Dessert Pizza

From EatingWell: March/April 1996, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004) — Subscribe Now!

Great for a party, this recipe is a trompe l'oeil. Raspberry sauce disguises itself as tomato sauce, dried strawberries as pepperoni and white chocolate plays the role of mozzarella cheese in this fruity pizza-style tart. The crust is a clever cottage cheese pastry—easy to make and low in saturated fat yet very rich and tender.

8 servings

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Crust

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cornmeal, for dusting
1 tablespoon milk
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar, divided

Toppings

1/2 cup Raspberry Sauce, (recipe follows)
1 cup diced pineapple
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and diced
1/4 cup dried strawberries, or dried cranberries
1 2-ounce block of white chocolate

Preparation

To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Puree cottage cheese in a food processor. Add sugar, oil, milk and vanilla and process until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and pulse 4 to 5 times, just until the dough clumps together. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and press the dough into a ball. Knead several times, but do not overwork. Dust with flour, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make Raspberry Sauce and prepare toppings.
To assemble & bake pie: Position oven rack at the lowest level; preheat to 400°F. Coat a 12-inch pizza pan or large baking sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cornmeal, shaking off excess.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Roll the dough back over a rolling pin and transfer to the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet. Finish the edges by turning them under. To glaze the border, brush it very lightly with a little milk and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar.
Spread the crust with Raspberry Sauce; scatter pineapple, kiwi and strawberries (or cranberries) on top. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake until the crust is golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm white chocolate in the microwave on Defrost until slightly softened but not melted, 20 to 40 seconds. Grate on a vegetable grater. (If the chocolate breaks into fine shreds, rather than large ones, continue to microwave, checking every 10 seconds.)
Sprinkle the grated chocolate over the hot pie; let stand until melted. Cut the pie into wedges; serve warm or at room temperature. makes 8 servings. per serving: 244 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 1 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 234 mg sodium.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour, lower in protein than regular whole-wheat flour, has less gluten-forming potential, making it a better choice for tender baked goods. You can find it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

Nutrition

Per serving: 244 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 2 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 239 mg sodium; 96 mg potassium.

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 other carbohydrate, 1 1/2 fat