Garlicky Sweet Potato Pizzas

For Christmas, this foodie was the excited recipient of a subscription to Local Fare. Because I suddenly had so many beautiful, fresh veggies when my first delivery arrived, I needed a recipe that could be prepped in a 15-minute break from the workday so I could begin enjoying healthy meals right away!

Now, as you may recall, I don’t cook very much. It has been known to end in disaster. But I was feeling brave enough to get back on the horse again, just as long as the recipe was stupid-simple. So if you’re a complete beginner in the kitchen, never fear! You can totally create these, too. They are delicious, healthy-ish, low-carlorie, and vegetarian, if that is important to you.

To skip my blathering and go straight to the recipe, click here.

Sweet and Savory Dilemma

Because I cannot tolerate the combination of sweet and savory (no pineapple pizza, honey ham, or syrup-drenched bacon for me!), I decided to separate the sweet potatoes and make something with them alone. I usually avoid sweet potatoes simply because of the sweet-and-savory thing. (I’ve usually avoided them in desserts, too, because something about potato-y desserts weirds me out, but I’m getting over that particular hangup lately.) But I knew they could be prepared in ways that understate the sweetness. What I needed, I thought, was cheesy goodness and plenty of salt.

Summa Salts

Enter Vampire Killer by Summa Salts, a local company started by a friend of mine and his wife who have a salt garden in their back yard. This robust blend of sea salt, garlic, and chives–a staple in our home–was sure to do the trick!

Getting Creative

After my trip to Fort Benton in 2022, I bought myself some za’atar, which I have had few occasions to use since. A good sniff told me this just might be the perfect opportunity. It was worth a shot, at least!

We’ve all seen the memes of people’s ancestral spirits telling them when to stop shaking on the seasoning. I don’t have those, but by now I have learned to apply seasoning until it “feels right” rather than relying on any set measurement. (Except in baking. Don’t try this in baking, or so I’ve heard.) This was terrifying at first, but so freeing after I decided to just let go.

Results

I can’t even describe how delicious these were. Despite the lack of tomato sauce, they tasted like soft, squishy little pizzas (hence the name) with the thinnest crust imaginable. The mozzarella, garlic, and parsley gave them that main pizza vibe. And something about the combo of the “sweet” from the sweet tomato, mixed with the za’atar, seemed to fill in where the tomato flavor was missing. The overall effect was a sweetness that was minimal and understated, just like I wanted! And the way the knife just sank right into them was so enticing. Especially after learning how tough they were when I halved them at the beginning. Shockingly, I would call this latest attempt in the kitchen a huge success!

So without further ado, here is the recipe.

Recipe

PREP: 10 minutes; COOK: 30 minutes; TOTAL: 40 minutes

SERVES: 4 people (or enjoy as a meal for 1)

CALORIES: ~162 per quarter

INGREDIENTS

• 2 whole sweet potatoes
• 1/8 cup melted butter
• Summa Salts Vampire Killer salt (or other garlic salt) to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Za’atar to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425°F and line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Snip off the tips of the potatoes and slice lengthwise. Brush the insides (or cut sides) with butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and za’atar to your heart’s content. Flip them all cut-side down (skin-side up) and repeat. (Make sure to completely cover the skin with the butter.)
2. Bake skin-side up for 25 minutes or until they are golden brown and the flesh is tender.
3. Remove from the oven and flip to cut-side up. Top with the mozzarella, then the parsley, and sprinkle just a bit more salt, pepper, and za’atar. (If you’re like me, you may want to add extra cheese–just remember this will impact the calorie count quickly!)
4. Switch the oven settings to broil on low and put back in for 3 minutes. Serve warm.

And because I can’t at all take credit for this, here’s the original recipe I modified from Karina at Cafe Delites. It’s funny–I was so focused on the instructions, I didn’t notice she had based them on garlic bread! Maybe that’s why I was thinking of pizza.