mojito

Easy Naan Pizza and Savory Mojito Watermelon

~ Maren Anderson ~ Leave a comment

By Maren Anderson

It’s the eve of the 4th of July! Many of my friends have family plans tomorrow, a pizza party on the 3rd seemed like the perfect way to start the festivities.  I decided on a Americana Pizza Parlor theme…keeping in mind the cheese is French and the crusts will be Indian.

I’ve been wanting to use the last of the leftover scraps of Stone Wrap that I had from making Bunting.  This wrap is truly amazing, I cut it into strips and tied it in knots onto a braided jute, then attached it to my chandelier.  I swagged it across the distance from the light to the cabinet tops and windows.  It creates an intimate space, quite charming I think.

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As much as I love good food, I’m not a baker and I hate to heat up the oven in the Summer.  I do however love the broiler.  In lieu of all the hassle of pizza dough I decided to use naan as a pizza crust, Trader Joe’s Garlic Naan in particular.

Tai Pan Trading had these adorable pizza knives, sometimes the details really set off a theme.  There were many white ceramic serving pieces in the 50% off whiteware section; I ended up with a 3-section condiment dish, 2 round serving trays, and a rectangular dish for the naan to thaw before it was embellished and cooked. The kitchen area of the store was full of ideas, these linen placemats will be perfect for the 4th of July, Christmas, Valentines, and my pizza party.  It worked out brilliantly.

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It was a build-your-own-pizza kind of affair, a little chaotic but everyone had their name in chalk on their chalkboard mason jars from Tai Pan Trading and TPT Home, giving some order to everything.

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Caprese Naan Pizza

  • Garlic Naan or Plain Naan Thawed
  • Premium Mozzarella Cheese Log
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Bruschetta (Trader Joe’s) 3-4 Tbsp
  • Fresh Basil
  • Oil  and Balsamic Vinegar (sparingly)
  • Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

This combination is simple and easy.  I had a few other things on hand to add though: olives, marinated mushrooms, prosciutto & artichoke hearts.

Put the pizza combination on a pizza stone, cookie sheet, or oven safe ceramic plate or tray.  Broil in the middle of the oven for up to 5 minutes.  Keep an eye on it, broilers can cook things faster than we anticipate.

And Serve!  We used the cute pizza knives to cut our Naan pizzas, so everyone could try the various combinations.  The Pear, Brie, & Prosciutto pizzas were a fast favorite.

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Pear, Brie & Prosciutto Naan Pizza

This pizza combination took a little more prep work but it was a huge hit.

  • Garlic Naan Thawed
  • Sliced Pears, Caramelized in Brown Sugar
  • Bruschetta, 2 Tbsp
  • Prosciutto, torn into Small Pieces.
  • Sliced Brie Wedge, I used a lower fat version from Trader Joe’s.
  • Fresh Basil or Thyme, use sparingly.
  • Fresh Ground Pepper

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For a light and refreshing summer dessert, savory & sweet Mojito Watermelon is ideal.  It only takes a few minutes to cut the watermelon and toss the ingredients together.

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Mojito Watermelon

  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Lime Zest and 2 Tbsp of Lime Juice
  • 1 Tsp Sugar
  • Kosher Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper
  • 1/2 Small Watermelon, Rind discarded
  • 1/3 cup Torn Mint Leaves

Whisk oil, lime juice, and sugar together.  Season the mix with salt and pepper.  Pour over the watermelon and sprinkle in the mint, lime zest, add some sea salt to taste.