Lebanese Margherita Lamb Pizza
Cuisines collide in this Lebanese Margherita Lamb Pizza! Straight out of the newly published cookbook, Modern Comfort Cooking written by Lauren Grier. This pizza is literally exploding with flavor. Whole wheat naan is topped with marinara, perfectly seasoned ground lamb, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. Baked until the crust is crispy and cheese is melty and golden.
Yield: 4 pizzas
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12-15
Total Time: about 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 cloves garlic, grated 1 pound ground lamb 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 pieces whole wheat naan 1-1/3 cups marinara 8 tomato slices 1-1/3 cup shredded mozzarella fresh basil, for serving red pepper flakes, for serving
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic and set it aside. Meanwhile, preheat a skillet to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. (note: I omitted the oil and cooked the lamb in the skillet, then drained the meat before adding the spices) Next, add the lamb, cumin, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, kosher salt and ground pepper. Using a wooden spoon, break up the ground lamb and incorporate all the spices. Continue to cook the lamb until it is no longer pink, or for about 5 minutes. Spray two baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray. Place 2 pieces of the naan on each baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush the garlic olive oil over the top of each naan. Next, spread 1/3 cup of marinara sauce on top of the garlic olive oil, leaving a thin border. Top the marinara with ground lamb followed by two tomato slices and 1/3 cup mozzarella. Repeat this process until all of the naan have been covered. Place the baking sheets into the oven to bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the naan cool slightly before slicing. Garnish with fresh bask and red pepper flakes.