The Veggie

It is 2014, and I am a red-blooded, meat-loving American girl. So Fridays during Lent (the day we're supposed to abstain from meat) are a little bit tricky. Thank goodness, pizza makes those Fridays a bit easier.

Enter: the veggie za.

This was the last pizza of Lent in 2014, and although some sausage or bacon would have made it even more delightful, it was still a stand-alone excellent pie. And with no meat in the picture, the prep is super simple.

Above the crust:

• About 1 cup pizza sauce 
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 1 roma tomato, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced and sautéed 
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced and sautéed
• About 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Making it:

• Place a pizza stone into a cold oven and turn the temperature to 500.
• Slice and chop all ingredients as necessary.
• Place the sliced tomatoes on one or two layers of paper towel to absorb some of the moisture out of them. Believe me, this helps keep your pizza from getting heavy, wet, and soggy. 

• Heat a skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of oil, and sauté the sliced onion and bell pepper for about 5 minutes, until soft.

• When the oven has reached 500 and the pizza stone is hot, carefully remove it from the oven so you can begin to assemble the za on top of it. I know, I know...some fancy people use a pizza paddle and can swiftly transfer the beautifully arranged za from paddle to oven in one fell swoop. Call me primitive, but in Gloria's kitchen, that's not how business is done. 
• Anyway, place your prepared pizza dough for the crust on top of the stone. Pop it back in the oven for about 2 minutes now if you want a crispier crust. If you prefer a chewier crust then just continue with the rest of the toppings immediately. 
• Start with the sauce, spreading it evenly all around the pizza. 
• Add the spinach next. Putting it on the bottom "layer" will keep it from getting burned and dried out in the oven. I've heard of kale chips, but I don't think crispy spinach is a thing yet. 
• Add on the tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers next. Top it with the cheese. If you're sad about a pizza that has no meat on it, dry your tears and add more cheese. 
• Back into the oven! Keep an eye on it, but it should take 7-10 minutes to cook this one. You'll notice when the crust is golden brown and the cheese is all melted. That's your cue to take it out of the oven.

Slice it! Serve it! Add some red pepper flakes or balsamic vinegar if you're feeling jazzy! Such fun.