Category: CSA (Page 3 of 3)

I never imagined I’d become fond of radishes.

This past week, we found a sizable bunch of radishes in our first Bluebird Gardens CSA box. I curiously nibbled a raw radish and wrinkled my nose when its sharp, spicy flavor hit my sinuses. After several attempts, I found that I enjoyed the radishes sliced into translucent half moons and tossed into salad. Then, I began to wonder what they would taste like on pizza.

On Sunday evenings, I’ve been baking flatbread pizzas in our oven. This week, we experimented with our CSA radishes; a vegetable neither of us had ever seen cooked, let alone added to pizza.

I shaved the radishes and placed them on top of flatbread layered with garlic and olive oil, fresh mozzarella, green onions, and thinly sliced pea pods. Then, I spread citrusy pea green salad on top of the radish pizza. The baking process rendered the shaved radish tender and much sweeter than its raw counterpart.

So far, my favorite flatbread recipe can be found as part of Saveur’s recipe for Lahmacun.  I’ve made the dough at least ten times and substitute honey for sugar and add extra water. The dough has to rise once, but is fairly simple to prepare, even on a weeknight. The texture and flavor remind me of Broders’ Cucina Italiana’s Fulton Flatbread.

Radish Pizza Topped With Tart Pea Green Salad

1. In a small bowl, mix the yeast with warm water and a couple squirts of honey. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes frothy.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt and form a hole in the middle. Pour in the bloomed yeast mixture and stir until dough forms.
3. Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Add more flour or water if the dry is too wet or dry.
4. Form the dough into a ball. Put a little olive oil in a bowl.  Put the dough in the bowl and rotate until the ball is coated in oil.  Cover and let rise in a warm location until doubled (about 1 hour).
5. When you are ready to make the pizza, cut the risen dough into two pieces. Roll each ball onto a floured surface until thin (about  1/8 inch thick). Place on a sheet pan covered with foil or parchment and add toppings.

1. Preheat oven to 450-475 degrees F.
2. Mix the grated or minced garlic with several tablespoons of olive oil. Flavor with salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes and combine.
3. Spread the flavored olive oil on the rolled-out pizza dough.
4. Top with mozzarella cheese, sliced green onions, shaved radish, and pea pods. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and lightly drizzle with a touch of olive oil.
5. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and flatbread is golden brown. Cool slightly.
6. Top the pizzas with a simple salad made from of fresh pea greens tossed with a little olive oil, lots of lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper.