summer / vegetarian / entertaining

If you’ve been following for long, you know that I have a slight obsession for all things that are mini. Mini skillets, mini pies, mini tacos – but my absolute favorite small food has to be mini pizzas. They’re quick and easy to make and a fun way to try lots of different toppings. These would be great for a summer party – you could even toss these little guys on the grill if you don’t want to heat up your house.

The first step to your mini pizza party is mini naan – I buy Stonefire Mini Naan all the time – they’re easy to keep on hand in the freezer, especially for last-minute pizza cravings. Bake them, toast them, grill ’em… you get the idea.

Choose a bunch of toppings: I went with a mix of classic pizza toppings (mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto), and few that are a little unexpected (blackberries, poblanos, pepitas and grilled corn). I mixed a little smoked paprika with the tomatoes, and a drizzle of balsamic with the blackberries… my basic rule of thumb is to pair flavors that contrast each other – balancing ingredients that are sweet, salty, smoky, tangy, etc.

Whenever I do a post with multiple options, I hate to pick favorites. These were all quite tasty but Jack and I decided that there was one clear winner: the grilled poblano, corn and pepita pizza, dolloped with a little bit of kale pepita pesto. It’s a little spicy, but not too spicy… a little sweet because of the corn, a little smoky from the grill flavor. I’m starving just talking about it again!

5.0 from 5 reviews

Mix & Match Mini Pizzas

  PrintPrep time 30 minsCook time 15 minsTotal time 45 mins Author: Jeanine DonofrioServes: 8 pizzas, serves 4Ingredients

• 8 Stonefire Mini Naan
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling at the end
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Topping Option #1: Tomato Pesto

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (mix with the tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• a good slather of Kale Pepita Pesto (recipe below)

Topping Option #2: Poblano Corn & Pepita

• fresh mozzarella slices, 2-3 pieces per mini pizza
• 1 large poblano, grilled, deseeded and sliced into thin strips
• 1 ear fresh corn, grilled and kernels cut off the cob
• 2 tablespoons pepitas
• dollops of Kale Pepita Pesto, after baking (recipe below)

Topping Option #3 Blackberry Feta & Arugula

• fresh mozzarella slices, 2-3 pieces per mini pizza
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup blackberries, lightly crushed
• drizzle of balsamic vinegar
• a few leaves of fresh mint
• a few leaves of arugula

Kale-Pepita Pesto

• ½ cup pepitas
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 packed cups baby kale (or mix of kale and basil)
• Juice and zest of 1 small lemon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional to offset bitterness)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or heat an outdoor grill).

Make the pesto by pulsing the pepitas and garlic together in a food processor. Next add the baby kale and pulse again. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, dijon mustard and a few pinches of salt and freshly ground pepper. Pulse again, then with the food processor running, add the olive oil until the pesto emulsifies. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired. If your pesto is a little bitter from the kale, add a little bit of honey or maple syrup to balance the flavors.

Assemble naan pizzas with toppings of your choice, be sure to add the mint and arugula after your pizzas are done baking. Bake for 12-18 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Drizzle with olive oil if you like and dig in!

3.2.2925
This post was created in partnership with Stonefire Authentic Flatbreads, than you for supporting the sponsors that keep us cooking!

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