Pita Pizza – Another Quick, Weekday Meal
Friday, May 17, 2013 at 4:00AM 
By David Hu
A new video for Video Friday
I’ve noticed a pattern with my cooking over the years. I usually start off the week all gung ho about cooking. On Monday I’m experimenting with a new recipe, or making an old favorite with 20 ingredients, multiple steps and four hours of cook time. Yay! So exciting and full of energy!
But after a few days, my enthusiasm wanes and I can’t even remember what possessed me to make those complicated dishes earlier in the week.
Wednesday is hump day and by then, my cooking ambition has evaporated. That’s when I turn to my storehouse of quick and easy weekday meals. My requirements to get into this rotation are simple: tastes good, needs few ingredients and requires short prep and cook times.
Here are some of my favorite recipes that have made it into the rotation:
- Steamed fish with ginger and green onion: this recipe only has seven ingredients. Prep and cook are less than 20 minutes, total.
- Miso salmon: a classic at Japanese restaurants that’s so simple to make at home. Six ingredients and 12 minutes cook time.
- Pasta carbonara: another classic dish but unlike the American version, this one is made with egg yolks instead of cream. Eight ingredients, 30 minutes total time, and if you have a well-stocked pantry, shouldn’t require a trip to the market.
- Linguine with sun-dried tomatoes and anchovies: perfect pantry dish. Seven ingredients and 25 minutes from start to finish.
- Thai curry beef: six ingredients, 12 minutes to prep and cook. Doesn’t get any easier than that.
- Chicken piccata: six ingredients, 15 minute total time, and easily scales up for families.
Here’s a new dish to add to the rotation: Pita Pizza. The great thing about this dish is its simplicity. The only ingredients you really need to have on hand are pita bread and olive oil. (I keep a bag of pita bread in my freezer for just this purpose.) Other than that, feel free to make any kind of combinations you like. This is one of those great meals that can be made in 15 minutes, from start to finish.
I’ve also served this at small, hands-on dinner parties. Just prep all the ingredients and let your guests make their own pita pizzas. It’s extremely low maintenance and it gives you time to talk with your guests instead of spending all your time in the kitchen.
Pita Pizzas
Pita breads
Olive oil
Topping suggestions:
- Thinly sliced zucchini, sliced pitted kalamata olives, sliced or shredded mozzarella
- Arugula, thinly sliced red onion, chopped tomato, shredded Dubliner cheese
- Browned sausage meat, thin strips of bell pepper, sliced mushrooms
- Bay shrimp (these are the tiny, precooked ones), enchilada sauce, shredded Cheddar cheese, ripe olives, pickled jalapeno slices
- Shredded rotisserie chicken, barbecue sauce, shredded smoked Gouda
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using a knife or kitchen scissors, split the pita bread in half to make two thin discs.
- Lay the pita cut-side up on baking sheet. Add a thin layer of toppings, making sure to cover the pita to the ends. Do not overload with toppings or pizza will be difficult to pick up to eat.
- Bake on the lowest shelf of the oven until pita it is crisp and cheese is melted; about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
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Reader Comments (1)
Dave, I haven't made the pizzas with pita bread but have made them with tortillas. I love how easy and quick they are to make, not to mention healthy if you pile them with veggies. Great video, by the way. I see that you have learned well at the feet of the master -- your mother. :-)