Looking for an easy dinner, I remembered some flatbreads I saw on several restaurant menus. The flatbread crust was traditionally made without yeast, but now several types of crusts are used, including pizza dough.
For a quick vegetarian dinner, I decided to use a thin crust ready-made pizza dough such as Pillsbury. The dough is cooked on its own for a few minutes, then covered with the ingredients and baked to finish. You can also use pita bread and other thin crusts.
I sliced the Parmesan cheese instead of grating it to give more flavor. Pistachio nuts also add flavor and some protein.
HELPFUL HINTS
› You can use any pasta sauce.
› You can use different types of cheese. Use this recipe as a guide for amounts.
› You can use any type of shelled nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans).
SHOPPING LIST
› To buy: 1 package refrigerated thin pizza crust (about 8 ounces), 1 small container part skim milk mozzarella cheese, 1 small piece Parmesan cheese, 1 bottle low-sodium pasta sauce, 1 medium tomato, 1 package shelled pistachio nuts, 1 bunch fresh basil, 1 bottle olive oil spray.
Tomato Mozzarella Flatbread
Olive oil spray
Refrigerated thin pizza crust (about 8 ounces)
4 ounces part skim milk mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices
1 cup reduced-sodium pasta sauce
1 medium tomato cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese slices
1/2 cup fresh basil
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a sheet pan or cookie sheet with olive oil spray. Roll out dough, and spread on the sheet pan to a 12- by 8-inch rectangle. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. If the dough has puffed up slightly, press it down with the back of a spoon. Place the mozzarella cheese evenly over the dough. Spread the pasta sauce over the cheese. Place tomato cubes over the sauce and then the pistachio nuts and Parmesan slices. Bake 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Slide onto a cutting board, and cut in half. Serve on two dinner plates.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 464 calories (51% from fat), 26.4 grams fat (10.1 grams saturated, 9.6 grams monounsaturated), 56 milligrams cholesterol, 26.8 grams protein, 32.6 grams carbohydrates, 5.3 grams fiber, 865 milligrams sodium.
— Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
Linda Gassenheimer is the author of more than 30 cookbooks, including her newest, “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook.”