As with most foods, the history runs deep. The original concept of pizza - a flatbread with toppings, baked in an oven - dates back to the ancient Romans and Greeks. It was a focaccia style dish, but just to say: pizza is not that new.
Rafael Esposito is named as the original creator, baking the pizza we know and love with tomato sauce and cheese in Naples, though he may have firmed up the definition more than invented it.
But enough about real pizza; that's not even why we are gathered here today. No, I'm here to ruin it, as some pizza traditionalists would say.
Spaghetti squash is a wonderful vegetable. It is easy to cook and makes a tasty alternative to pasta. When I make it, I usually just slice a small triangle out to let it vent steam, then bake it for 45 minutes to an hour. I scoop out the seeds, shred the insides, and voila. Beyond requiring a little patience, it's simple and tasty.
I made pizza a long time ago with it, but was well overdo for it. But why spaghetti squash and not cauliflower, the more well-known veggie crust? I muchly prefer spaghetti squash. Cauliflower has a bit of an - and I'm trying to phrase this delicately - unpleasant odor sometimes when it cooks. You have to steam it, then throw it in the food processor, and I find it to be cumbersome. Spaghetti squash, for me at least, is easier to deal with. I do have to strain it (cheesecloth works best!) and get moisture out, but it holds together well and I just love the flavor. [climbs off soapbox made of squash]
The gist of this is noted above, but I roasted the squash in the oven for a while. This one took about an hour total before it was cooked throughout. After 45 min I took it out, let it cool briefly, then sliced it in half. I put it back in the oven a little longer to deal with the undercooked side, then voila.
The key to me for the pizza use case is the removal of excess water. Once it cooled down, I strained it, pressing it through a metal mesh strainer to squeeze out as much liquid as I could. After that I mixed in some parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and an egg. You can also mix some cornmeal in to add texture, but I didn't have any this time. The cheese and the egg helps hold it all together.
The gist of this is noted above, but I roasted the squash in the oven for a while. This one took about an hour total before it was cooked throughout. After 45 min I took it out, let it cool briefly, then sliced it in half. I put it back in the oven a little longer to deal with the undercooked side, then voila.
Once it cooled down, I spooned out the seedy part in the middle and was left with only the sides. This is where you just take a fork and scrape it to get the lovely spaghetti of spaghetti squash.
Next, I created two crusts by spreading the mixture out on a silicone-lined baking pan. There was still some moisture in the squash, so I placed it in the oven for 15 minutes to dry it out a bit and solidify the crust.
The crust was more formed at this point and it was time to top.
I added sauce and cheese (and turkey pepperoni, for the non-swine inclined). Then, I baked it for about 10 more minutes to finish things up.
After a couple minutes of cooling, I sliced it up.
I won't lie to tell you and tell you this tastes like pizza dough. It just doesn't, and I have yet to find a vegetable that compares to the carbs of bread. But that's okay. There is a time and a place for bready pizza, and it's time is not today. What is beautiful about this is the combination of flavors and cramming all those veggies into your diet.
10/10, will make again. What's your favorite pizza topping? Don't say spaghetti squash.
Spaghetti Squash Pizza Recipe
Ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash (size does not have to be perfect; this one was around 2 pounds)
Ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash (size does not have to be perfect; this one was around 2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups cheese (I used half mozzarella and half parmesan but this is preference)
2/3 cup tomato sauce (I just used jarred pasta sauce)
Toppings, as desired
Instructions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut a small wedge out of the spaghetti squash and place on a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Let cool slightly, then cut in half. Spoon out the seeds and discard (or save seeds and roast - your call). Shred squash with a fork. Place in a mesh strainer or cheesecloth and press to remove excess liquid. Add to a bowl and add 3/4 cup of the cheese and one egg. Mix, then spread onto a baking pan lined with parchment or silicone. Bake for 15 minutes, until a crust is formed. Top as desired. Bake for another 10 minutes.
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