After summer of 2011, I came back to NYC hitting the ground running with my first cooking class lined up at Whole Foods Bowery. I didn’t know what to make but, I thought up this lil’ ditty at home one day not clear if anyone else would like my vegan pizza ( especially in New York City the land of “the slice”) but I went for it anyway. It also gave me a chance to use one of my favorite products out there now– Daiya cheese! And it turned out to be the hit of the class.
I love that this pizza features one of my favorite fruits, the pineapple. Kinda sweet. Kinda tart. A pineapple can offer a welcomed flavor boost to any dish. Is there really anything that doesn’t pair well with it? Nope. That’s why we like using it on our favorite comfort food…pizza!
A gift from the tropics, pineapples (“excellent fruit”) are available in the U.S. March through June–in other words, right now! While some markets carry them year round, for superior flavor, stick to buying them in season.
Pineapple is an excellent source of Vitamin C and can help fight against colds and other immune problems. Also give those free radicals a swift kick with the antioxidants found in the fruit. It is also a super source of dietary fiber, thiamin, Vitamin B6, manganese and cooper.
Chef Ayinde’s Hawaiian Sausage Pizza
Serves: 2 |Skill level: Easy |Prep time: 15 minutes |Cook time: 15 minutes
Tofu sausage
Ingredients:
½ extra firm tofu, loosely crumbled
¼ cup safflower oil or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, rough chopped
1 teaspoon dry basil
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon crushed peppers
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup soy sauce
1 package pita bread
Pizza toppings
½ bell pepper (or 2 ¼ of red & green pepper)
¼ of a small onion
1 jar tomato sauce
1 cup cut pineapple
1 package Daiya cheese
* Pre-heat oven to 350
Method:
Step one:
Tofu sausage: In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering add tofu. Cook tofu until brown and somewhat crispy stirring from the bottom to prevent burning, about 10-15 minutes.
Step Two: Add herbs onion and garlic to skillet. Sauté until onions become translucent add soy sauce and salt to taste. Should be pungent and a little salty. Add more herbs as desired. Remove from flame and set aside.
Step three: Place pita bread on cookie sheet, spread a ¼ cup of tomato sauce on each pita bread, sprinkle cheese, onions, peppers, tofu and pineapple evenly over the pita bread. Place pizzas in oven bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy!
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