This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please visit the disclosures and privacy policy page.
Aug 6, 2013

Eastern Mediterranean Pizzas | Tuesdays with Dorie

Eastern Mediterranean Pizzas | Tuesdays with Dorie

These Eastern Mediterranean Pizzas are made from pita dough and a mixture of tomatoes, shallots, garlic, lamb, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. It's pretty difficult to make this pizza look pretty... the pita is kind of pale. I guess I should have done a mint or parsley garnish, but the reality of this pita is that it doesn't brown much because the baking time is so short. Enough excuses. This pizza is delicious.  Who cares what it looks like.
Eastern Mediterranean Pizzas | Tuesdays with Dorie


This pizza is baked on a pita dough. The dough only puffs up on the border because the middle is weighed down by the topping. To see how to make pita, check out this post.

Pita Bread Karen's Kitchen Stories

This week, the Tuesdays with Dorie group is making Eastern Mediterranean Pizzas.

I was surprised by how much I loved these pizzas. I salted the tomatoes and left them in a strainer for about and hour to concentrate their flavors as I did in this recipe. It's an amazing way to extract serious tomato flavor.

I took some leftovers to work today and reheated them in a toaster oven. Everyone wanted to know what smelled so good. This is such an amazingly healthy and flavorful dish.

Eastern Mediterranean Pizza Recipe

Adapted from Baking with Julia: Savor the Joys of Baking with America's Best Bakers.

Topping

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 C chopped shallots
2 to 3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 pound ground lamb
8 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped, salted, and drained in a mesh sieve over a bowl. 
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil over medium heat. 
  2. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until fragrant, for about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the lamb, breaking it up, and cook until no longer red. 
  4. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the tomatoes. Cook for another 3 minutes. If there is still too much liquid, drain it at this point.
  5. Add the spices and stir for a few seconds and set aside. 
  6. This topping can be made a few days in advance.

Bread

1/2 recipe Pita dough, fully risen

Instructions

  1. Divide the dough into eight well formed balls, covering each with plastic wrap.
  2. Place a pizza stone on the lowest rack of your oven and preheat it to 500 degrees F.
  3. Roll each ball, one at a time, into a 6 to 8 inch round, and top with 1/8th of the topping, throw it on the stone, and bake for about eight minutes. Remove with a spatula and place on a cooling rack. 
  4. Continue baking each piece until done. 
  5. Serve immediately or store wrapped in foil and reheat as needed. 
Yum!

Check out Tuesdays with Dorie for more versions of this recipe. 

Would you like to comment?

  1. Indeed it didn't Brown so it looks better for the pics. But tasted really nice, so who cares!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the idea to salt and strain the tomatoes. I think your pizzas photographed pretty well, and the stack of pita bread look great! I also took the leftovers to work, and my colleagues also commented on how good it smelled.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seriously! Especially the people who have never ever tasted lamb. =)

      Delete
  3. Love the look of your stacked pitas! Looks great. I was surprised at how easy the pitas were to make. I made the pizzas first, because I was afraid to try making pita! But so glad I did make them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm so glad these were delicious! I didn't think the hubby would go for them, so I skipped this week...I think I may have to do a make up week now. Beautifully done, Karen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Liz! My husband was skeptical but ended up loving them.

      Delete
  5. Wow - those look pitas really good. Nice job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Cher. I learned a lot and can't wait to try again.

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Thanks! Watch for the garlic pita chips coming soon =)

      Delete
  7. Gorgeous looking pitas! I skipped this week as well, kinda wish I hadn't.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Cathleen, I really liked it more than I expected to.

      Delete
  8. these look delicious! I skipped this recipe but will have to have ago at the recipe when I have more time.

    ReplyDelete

I would love to hear from you! If you comment anonymously, be sure to leave your name in your comment.