Quinoa Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2 cups white quinoa
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 can (800 g) of canned whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 0.5 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt

Toppings

• 1 tbsp. grated hard mozzarella
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 60 g thin slices of pepperoni
• 1/4 cup large basil leaves

Preparation:

1. Cake:
   
   Place the quinoa in a bowl and cover with water to a depth of about 2 cm. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
   
   Sauce:
   
   Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and cook until golden around the edges, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup water, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside while you make the crust.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), placing a pizza stone or an upside-down baking sheet on the bottom rack. Drain the soaked quinoa and rinse thoroughly. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper with olive oil. Place the quinoa in a food processor with the olive oil, baking powder, salt, and 2/3 cup water and pulse until smooth and thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and bake on the hot pizza stone until completely set, 12-15 minutes.
3. Invert the cake onto the baking sheet and remove the parchment. If the cake is sticking, run a knife around the edge to loosen it. Bake until the top and edges are crisp, about 5 more minutes.
4. Spread the sauce on the pizza crust, almost to the edges. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and arrange the pepperoni slices on top. Tear basil leaves and scatter them over the pizza. Bake on the top rack of the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve. You can also pizza on a crispy rice crust, with meat and kimchi in Korean style.