Mediterranean Tortilla Pizzas

from The Everyday Vegan: Recipes and Lessons for Living the Vegan Life
Dreena Burton
For those who strive to incorporate vegan elements, for
health or personal reasons, into their everyday life, Dreena Burton provides some suggestions on how to transform into a vegan mindset. With simple instructions, shopping lists and personal tales it is a good introduction to becoming a vegan.

These pizzas are perfect for thin-crust lovers (like me!) The tortilla shells get nice and crispy, and the toppings are chunky and zesty.

If you don't have time to roast peppers, slice them fresh and soak for 10-15 minutes in 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. They will absorb some of the vinegar which imparts a nice flavour to the pizzas.

4 large tortilla shells
1 1/4 cups pasta sauce
1 156-ml can tomato paste (roughtly 1/2 cup)
1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped or torn
3 whole bulbs roasted garlic (for tips on roasting garlic, see p. 33)
1/3 cup shallots or red onions, finely minced
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted and chopped
2 170-ml jars marinated artichokes (about 1 1/4 cups),
drained, patted dry, and sliced in half
3 roasted peppers, skins removed and sliced
(for tips on roasting peppers, see p. 33)
2 - 2 1/2 tbsp rice/soy parmesan (optional)
fresh black ground pepper to taste
fresh parsley or basil (garnish) (optional)
olive oil (for finishing) (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. On two baking sheets, place tortilla shells and bake for 8-10 minutes (rotate sheets halfway through) until lightly golden and crispy. Watch shells closely, they can burn quickly. Remove from oven to cool. Mix pasta sauce with tomato paste and basil, and spread over the cooled tortillas. Squeeze roasted garlic from bulbs. Spread garlic, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and red peppers over each shell, and sprinkle with optional rice/soy parmesan. Season with black pepper to taste. Return to the oven and bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes (again rotating the trays halfway through), until toppings start to lightly brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with optional fresh herbs and basil if desired.

Makes 4 pizzas.

For 4 pizzas, per pizza: Calories, 462; Total Fat: 9.5 g (Sat. Fat 1.1 g); Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrate 78.6 g; Fibre: 10.8 g; Protein 14.3 g.

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