Are you a big fan of mushroom pizza? I am. I’m such a fan, in fact, that I skip the bread and make the mushroom the actual base of the pizza. The result is a much fuller flavor…and also one that’s low-carb and low-fat. Portabello mushrooms make a great individual-sized pizza for an appetizer or snack!
Approx. 3 portabello mushrooms, stems cut flush with the gills
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced fine
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
Olive oil for sauteéing and drizzling
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (make your own by throwing some stale bread–preferably whole wheat–into a blender)
Fresh basil, rolled tightly and then cut into thin strips (this is called chiffonade)
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Wipe the portabellos clean with a damp paper towel and set aside. Make a sofrito by sauteéing the pepper, onion, garlic, and tomatoes over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the onion is almost translucent. Remove from heat and spoon into a medium bowl. Add fresh bread crumbs, basil, and a pinch of cayenne (or as much as you think your tongue will tolerate). Put the portabellos on a cookie sheet gill-side-up and mound them with the sofrito mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese. (This amount also depends on your tastebuds.) Spray/drizzle with a little bit of oil and then bake for about 15 minutes or until the Parmesan is beginning to turn golden.
Enjoy!
Note: be sure to make your own bread crumbs rather than using the commercial variety–just take a look at the list of ingredients on the pre-made kind and you’ll see why. (The only way to keep it from spoiling on the grocery shelves is to add a LOT of preservatives and chemicals.) Besides, you can keep your own in the freezer for up to six months, so the next time you have bread that’s going stale, don’t throw it out! Make your own bread crumbs instead. Another bonus is that you can control the final texture–for some recipes, you may want the crumbs to play a more central role, one that would be more suitable for coarser, larger crumbs.
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Tags: gluten-free, parmesan cheese, pizza, portabello, tomatoes
