Rainbow Chard, Spring Onion, Sweetcorn and Pepperoni ‘Pizza’

I tried to grow rainbow chard this summer.  It had obviously been watching the Olympics this summer because it bolted.  Immediately, not pausing for breath, it simply sprinted right past edible and grew gloriously tall.  Which was a shame as I was very much looking forward to trying it.

Happily, I found some from the local organic vegetable stand at York Farmers’ Market so I grabbed myself a bunch (and also some tips for next summer, more nitrogen apparently) and, vaguely remembering a recipe over on Smitten Kitchen, I decided that pizza was on the menu that night.  I grabbed some local pepperoni (amazing amazing pepperoni, so nuanced I was instantly smitten and I don’t even like pepperoni!)

I mean, just look at it, isn’t it beautiful?  As far as flavour goes, I am very willing to admit that it’s a leafy green vegetable.  It’s good but it didn’t set my world on fire.  However, I have very low iron levels so I need all the leafy green veg I can get and I am always willing to eat something simply because it’s pretty!

Makes 2

250g strong white bread flour
1 tsp fast action yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
150ml warm water
knob of butter
200g rainbow chard, sliced into ribbons
4 tbsp creme fraiche
4 spring onions, sliced
2 tbsp sweetcorn
1/2 block ‘greek salad cheese’ or feta
pepperoni

– Place the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and mix.
– Make a well in the centre and add the oil and water.
– Mix until it forms a dough then turn out to knead on a floured worksurface for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
– Place in an oiled bowl and cover, in a draft free place, and leave for one hour or until doubled in size.
– Knock it down and divide the dough into two.
– Shape each ball of dough into a roundish pizza shape and place on a baking tray.
– Cover with a teatowel and leave in a warm palce to rise for half an hour.
– In the meantime heat the oven to gas mark 7/210C.
– In a large frying pan, preferably with a lid, heat some butter until just browning.
–  Add the chard, with a sprinkle of salt, and stir a little to coat with the butter.
– Turn down to a low heat and place the lid on.  Cook for 5 minutes until the chard is wilted.
– Place half of the creme fraich on each pizza and spread out to the edges.
– Add the cooked chard and then the other toppings.
– Place in the oven on the top two shelves and bake for 25 minutes, swapping trays over after 10 minutes.

(I apologise for the fuzziness of some of the photos, I’m having resizing/uploading/rotating issues.  I’ve identified the problem for the future but can’t seem to fix the ones I’ve already done!)

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