We go through a
lot of pizza in this house. Sometimes,
we order it for a meal. But most likely,
it serves as a late night snack for the teenagers who gather at my home after
their various after-school jobs.
There are rarely
leftovers, but every once in a while, I open the refrigerator and find a few
slices carelessly stuffed into a zip bag. After a few days, I usually wind up throwing it away. But recently,
while cruising recipe sites, I found a recipe for pizza breakfast casserole. It
was the perfect solution to those pizza leftovers!
Of course, the
flavor will vary depending on the type of pizza used, and if the leftover is
merely pepperoni pizza (the standard choice at my house), you may want to add
some vegetables to increase the nutritional benefits and enhance the
taste. At any given time, I may add extra pepperoni, red peppers, spinach, onions, asparagus, artichokes, mushrooms, tomatoes, bacon, chicken, Italian sausage, or ground turkey.
The type of crust in the pizza may also impact the result. We order hand-tossed crusts, which tend to be thick. They absorb the custard mixture well. You may find that thinner crusts are less absorbent, and there may be a need to reduce the amount of liquid.
Here is my recipe for using leftover hand-tossed, pepperoni pizza.
Pizza
breakfast casserole
3-4 slices leftover
pepperoni pizza
¼ c. diced onion
¼ c. diced red
bell pepper
¼ c. chopped
spinach
Optional: Diced Jalapeno pepper
4 eggs
1 c. Half and Half
3 TB. melted
butter
2 cloves roasted
garlic, mashed
1 tsp. Italian
seasoning
8 oz. pkg,
shredded Italian mix or mozzarella cheese
Salt and red
chili flakes to taste
Shredded Parmesan
cheese
Preheat the over to
350 degrees. Spray a 9” x 9” baking dish
with cooking spray, or if desired, brush with olive oil.
Cut the pizza
slices into squares, approximately two by two inches in size. Arrange them on the bottom of the baking dish
and set aside.
In a large bowl,
mix together the eggs, Half & Half, cheese, vegetables, melted butter, garlic,
and seasonings. Combine until the eggs
are completely mixed with the Half & Half.
Pour the mixture over the pizza slices and top with grated Parmesan
cheese. (If desired, more pepperoni, Italian
seasoning or crushed red pepper flakes may be sprinkled on top.) Cover the
dish with foil, and let it sit about an hour.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking until the eggs are set, approximately
15 minutes. Let cool slightly before
serving. If desired, garnish with fresh
basil or spinach.
Pizza breakfast casserole, deconstructed!
3-4 slices leftover pepperoni pizza
>Fat alert: All that cheese and sausage makes pizza high in fat. But there are options. Use a pizza without fat-laden sausage or pepperoni, or with a low-fat cheese.
>Health alert: Pizza crusts contain flour. If this is a dietary concern, many options are now available, including gluten-free crusts, or crusts made with corn, whole grain, or rice flour.
>Health alert: Pizza is topped with cheese, a dairy product. If dairy products pose a dietary concern, the cheese may be replaced with a dairy-free, vegetable- based cheese.
>Ingredient alert: This recipe was designed for wheat flour crusts. Crusts made with alternative flours may require more or less liquid to achieve the desired results. You will need to experiment to determine whether an adjustment to the amount of liquid is required.
¼ c. diced onion
¼ c. diced red bell pepper
¼ c. chopped spinach
Optional: diced Jalapeno pepper
4 eggs
>Health alert: If eggs are a dietary concern, egg whites or an egg substitute may be used.
>Ingredient alert: Certain egg substitutes may affect the texture of this casserole. It may be necessary to adjust the amount of liquid to achieve a satisfactory result.
1 c. Half and Half
>Fat alert: Half & Half is high in fat. However, reduced-fat or fat-free versions are avaiable.
>Health alert: Half & Half normally contains dairy products. If this is a dietary concern, dairy-free substitutes are now available.
3 TB. melted butter
>Fat alert: Butter is fat. If this is a dietary concern, a light butter, margarine, or vegetable shortening may be used.
>Ingredient alert: Butter provides flavor in this recipe. A substitute may affect the flavor, and additional salt or seasonings may be required.
2 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
>Fat alert: Cheese is high in fat, but reduced-fat varieties are available. In the alternative, the amount used may be reduced.
>Health alert: Cheese is high in salt. Low-sodium varieties are available. In the alternative, the amount used may be reduced.
>Health alert: Cheese is a dairy product. If this is a dietary concern, vegan substitutes are available. However, check the product labels carefully. Many vegan varieties are high in fat.
Salt and red chili flakes to taste
Shredded Parmesan cheese
(See the notes on cheese above.)
(Follow the instructions above.)
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