One Great Pizza Recipe! Tofu & Cheese Curd Pizza

Everybody loves Pizza. This dish that was once considered as food for the poor is now an icon in the food scene. During the 16th century, it was sold in the street of Naples, Italy and was not thought of as a kitchen recipe for some time. By the end of 18th century, it was now being sold in Pizzerias located in the heart of Naples.

Today, there are countless variations to this popular dish; some with different crusts ranging from the super-thin to the inch-thick pan pizza crust; traditional toppings like Mozzarella, basil and tomatoes used in-tandem with more creative ingredients like tofu, cherries, pineapple and a lot more, are now common in Pizzerias found around the world.

Although traditional Neapolitan Pizza only calls for the classic toppings, one should not limit oneself in using all sorts of ingredients. However, there are certain ingredients, like cheeses, that should not be disregarded since these make up the qualities of a great pizza.

Quality cheeses are essential when cooking pizza. The most versatile cheese topping would have to be Mozzarella, prized for its high fat content and “stringy” quality; though other cheeses like Cheddar and Gouda can be mixed in to create a unique variation. In fact, one popular variety, the Four-cheese Pizza, utilizes four different types of cheeses.

The Tofu and Cheese Curd Pizza recipe below is a very unique and enticing approach to this dish. It has a light but creamy texture, perfect when served as a starter or appetizer

Tofu and Cheese Curd Pizza
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 piece Frozen Pizza Dough, medium size
• 1/2 Cup Tomato sauce, low-sodium
• 1 piece Green bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 piece White Onion, cut into rings
• 1 piece Tomato, ripe, cut into rings
• 1 Tbsp Fresh basil
• 1 Tbsp Fresh oregano
• 1 piece Green bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 piece White Onion, cut into rings
• 1 piece Tomato, ripe, cut into rings
• 6 pieces Black olives, pitted and sliced
• 1 Cup Cheese Curds, drained
• 1 1/2 Cups Tofu, drained and cubed
• 1/2 Cup Mozzarella cheese, low-fat, shredded

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400 - 425F. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and layer the pre-made pizza crust.

2. Apply a thin layer of tomato sauce to the pizza crust. Then, layer the tomatoes, onion, green bell pepper, basil, oregano and olives. Top evenly with the cubed tofu, cheese curds and mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake for about 10 – 12 minutes or until surface is brown and crust is crisp. Serve immediately.

Cooking Tips:
- For a crunchy texture, fry the tofu in canola oil until golden brown before topping on pizza.
- When a deep-fried cheese curd is preferred, dredge in flour or batter then deep-fry before using as pizza topping.
- Use firm tofu instead of silken since the latter will cause the pizza to be mushy.
- Make sure to dry both the cheese curds and tofu since these are very watery and will cause your pizza to sog. Drain for at least 3 hours then pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- Substitute cheese curds with cottage cheese if unavailable.

-Written by Gab Castellano