Saturday, May 30, 2009

Pizzas from the Twilight Zone, or: "Yeah, That Vegan Shit" hits the pizza nail on the pizza head

As I sit here stomach a-burstin', stuffed to the full with pizza, I am bemused and surprised by the weird pizza topping goodness filling me fit to burst.

If Kristy and Cindy hadn't assured me that Yeah, That Vegan Shit's caramelised onion, cheddar and apple pizza was not gag-worthy, it would ha
ve remained a slightly icky blog memory. However, on their recommendation, Buzz and I resolved to dedicate our Friday night to odd pizza topping combinations and duly assembled the following ingredients: balsamic vinegar, capers, sundried tomatoes, garlic, red onion, Granny Smith apples, olive oil, pesto and balsamic vinegar? Sound heinous? So I thought.



So the beauty of this pizza is that the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic and red onions are combined from savoury, pungent individuals and alchemied into a sweet complex whole. The onions are caramelised (helped along by my genius addition of sweet balsamic reduction along with the balsamic vinegar), and the apples - tart, sweet, acidic - when baked take on a restful apple pie neutrality (did that sentence sound like a first year Arts Student's EngLit essay? I know it and you know it, but I stand by my confusing and analogy-heavy sentence) .

On attempt number one we used one and half onions, which once reduced provided only just sufficient, and two green apples - about enough but almost too much. We layered our pizza bases with King Valley Thai Basil Pesto (like Kristy, it was the only one available and at least three tablespoons made it directly into my tummy), and then spread the caramelised garlic and onions on top with a sprinkling of capers (which, let's face it, taste a little like bog scum). On top went thinly sliced apple, and, inspired by Cindy's layered approach, I alternated Cheezly White Cheddar and Nacho Cheese on top and sprinkled the remaining (after encountering my snacking) sundried tomatoes.



So, apple and onion go together like a horse and carriage. Yep they do . The onions are sweet, the apples are not, and on Saturday night we did it all again on pita bread bases.



This was a rockin' pizza - surprising but not strange, sweet but not sickly - and has encouraged me to become a Pizza Topping Superhero. boldly going where none have gone before (except the braverer bloggers).



6 comments:

lisa said...

Drooooooooling... I can't get enough caramelised onions at the moment. The rest of it looks pretty snazzy too ;)

x said...

Wow, it's certainly not a combination I would have thought of but your pizzas do look amazingly tasty enough that I *might* try it ;)

Léna, said...

when i saw this recipe on yeah that vegan shit it didnt really freak me out because my mum snacks on apples and cheese slices together all the time. i'll get around to making this pizza super soon.

also, HI MISS T!!!

Miss T said...

HI LENA!!!

Apples and cheese are awesome, and the onions just make it liek a Ploughman's Lunch only vegan and on a pizza base instead of a sanga!!!

Vicki said...

I made this last night - so awesome!!

Rose said...

This pizza looks mega mega good!