Pepperoni Pizza and Chipotle Avocado Cucumber Flatbreads
Homemade pepperoni pizza and flatbreads topped with a chipotle avocado-cucumber mash can be made from start-to-finish in 30 minutes. Perfect for times when you need a quick dinner, have a last minute party, especially football or Superbowl parties. The pizza has meatless sausages for the 50-yard line with mini pepperoni on the other yard lines, and the green flatbreads are the turf. They're also creamy, crunchy, with a slight chipotle kick and a perfect accompaniment to the gooey, easy, and cheesy pizza.
1 ¾cupsEnglish cucumberdiced (half of a large cucumber)
½cupdiced vegetablesoptional (bell peppers, red onion, olives, corn, or another favorite)
1tablespoonlemon or lime juice
1tablespoonchipotle seasoningor to taste (or a seasoning blend such as Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe's 21 Salute)
salt and pepperto taste
Instructions
Pepperoni Pizza - Preheat oven to 400F. Open can of pizza dough and unroll it onto a Silpat- lined or greased baking sheet or pizza stone. Press out dough into approximately a 15-by-10-inch rectangle. Spread red sauce over dough, leaving 1/2-inch margins near the edges bare. Top with cheese. Arrange meatballs in a vertical row going down center of pizza. Create four vertical rows of pepperoni on both sides of the sausage, for a total of 8 vertical and parallel rows. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden. Serve immediately.
Chipotle Avocado Cucumber Flatbreads - Preheat oven to 350F (note this is cooler than pizza-baking temperature). Open can of crescent rolls and unroll them onto a Silpat- lined or greased baking sheet. Arrange dough end-to-end to form one large rectangle, approximately 15-by-10-inches. It's okay if you have to tear or break a couple triangles in order to achieve one large piece of dough to fill the baking sheet; just pinch the seams together. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it over the entire surface using your fingertips. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden brown.
While the bread bakes, peel, pit, and mash 3 avocados (I prefer retaining chunkiness and texture and don't over-mash), placing the flesh into a medium bowl. Note that because avocado discolors and oxidizes after exposed to air, don't assemble the flatbread until right before serving it; however, pre-baking the dough a few hours in advance and having it ready to go and waiting to be topped is fine.
Add the cucumber, optional vegetables (I didn't include any of the optional suggestions), lemon juice, chipotle seasoning, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. Allow bread to cool for a few minutes before spreading mixture over the top. Slice into about 10 long strips, about 2-inches wide (or slice into triangles, squares, or other preferred shape) and serve immediately.