Versatile veggie pizzas

With a vegan and gluten free chickpea base, you can add desired toppings to make this pizza suitable for vegans, vegetarians or meat-eaters alike. We have included cheese in this one to make a very delicious veggie option.

Making your own pizza is an easy, flexible meal that everyone is able to design themselves by adding their own favourite toppings. These pizzas are also a great way to use up bits and pieces you have in the fridge. Anything can go on a pizza, right?!

Benefits of chickpeas

• Well-known for being made into hummus and falafels, chickpeas are a plant-based protein, high in nutrients, and an excellent food for vegetarians and vegans.
• Chickpeas are high in fibre and protein so they make you feel full and help keep your blood sugar balanced and appetite under control, as well as promoting healthy digestive function.
• They are a good source of folic acid, vitamin B6 and iron, needed for healthy red blood cell formation.
• Chickpeas contain other nutrients essential to bone health, including calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and vitamin K. 
• Also a great source of the essential nutrient choline, required for brain and liver function.

If you are tossing up the pros and cons of eating a solely plant-based diet, check out this article to read about the benefits.

Ingredients

For the pizza bases:

• 2 cups chickpea (besan) flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt flakes + freshly cracked black pepper
• Olive oil for frying

For the basil salsa verde:

• Large handful fresh basil leaves + tender stems
• ½ clove garlic
• Zest ½ lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Pinch of salt flakes

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Bocconcini, sliced or broken
• Halved cherry tomatoes
• Red onion, sliced or diced
• Goat’s fetta
• A few basil leaves 
• Or anything else you want on top!

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 240°C, or its maximum heat, and have two baking trays on hand.
2. To make the pizza bases, whisk together all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl until completely smooth. 
3. Heat a 25 cm diameter frying pan over medium heat and drizzle with some olive oil. 
4. Pour half of the mixture into the frying pan, tilting as you pour to cover the entire base of the frying pan. 
5. Cook over medium/low heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the base has completely set – it will slightly darken in colour and become matte on the top. 
6. Carefully flip the base over and cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes. 
7. Remove the base and place on a baking tray. Repeat for the remaining mixture.
8. For crispy pizzas, bake the plain bases in the oven for 5-8 minutes, or until the edges are just golden and the base becomes rigid. For a softer pizza, move straight to the next step and add the topping.
9. Top each pizza base with your favourite ingredients, painting the base first with the  tomato paste then adding on any delicious bits and pieces you desire (or have in the fridge).
10. Bake the topped pizzas in the oven for around 10 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
11. While the pizzas are baking, make the basil salsa verde: Finely chop the basil leaves and tender stems. Place the basil into a small bowl. Mince together the garlic clove and anchovies until they form a paste. Place into the bowl along with the remaining ingredients and stir together well. Taste and adjust seasoning, if required.
12. Once the pizzas are cooked, drizzle with a little salsa verde and voilà! – serve and eat.

Makes 2 x 25cm pizzas.