBS olive oil
  • 1/4 cup pastine (Uncooked) *Pastine is a pasta.  It is Italian for “little pasta” and comes in several shapes of small sized pasta. It is very often used in soups.

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  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 TBS Pecorino Romano cheese

Cooking the lentil topping:  Bring the first 7 ingredients to a boil (water to olive oil).  Reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, add the salt and uncooked pastine and cook another 10 minutes.  Stir in 2 TBS of Pecorino Romano cheese.

Make the pizza:   Preheat the oven to 305 F.  Press the dough into a 16” pizza sheet.  Make the crust thick.  Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. 

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Spread the room temperature lentil topping onto crust.  This topping should be dry not runny.  DO NOT TURN OFF OVEN!

The Final PIZZA Topping – goes on top of the lentil topping

  • 8 – 10 pickled cherry peppers cut into quarters (I used slices)
  • 10 – 15 Kalamata olives, quartered
  • diced raw onion (about 2 TBS to 1/4 cup – depending on your preference)
  • Enough Pecorino Romano grated cheese just to cover
  • 1/2 lb mozzarella, sliced
  • Enough Feta cheese just to sprinkle on top (optional)
  • drizzle lightly with olive oil
  • 2 TBS fresh oregano, chopped

Put all ingredients EXCEPT oregano on top of lentils.  Return to the oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes. 

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Remove from oven, a second and final time, and sprinkle with fresh chopped oregano.

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“There you have it! A meal on a pizza shell!  Trust me.  It’s wonderful!”  – by Jo Giacovelli

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Jo was so right.  This pizza was unique and every bit as “wonderful” as promised.

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