Entertaining for my friends is one of my absolute favorite hobbies–but I don’t love a lengthy grocery store list and recipes that take 45 minutes each to prepare. So naturally, my mind goes to pizza, because, who doesn’t love pizza? It’s amazing. The only problem with pizza is that it’s rather unimpressive when you’re hosting a group of peeps. Or at least we thought.
I pulled from a few recipes and was able to create 4 different pizzas that each use 4 ingredients or less.
But first, we need to talk about crust. A bad crust can be like chewing a piece of cardboard, and can totally ruin a pizza, even if what’s on top is amazing. Making your own crust sounds fun, but it’s actually not. It’s annoying and makes a filthy mess. There’s a pre-made crust that’s new, and it’s amazing. It’s called Brooklyn Bred.
It comes in a 2 pack (from Giant, on a rack in the frozen section) and it’s $4 for 2 pieces, which makes 16 slices of pizza. Go buy it.
1. Brisket Pizza with White Cheddar and Horseradish Raspberry Chutney
Ingredients: 1/2 pound of brisket or chuck roast; shredded 1 block of extra sharp white cheddar 1 small jar of black raspberry preserves 1 tablespoon of horseradish 1 slice of Brooklyn Bred (or store bought crust)
Directions:
Throw the beef into a crock pot on low for about 8 hours. I also toss a can of Lager or Guinness in there too, with some salt. Once it’s cooked, thinly slice the white cheddar and put it on the crust, then layer on the shredded beef. Mix the raspberry preserves with a spoonful of horseradish sauce and spoon small amounts onto the pizza. Cook at 375 for 15 minutes. Cut in triangles.
2. Pesto, Parmesan and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula and Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients: 1 Slice of Brooklyn Bred (or store bought crust) 1 jar of pesto ½ cup of shredded parmesan cheese ¼ pound of prosciutto, cut up Fresh arugula Balsamic glaze
Directions:
Use about 2/3 of the pesto on the crust, then cover in shredded parmesan. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Immediately after removing from the oven, place the cut prosciutto on top of the pizza and cut into triangles. Then place arugula over the cut pizza and drizzle on balsamic glaze.
3. Pizza with Goat Cheese, Nectarines, Basil and Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients: 1 Slice of Brooklyn Bred (or store bought crust) Crumbled goat cheese 2 fresh nectarines, sliced thin Fresh basil, chopped Balsamic glaze
Directions:
Put half of the goat cheese on the crust, and then layer on the thinly sliced nectarines and chopped basil. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, then remove and sprinkle on the remaining goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and cut into triangles.
4. Brie and Pear Pizza with Rosemary and Honey
Ingredients: 1 slice of Brooklyn Bred (or store bought pizza crust) 8 ounces brie cheese 1 bosc pear, thinly sliced Fresh rosemary, de-stemmed
Directions:
Cut the brie into small chunks and evenly spread them out on crust. Place thin slices of the pears throughout and sprinkle on the rosemary. Cook at 375 for 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into triangles and drizzling with honey.
There you go! 4 pizzas, 16 ingredients, only about $50, and you have a classy pizza party for 8. Enjoy!
