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Rustic Vegetable-Stuffed Pizza

17/11/2023

I can describe how to prepare a rustic vegetable-stuffed pizza. This preparation is a classic of Italian home cooking, ideal for a complete meal or an outdoor picnic. Below you will find the ingredients and the preparation.

Ingredients

  • 500 g pizza dough or brisée pastry
  • 300 g fresh or frozen spinach
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper
  • 1 small eggplant
  • 1 small onion
  • 150 g ricotta
  • 100 g mozzarella
  • 2 eggs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Burrata or feta cheese, for an extra touch (optional)
  • Aromatic herbs such as basil or oregano (optional)

Preparation

  1. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze it well. If using fresh spinach, wash and blanch it in lightly salted water for a few minutes, then squeeze it.
  2. Thinly slice the onion and sauté it in a pan with a drizzle of oil until translucent. Add the zucchini cut into thin rounds, the bell pepper and eggplant cut into small cubes. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the spinach and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper.
  3. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the eggs until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. Add the cooked vegetable mix, the mozzarella cut into cubes and, if desired, the chopped aromatic herbs.
  4. Roll out half of the pizza dough or brisée in a lightly oiled round pan, creating high edges.
  5. Pour the vegetable filling inside and level it with a spatula.
  6. Cover with the remaining rolled-out dough and seal the edges well. Make some cuts on the surface to allow steam to escape during baking.
  7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes or until the surface is golden.
  8. Let it cool slightly before slicing and serving.

For an extra touch of creaminess, you can add some pieces of burrata or feta on the filling before covering with the second pastry.

Fun Facts

The rustic vegetable-stuffed pizza is a versatile dish that lends itself to numerous variations; some add cooked ham or pancetta to enrich its flavor. In some Italian regions, this preparation is called “savory pie” or “vegetable pie” and can be enriched with various seasonal vegetables.