Saag Paneer Mini Pizzas with Veggies and Toasted Pine Nut Chonk
Okay people! Let's talk Indian food...specifically saag! I just recently discovered a dish called saag paneer, which is quickly becoming a favorite! As much as I love it served over herbed white rice, today we are going to use it as a base for some mini pizzas!
This is the perfect dish for when you are trying to eat somewhat healthy but you are also just craving PIZZA! Made with a base of saag, a type of spiced spinach gravy with cheese, our version uses a vegan feta. With the crispy crusts, briny, salty, cheese and creamy spinach saag, combined with the fresh burst of veggies on top they really hit the spot on the nights when you are just kind of craving junk food. Plus…with almost two cups of spinach per pizza…hello, can we say leafy greens? Popeye would be so proud!
What you are going to need to buy:
Large Bag of Spinach
Fresh Basil
One white or yellow onion, small, diced
Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)
Powdered Ginger
Powdered Cumin
Paprika
Chili Spice
Medium Tortillas or Roti
VioLife Vegan Feta Cheese - (Or your favorite block feta for just a vegetarian version)
Pine Nuts
Olive Oil
Fresh Veggies - (We used onion and tomato but feel free to use what you love on pizza, olives, artichoke, peppers…)
What you are going to need to do:
Preheat over to 400.
This recipe comes together in just a couple of steps. To begin, in a medium saucepan, add 3 tablespoon of olive oil, minced garlic, diced onion, and garlic powder, (Reserving just a few diced onions to sprinkle on top at the end) and sauté on medium heat until the onions become translucent but not brown.
Note: This amount of saag will make two or maybe three mini pizzas depending on how large your tortillas are and how thick you spread it.
Add a total of 5 cups fresh spinach and 7-8 fresh basil leaves to the pan in batches and begin to wilt down the greens, stirring and turning so that all of the greens become coated in the oil. After all of the greens have been wilted down (Think the consistency of what you would use to make creamed spinach) remove from heat and transfer to a blender. A stick blender also works well for this dish.
On a flat cookie sheet lay out your tortillas and prick with a fork so they won’t rise and dome in the oven. Place in oven to crisp up, but watch them so that they do not burn. Remove when edges are golden.
Blend the greens until they become somewhat smooth, but not so much that the consistency becomes runny. We are looking for a nice spreadable gravy consistency, like a thick pizza sauce. Stir greens to let some of the heat/steam escape. We want the gravy mixture to be warm, but not hot enough to melt the cheese when added.
Cut small half inch slice of feta from the VioLife Feta block. I recommend cutting one slice from the block for each pizza you are making. Cut that slice again across the long side and then slice into half inch cubes. You should get 14-16 mini cubes from each original slice off the block.
Reserve 5-6 cubes, per pizza, and add the rest into the spinach gravy, giving a light stir, just to incorporate. Remember, we don’t really want the cheese to melt, or break apart.
Making the chonk.
Chonk is basically just toasted spices in oil and it get’s drizzled over the top of our finished pizzas. In the same saucepan that you wilted the greens in, add another 3 tablespoons of olive oil, along with a handful of pine nuts, ginger powder, cumin powder, chili powder and paprika. Sauté over medium heat until the pine nuts turn a nice golden brown. Be careful, once they turn brown, they can burn easily. Remove from heat.
Assembling the pizzas.
Divide the spinach saag and spread think layer onto each crisp tortilla, making sure that cheese is distributed evenly. Top with remaining feta, diced tomatoes, reserved fresh onion and put back into hot oven for about 90 seconds.
When ready to serve, cut into quarters and drizzle with the pine nut chonk.