Ricotta & Rapini Pizza

Serves: 8
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz rapini (about 1/4 bunch)
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1/4 cup stone-ground whole-grain yellow cornmeal
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 26 1/2 oz boxed, jarred or BPA-free canned diced tomatoes, with juices (TRY: Pomi Chopped Tomatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 16 oz (1 lb) whole-wheat pizza dough
• 1/4 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, dry-packed
• 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese, strained through a double-layered cheesecloth-lined colander
• 3 tbsp low-fat fresh grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare rapini: In a medium pot, bring lightly sea-salted water to a boil. Trim 1 inch off the end of each rapini stem; immerse rapini into water and blanch for about 30 seconds. Drain and refresh in ice water and chop into 1-inch-long pieces. (NOTE: You should end up with about 2 cups rapini after blanching, draining and chopping.)
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Mist a large parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Dust sheet with cornmeal.
3. Prepare sauce: In a food processor, pulse garlic, tomatoes and juices, basil, salt and pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, toss rapini with lemon juice and pepper flakes.
5. With lightly floured hands, stretch dough to cover entire baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of sauce over top. Top with rapini, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until bottom is golden brown.

Nutrients Per Serving (1/8 pizza): Calories: 222, Total Fat: 5 g, Sat. Fat: 1.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g, Carbs: 34 g, Fiber: 6 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 11 g, Sodium: 247 mg, Cholesterol: 12 mg

Video: Ricotta and Rapini Pizza

Creamy ricotta, barely-blanched rapini, sharp Kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes top off Chef Jo’s 30-minute pizza!