Herbed Cheese Pizza

I've been a subscriber to Cooking Light magazine for years. They have recently revamped their look and style. I'm loving it! The content is great and the pictures are fantastic. Come on, you know it's the pictures that suck you in!

I decided, on sight, that I had to make the Herbed Cheese Pizza. It looked delicious and I was fascinated by the addition of cumin on pizza. I did change the recipe slightly since I couldn't find Kasseri Cheese. According to some research, the cheese is similar to provolone in flavor, but is milder with a slight buttery taste. Kasseri is a versatile cheese that can be used for many purposes, such as grating, casseroles and grilling. Italian provolone can be used as a substitute.

I had some fresh mozzarella on-hand, so that is what I used. I also made my own "hot paprika" by mixing paprika and cayenne. Lastly, didn't have fresh parsley, but I had some basil in the garden, so that was what I minced to top the cooked pizza with.

There was also a recipe for pizza dough, but I had my Perfect Pizza Crust in the freezer, so that what was used! (If you haven't caught on yet, I pretty much always substitute something in a recipe....I refuse to run to the store for 1 thing!) I can't wait to make this pizza again! When I do, I will be going out of my way to find the Kasseri cheese...my curiosity has been peaked! As for the cumin, I thought it was great on the pizza and added a smoky element!

Herbed Cheese Pizza

Ingredients
Perfect Pizza Crust
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp hot paprika (I used 1/2 tsp of paprika and 1/2 tsp of cayenne)
3/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 tsp. salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 ounces sliced Kasseri Cheese (I used fresh mozzerella)
3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley (I used basil)


Directions
1. To prepare topping, combine oregano, cumin, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to pan. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, remaining black pepper, garlic, bay leaf, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf.
2. Preheat oven to 450
3. Roll dough to fit pizza stone
4. Top crust with tomato mixture, cheese, and oregano mixture.
5. Bake at 450 for 12 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.
6. Sprinkle evenly with parsley

Source: Cooking Light Magazine