Greek Lamb Pizza

Feta.  Roasted red pepper.  Oregano.  Savory meat.  Yogurt.  An entire head of garlic.  I eat at least something in this list on a daily basis, which is probably why I love Greek food.  It can be from a street cart or a la carte, just as long as it is filled with the overwhelming flavors that leave my breath so pungent, Altoids turn back in fear.  But in addition to its deliciousness, this cuisine is also very near and dear to the hubs and I for one other very important reason:  it's what he made me for dinner the night he proposed.  So every time we enjoy Greek food, it is with two cheshire-like smiles spread across our faces (in addition to a smear of yogurt).  And this Greek Lamb Pizza may be our best interpretation yet.

Now I've met a lot of people who have never tried lamb.  But as for us, we love it.  It's flavor is mild and gamey while the texture is incredibly soft and tender.  It's best when cooked mid-rare, but is still tasty cooked to mid-well.  Basically, it's roasted or grilled deliciousness...and that pretty much sums it up!  So if you've been thinking about giving it a go, I cannot urge you strongly enough to do so. And if you find you don't like it, dibs on your leftovers.

We have been on a crazy pizza kick as of late.  I've been trying all sorts of doughs, sauces, toppings and proteins.  But of all the combos I came up with, this is our hands-down favorite....perhaps ever.  It is insanely tasty, and even better the next day (after all, a pizza isn't good unless it's still awesome as leftovers).  After the hubs made a delicious hazelnut crusted lamb roast (*gloat*) we decided to use the leftover meat on a Greek-inspired pizza.  Holy cow, what a good idea.  In order to keep the meat from overcooking, we started the pizza without it and then added it during the last few minutes of cooking time.  And it turned out perfectly.  A few minutes was all it took to heat the lamb through, so keep that in mind when you try this out.

But let's also talk about what we've got going on under that lamb, because it's definitely worth writing about (*a-hem*...blog).  Remember all those delicious foods I listed above?  Welp, they're all here.  With a garlic and olive oil sauce, roasted red pepper strips, crumbly feta, sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and a yogurt drizzle, you could nix the lamb, rock your dough herbivore-style and still have an amazing dish.  We loved this pizza so much, we had to resist the temptation to eat it in one sitting with a great Washington Syrah.  But happily, fresh baked Rolo Walnut Blondies tempted the hubs away.  One piece was wrapped up for lunch a few days later, at which time it totally passed the leftovers test.

To our surprise, the hubs and I both agreed that the best part of the dish was the yogurt drizzle.  Completely essential.  With its extra richness, you would never guess  that you're eating a low-fat, healthy pizza.  Its added tang and cool creaminess took the pizza to the next level. The sauce recipe makes way too much for this pizza, but the leftover spread is really yummy on wraps and burgers (again with the leftovers...)

So go Greek and eat a pizza.  Just be sure to eat it with your loved one...the garlic and all.


Greek Lamb Pizza (serves 2)

• 1 Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1/2 c chopped greens (kale and spinach are our favorites)
• 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 c roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c reduced fat feta
• 1/2 c reduced fat mozzarella, shredded
• 1 c roast lamb, cubed

For the yogurt sauce:

• 2 oz plain Greek yogurt (we used fat free)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne 
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Begin by making the yogurt sauce.  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix together well.  Add 1-3 tablespoons of water until the yogurt is thin enough to drizzle.  Cover and set in the refrigerator while you make your pizza.

Place a pizza stone or pan in the oven and pre-heat to 500 degrees.  

Lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter and sprinkle with cornmeal.  Spread the dough out to desired thinness, around 12 inches in diameter.  Mix the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl and brush over the crust.  Top with the chopped greens, halved tomatoes and roasted red pepper strips, spacing the ingredients evenly across the dough.  Sprinkle with the feta and mozzarella.  

When the oven is hot, pick up the parchment paper under the pizza and set it directly on the pre-heated pan.  Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees and cook for 6-7 minutes.  The crust should be just starting to turn golden around the edges.  Pull out the pizza and sprinkle the lamb evenly over the top, then insert it back into the oven.  Bake for an additional 3 minutes until the crust is nicely browned.  Remove and drizzle with the prepared yogurt sauce.  Serve hot with a side salad and a great glass of red wine.