Portobella Pizza

paula

10 years ago

It is such a simple idea. I can not believe that I did not think of it sooner.

I had four wonderful looking, very large portobella mushroom caps. They were too lovely to slice into something else, but I was not exactly in the mood for a mushroom steak or burger either.

I had just closed my refrigerator’s doors hoping something for some divine intervention or a few penguins to appear (a rather obscure Cosby Show reference that I think of every time I or someone else stands with the refrigerator door open longer than to grab something out) when the idea struck…make them into mini “personal” pizzas.

It turns out that they make great mini pizzas for a family that loves pepperoni and mushroom pizzas. Plus, they are easy to make on the grill or in the oven.

As with any time you stuff mushrooms, an issue with using the portobella cap as the base of the pizza is the moisture that the cap naturally contains. Following a few simple tips can make your portobella pizza turn out better:
1. Clean the mushroom caps with a warm, damp towel instead of placing in/under any water.
2. Pre-cook your mushroom caps with the stem-side down to allow the moisture to release and run out.
3. Do not add salt directly to the mushroom. Salt will pull out more moisture.
4. Use just the minimum amount of olive oil to lightly coat the cap top and stem side.
5. Do not use toppings that have much water, ie. pineapple, canned artichokes.

Recipe: Portabella Pizza

Ingredients:

large portabella mushroom caps
olive oil
pizza sauce, thicker is preferred
shredded cheese
pepperoni slices

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F or heat grill.
Remove center and gills from the mushroom caps.
Clean mushroom caps with damp paper towel.
Lightly coat top of cap with olive oil.
If using oven, place place with top of cap tops facing up on a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.
If using grill, place with cap tops facing up on the grill just off the direct heat (if using charcoal).
Cook mushrooms until they are just tender.
Remove from oven/grill and allow to cool slightly.
Brush inside (gill side) very lightly, if desired.
Spread desired amount of sauce on the side that did contain the gills.
Top with desired amount of cheese and pepperoni.
If using oven, leave on rack on the baking sheet return to oven.
If using grill, return to grill and cover.
Cook until cheese has melted and mushroom reaches desired tenderness, about 10 minutes in the oven.

Notes:

Precooking the mushrooms allow the mushrooms to get tender and release some of their moisture…both are important to have a good final product.

You can add whatever toppings you desire. Any pizza topping works, but the ones with less less moisture seem to create a better end result. Fresh tomatoes and pineapple make for a watery pizza.