Ah, summer, the best season for what-grows-together-goes-together meals — and pizzas inspired by farmers' market displays. This pizza is a celebration of two underrated early summer veggies: garlic scapes and Hakurei turnips.
In case you've never heard of either of these summer veggies, let me drop a little farmers' market knowledge:
Garlic scapes are the thin, snake-like flower stems that grow out of hardneck garlic bulbs. For a short time in late spring and early summer, farmers snip off these stems to encourage the garlic bulbs to grow nice and plump underground. Then, the farmers sell the scapes at farmers' markets, allowing them to earn a little more from the garlic harvest — and allowing us to add this super-seasonal veggie to meals like this one. It's a true win-win!
Hakurei turnips are a Japanese turnip variety developed in the 1950s. They usually show up at the farmers' market in early summer with leafy tops, and their golf ball to baseball-size roots are buttery sweet and delicious raw or cooked.
In this pizza recipe, the garlic scapes become tender and sweet (think garlicky green beans) after a quick sear on the stove, the turnips add a peppery and buttery undertone, and those delicate micro herbs add color, crunch, and grassy, front-of-the-mouth flavor.
This one was so pretty that I couldn't stop taking pictures. I mean, just look at those garlic scapes. How could any pizza not be beautified by these twirly-whirly shoots?
Looking for more summer farmers' market pizzas? Give these a try:
- Chipotle Creamed Corn Pizza
- Pesto and Fresh Tomato Pizza
- Prosciutto and Cantaloupe Pizza
- Summer Garden Pizza
- Green Tomato Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Cheddar
- Ratatouille Pizza
- BLT Pizza with Garlic Scape Aioli
Garlic Scape Pizza with Hakurei Turnips and Pepperoni
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife
- Skillet
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Pizza peel (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the dough
- 5 garlic scapes, bud ends trimmed off
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- 4 ounces aged Gouda cheese, shredded
- 2 or 3 small Hakurei turnips, trimmed and very thinly sliced
- ¼ to ⅓ cup finely diced pepperoni
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful micro herbs or chopped fresh basil and/or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone/steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the garlic scapes in the hot skillet in a single layer, if possible, pressing them down so they lay flat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they are charred a little.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle, then transfer it to an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Brush the dough lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle on half of the cheese, then arrange the turnip slices on top, followed by the garlic scapes. Sprinkle with the pepperoni and the remaining cheese, and drizzle on half of the cream. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately drizzle with the remaining cream. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle on the micro herbs; slice and serve.
Alesha says
Sounds great! Wanna try it!