Sometimes even the most pizza obsessed among us want something more… pizza adjacent. We want mozzarella and tomatoes and something hot, hot, hot from the oven, but also maybe a little less in your face than regular pizza. For those moments, I think what you want is a Dutch baby pizza.
The Dutch baby (also sometimes known as the Bismarck) is neither Dutch nor, fortunately, a baby. It is instead Germanic in origin and impressive in stature — a dish with the ta da! factor of popovers or crepes but without the fuss or stress. Thin batter is poured into a heated pan and baked at high heat, and in minutes, you've got a beautiful showstopper that's crunchy and eggy and light but not too light. And while Dutch babies are traditionally served sweet (I'm not complaining), they hold their own with any kind of savory spin you want to put on them. This means they are as comfortable on the breakfast table as the dinner one, as adaptable to a crowd as they are to the personal pie treatment.
I like this Dutch baby pizza in an easy to manage small portion, because it says "Dinner is served" when you don't even want to wait for takeout. The only trick is to show some restraint; this is a baby after all, it can't handle a heavy hand with toppings. Round this out with salad or a side of vegetables and you will be very well fed, any time you want. Sautéed, garlicky spinach here would be very Italian restaurant.
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Inspired by CBC Life and One Dish Kitchen
Dutch baby margherita pizza
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup of plum tomatoes, sliced
- 2 ounces of mozzarella, shredded
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon of butter, softened
- Salt, to taste
- Oregano and pepper, to taste
- Torn basil leaves
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Rub the butter all over a 6-inch cast iron skillet or similarly sized oven safe pan. Put it in the oven to heat up.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, salt and milk. Add the flour and whisk thoroughly. You can also mix everything in a blender.
- Remembering to wear your oven mitts, pull the skillet from the pan. Pour in the batter and then top with cheese, tomatoes and garlic.
- Bake until puffed up and golden, about 15 - 20 minutes. Top with torn basil. Serve immediately.
Cook's Notes
There are some clever souls who successfully make butter in a blender; I am not among them but perhaps you could be.
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