~ Tomato-Basil Pita Pizza: My Favorite Snack Meal ~

Yesterday, a reader sent me an e-mail containing a comment and a cooking question, both of which "made my day".  I thought about using the question for my occasional ~ Culinary Q&A & Kitchen Therapy Too ~, which is Category 23 on this blog.  This is the place where, occasionally (always on a Friday), I feature and answer two or three questions I was asked that week.  Yesterday's comment is one that every food blogger looks forward to receiving, and, the question... it made me laugh out loud because:   while reading the e-mail, I was eating the answer!  Right then and there, I decided it deserved its own Kitchen Encounters blog post:

C.  Mike says:  I am 46, single, and tired of eating in restaurants and take-out.  I decided that if I was going to attempt cooking for myself, I was going to try to eat more vegetables and cut down on bread too.  Several weeks ago, I was looking on the internet for an easy recipe for chicken soup and that is how I found your blog.  I made a pot of GrandMa Ann's chicken soup and I loved it.  I made a second pot and froze some (just like you said to do).  I want you to know I subscribed to your blog, look forward to all of your posts and so do a few of my co-workers (at an autobody shop).

(Note:  My recipe for ~ Grandma Ann's Easy Chicken Vegetable Soup ~ can be found in Categories 2, 20 & 22.) 

Q.  Mike asks:  When I get home from work, its often late, 6:30PM, and I am usually starving, as well as tired. Can you recommend something, anything, that can be made very quickly, that will fill me up, to keep me from impulse eating a bag of chips?  Also, because I have no scheduled lunch break (the time changes on a daily basis), I almost always take a sandwich to work or order one.  Deli-meat is the last thing I want to eat at the end of the day.  Thanks for your help!

A.  Kitchen Encounters:  Mike this is your lucky day.  I'm going to show you how to make my all-time favorite snack meal.  It's what I eat at least three times a week.  One will stave off hunger for several hours, two are a meal, and, they can be assembled and baked in less than 10 minutes. And, as if that's not enough good news, they're made using fresh tomatoes and less bread too!

Mel's Tomato-Basil Pita Pizza:

~ Step 1.  Using a pair of kitchen shears, carefully cut around the top of and remove the tops from 1-2 pita pocket breads, to form a crust. If there are any small rips or tears in the bottom of the bread, use a small piece of the top to "patch it up" or "plug the hole".

~ Step 2.  I like to use grated provolone or smoked provolone cheese because of its flavor and its "stringy" consistency after it melts. Too tired to grate the cheese yourself?  A slice or two of provolone will do too!

~ Step 3.  Distribute a chiffonade of fresh basil leaves (thinly sliced basil) over the top.  I've used 4 large fresh basil leaves today. Don't have fresh basil on hand?  A sprinkling of dried basil leaves will do just fine!

~ Step 4.  Any kind of sliced tomato will do (store-bought too), as long as they're fresh... all tomatoes are great out of the oven.  

~ Step 5.  Top with a sprinkling of grated asiago or Parmigianno-Reggiano cheese and a light sprinkling of red pepper flakes:

~ Step 6.  Place 1-2 pita pizza(s) directly on the rack of the toaster oven.  Do not use a pan.

 

 

~ Step 7.  Toast, do not bake, until cheese is bubbly, about 6-7 minutes.

Remove from oven, drizzle with some EVOO, cool slightly and eat (sliced or whole) ASAP:

 

Tomato-Basil Pita Pizza:  My Favorite Snack Meal:  Recipe yields instructions to make as many pita pizzas as you want.

Special Equipment List:  kitchen shears; cheese grater; toaster oven

Cook's Note:  To read my grandson's version of this pizzalicious snack ~ David's Penn State Pita Pizza ~ click into Categories 2, 14, 17 or 20!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2012)

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Comments

[Marilyn Cummins]

Thanks Mel!
I knew you would know just what to do!
I'll get going on it..
Marilyn

[Kitchen Encounters]

Marilyn! This is such a great question -- I'm probably going to do a "how to" blog post about it, but in the meantime:

1) Scrub the skillet with a soft brush using dish detergent & hot water.
2) Follow up with a steel wool soap pad to remove any and all stubborn spots.
3) Rinse & dry thoroughly. Check for even a speck of remaining rust. Repeat above steps if you find any.
4) Using a paper towel, very lightly coat dry skillet with vegetable oil.
5) Place skillet upside down on rack of preheated 300 degree oven for 1 hour.
6) Turn heat off. Crack door and allow to cool to room temperature.
8) Skillet is ready to use. Continue to clean with hot water and a soft brush (no detergent).

~ Mel.
6)

[Marilyn Cummins]

Mel, I have a question about kitchen equipment. My cast iron skillet has rust spots on it. My friend washed it last weekend. Can I re-season it? Will it be safe to use now, or should I toss it. I use it for a pineapple upside down cake. My son is coming home this weekend for his birthday, and I would like to make this favorite cake for him. Many thanks!