Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: healthful snacks

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

No-Guilt Pizza Bites: A Healthful Snack Idea from Cleo Coyle #Vegetarian

One of the nice things about this tasty and healthful snack recipe is how well it adapts to the produce of late fall, winter, and spring.

🍅 When tomatoes are not in season, they’re often lacking in flavor. But even the blandest tomato can be transformed into something truly delicious with the simple addition of caramelizing heat. That's why I make these babies year round. So let's start cooking...

A Note from Cleo

Cleo Coyle has a partner in

crime-writing—her husband.

Learn about their books

by clicking here and here.

This snack idea came to me a few years ago while I was enjoying a delicious pizza bianca from a local pizzeria. The Italian cooks put fresh ricotta on the "white" pie, and I absolutely loved the sweet, fresh cheese. When paired with the bright flavor of roasted tomatoes in this recipe, it's a match made in culinary heaven.

You've heard of tater skins? Well, just think of these as tomat'er skins. May you eat with joy and in good health!

~ Cleo

🍅

No-Guilt Pizza Bites

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Cleo Coyle's

No-Guilt Pizza Bites

To make 8...

Ingredients:

4 plum tomatoes

1/2 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim)

Dried oregano (sprinkling)

Sea salt, to taste

(optional additions) dried basil, dried rosemary, or an Italian Seasoning mix

Grated finishing cheese like Pecorino Romano or Parmesan

Step 1 - Slice and prep tomatoes: I like to use plum tomatoes because they slice into little oval boats that remind me of potato skins. Roasting these babies will create a bit of a mess. To make clean up easy, simply line the pan with aluminum foil and coat the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Place the tomatoes on the foil and coat the them with non-stick spray, as well. (You won't need to add extra oil if you do this.)

Step 2 - Sprinkle on spices and salt: I use sea salt and plenty of dried oregano. Certainly dried basil and rosemary would be delicious, too. Or try a pre-made Italian Seasoning mix from the spice aisle, whatever evokes the flavor of pizza sauce.

Step 3 - Roast the tomatoes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and roast the tomatoes for at least an hour. Do not UNDER roast these babies. You are not simply baking them, you are roasting them to the point when they caramelize and become sweet. Trust me, I've done this many times. If you do not reach a point where the tomatoes' acidic nature transforms into something sweet (as you would taste in a well-cooked pizza sauce), the combo of ricotta and roasted tomato won't taste as good.

Step 4 - Finish with ricotta: Remove the sizzling, caramelized tomato halves from the oven. Plate them and add a tablespoon of fresh ricotta on top of each half. Garnish with another sprinkling of oregano (or Italian Seasoning mix) and your favorite salty, finishing cheese like Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, and...eat with joy!