If you’re looking to use up some of your Italian frying peppers or Hungarian hot peppers from your garden, this meal is a great way! I like to use the smaller ones I have on hand and save the larger ones for stuffing.
Philly Cheesesteak Pizza
The following serves 4 (compliments of Food Network Magazine):
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 Italian frying pepper, thinly sliced (I used 3 medium-sized from my garden, which were also hot)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 lb shaved or very thinly sliced beef
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- 4 whole-wheat pocketless pitas or prebaked individual-size pizza crusts
- 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, or a mix of shredded mozzarella, provolone and parmesan
- 1/2 cup pickled sliced sweet or hot cherry peppers
Preheat the broiler. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and frying pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the parsley, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring, 1 more minute.
Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil. Place the pitas on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle each with 1/4 cup cheese. Top evenly with the beef mixture and the remaining 1 cup cheese.
Broil the pizzas until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Top with the cherry peppers and cut each pizza into quarters.
This Girl’s extras:
- I marinated the thinly sliced beef overnight in leftover juice and garlic cloves from a jar of garlic olives I had…next time save the brine/juice from your jarred olives and reuse it to brine/marinate meat
- I used 1 can of Pillsbury thin pizza crust instead of pita.
- Rather than cooking it all in the oven like the recipe says, I first grilled the pizza crust on both sides over medium heat until it was golden, then I cut it into squares.
- Next I placed the cut pieces on a pizza stone, topped each with the ingredients as listed above and then baked the pieces in the oven at 425 degrees until the cheese was melted and bubbly.
- I always serve homemade pizza with a little salad of mixed greens dressed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and garlic powder.
