Naan starter for pizza
Naan is an Indian flatbread with a chewy texture and a puffed, slightly charred crust. Brushing the baking sheet with olive oil and then baking the naan on the lowest rack in a 400 F oven gives it a crispy texture — just like pizza crust. This recipe can be doubled. Follow this recipe with your kids.
PIZZA IN A FLASH
Servings: 1-2
Start to finish: 40 minutes (Active time: 10 minutes)
Equipment: Pastry brush, ruler, rimmed baking sheet, small spoon, oven mitts, cooling rack, spatula, cutting board, chef’s knife or pizza wheel.
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 (8-inch) naan bread 2 tablespoons pesto
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
To personalize your pizza, sprinkle a handful of your favorite toppings — in whatever combination you like — over the mozzarella. Some topping ideas: sliced bell peppers, pepperoni, sliced scallions, chopped olives, or dollops of goat cheese ricotta cheese.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 F. Use pastry brush to brush oil into 9-inch circle in center of rimmed baking sheet. Place naan on top of oil on baking sheet.
Use back of small spoon to spread pesto over naan, leaving ½-inch border around edge. Sprinkle cheese over pesto, then sprinkle tomatoes over cheese.
Place baking sheet in oven and bake until naan is golden brown around edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
Use oven mitts to remove baking sheet from oven (ask an adult for help). Place baking sheet on cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes.
Use spatula to carefully transfer naan to cutting board (baking sheet will be hot). Use chef’s knife or pizza wheel to cut naan into wedges. Serve. For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, go to https://www. americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Pesto Flatbread in “Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs.”