Beet Pesto With Goat Cheese

Do you like beets? Yeah, me neither. Mix them with some garlic, a touch of lemon, and pine nuts, and throw them on a pizza? Count me in. You’ll still get a touch of beet flavor, but only the best of it. The sweetness of the beets mixes seamlessly with the pine nuts and lemon juice and pairs beautifully with creamy goat cheese for a delightfully colorful pie.

Equipment

Solo Stove Pi Prime

Bamboo Peel

Stainless Steel Turner

Infrared Thermometer

Ingredients

Dough balls

2 Medium-sized fresh beets, roasted

3 Cloves of garlic, roasted

1/2 Cup of pine nuts, toasted

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/2 Cup of fresh basil leaves

1/4 Cup of fresh parsley leaves

1/3 Cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 Cup of shredded parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Additional Toppings:

1 ½ C low-moisture, whole milk mozzarella, shredded

⅓ C Goat Cheese

4 Leaves fresh basil

Olive Oil (for garnish)

Making The Beet Pesto:

1 - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Trim off the beet leaves, wash and pat dry the beets, then wrap each beet and the garlic cloves individually in foil. Place them on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about an hour, or until they are tender and fully cooked. Once they're done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.

2 - While the beets are cooling, toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat (approx. 3-5 mins). Stir them frequently to prevent burning and remove them from heat once they are toasty and aromatic.

3 - Peel off the skins once the beets are cool enough to handle. They should come off easily with your fingers.

4 - Add the roasted beets, roasted garlic, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, fresh basil, parsley, and shredded parmesan cheese in a food processor.

5 - Blend the ingredients until they are combined but still have a bit of texture. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times to ensure everything is well incorporated.

6 - While the food processor runs, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. This will help to bind the ingredients together and create a smoother texture. Continue to process until everything is well combined.

7 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remember, the parmesan cheese is already quite salty, so you might want to taste it before adding additional salt.

Build Your Pizza:

1 - Stretch your dough to your desired size (Pi and Pi Prime can handle up to 13” pizzas).

2 - Spread the beet pesto evenly over the crust, leaving ½” around the entire edge to form the crust.

3 - Evenly sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.

4 - Add chunks/pieces of goat cheese evenly around the pizza.

5 - Now you’re ready to cook. Bake your pizza for approximately 90 seconds.

Garnishing Your Pizza:

1 - Once it has been cooked, remove the pizza from the oven and add basil leaves evenly around the cheese.

2 - Drizzle olive oil across the top of the pizza.

3 - Finish with a light dusting of chopped roasted pine nuts (optional).