Yellow pepper, Gruyère and pine nut pita pizza

This is a fun dish, and frankly, I was quite surprised to see it is a formal French cookbook by the great Pepin.

This is a lovely and fun recipe. The pita base is crisp and a good substitute for the regular pizza base. I love the contrasting flavours of the yellow peppers, the olives and the cheese that holds it all together. This is a lovely snack and perfect for those hungry kids from school. I also serve it as an appetizer for casual parties, and they are always popular.

Essential Pepin has been a heavy tome in this celebrity chef's work over the decades. The book is loaded with recipes from this simple dish to more complex classics. For those who like and want to get into French cuisine, this is a lovely starter book, one that is essential for any kitchen.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow pepper, finely diced

6-8 black olives, quartered, oil-cured, preferred

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 scallions, minced finely

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt, to taste

A generous sprinkling of pepper

1/2 cup grated Gruyère, Emmenthaler, or Parmesan cheese

Pizza bases

Heat an oven to 375° F with a rack on the centre shelf.

Heat the pizza bases on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in the oven until cooked and golden, about 2-3 minutes. Remove and cool. I prefer to do this step; otherwise, the pizza bases can remain raw and uncooked under all the toppings for the pizza, making them soggy.

Top the pizza bases with yellow peppers, olives, pine nuts, and scallions. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Top with grated cheese.

Put back in the oven for 10-14 minutes till the cheese is melted and browned. Remove and allow to cool for 1 minute. Serve.