Matcha Pesto & Radishes
Matcha & Parmesan pesto, goat cheese, roasted kohlrabi with kelp chili salt, fresh radishes, hazelnuts
I love the combination of roasting the kohlrabi and keeping the radishes fresh on this pizza. Roasting brings out the mild, sweeter flavors of the kohlrabi, which is a great contrast with the sharp bite and crunch of the fresh radish slices. As for the pesto—matcha is super good for you, but flavor-wise, it's not for everyone. This pesto uses just a hint of it (though feel free to adjust depending on your preferences) combined with traditional pesto ingredients, so it's a good way to dip your toes in and see if you like matcha without going overboard.
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ball of pizza dough
flour for dusting
semolina flour for pizza stone
olive oil
salt & pepper
3-5 radishes (we used Easter egg radishes, but use whatever you prefer), thinly sliced (on a mandoline if you have one)
1 log goat cheese, crumbled
2 bulbs kohlrabi, peeled, trimmed & cut into wedges
handful of hazelnuts
kelp chili salt (feel free to sub another flavored salt, or just use regular salt & a pinch of chili powder)
For the pesto:
1/2 cup cashews
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 garlic clove
1 bunch basil
1/2 teaspoon matcha
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
juice & zest of 1/4 lemon
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375° F. On a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle kohlrabi with oil and sprinkle with the chili salt. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until tender and browned.
Meanwhile, combine all the pesto ingredients (except the oil) in a food processor and blend, slowly pouring in the olive oil while processing. Season with salt & pepper to taste, adjusting any of the other ingredient amounts as needed.
When the kohlrabi is done, increase the oven temperature to 550° F, or as hot as it will go, and begin to prepare your dough using the instructions on the right. After you've baked it for a minute, take it out and brush it lightly with olive oil.
Spoon out an even layer of the pesto, followed by dollops of goat cheese & the roasted kohlrabi. Sprinkle some hazelnuts on top and pop it in the oven. Bake until the cheese is melty and the crust is a nice golden brown. Then take it out, top with the fresh radish slices and enjoy!