foodie fridays: barbecue chickpea pizza

I am feeling peppy today.

Peppy, with a capital P.

Not quite sure why. Hmmm.

List of things that can make someone peppy in 2.2 seconds:

– Red Bull: “Is it me or does Red Bull sponsor everything? Rosetta Stone, brought to you buy Red Bull.”
– Five Hour Energy: “I wonder what would happen if they made Six Hour Energy?”
– Big Gulps: “Can only be drank filled with a suicide collection of soda from the fountain.”

No. I don’t think it’s any of those. What could it be then?

Wait.

I know.

P-I-Z-Z-A!

You’re probably wondering why on earth would I be so peppy about pizza. Friends, let me fill you in a little secret.

(whispered voice) – Chickpeas.

Gasp!

What? Chickpeas? On a pizza? Oh yes. I found the recipe over at Eat Live Run the other day because I was fretting about what to make for Foodie Fridays this week. Whoops. Sometimes life just gets in the way. Anyways, I wanted to make a savory dish.

After searching Jenna’s recipes, which by the way, never look at a food blog when you’re starving. It’s like going to the grocery when you haven’t eaten in three days.

Under the Main Dish headline I found this dish titled Barbecue Chickpea Pizza and was immediately curious.

Well, my curiosity zoomed to a full 10. Really, chickpeas? So off I went in search of the six ingredients I would need. My shopping trip lasted a whole ten minutes because instead of making homemade pizza, I just bought some at Whole Foods. I know that is somewhat cheating, but I didn’t care. I had a curious cat to kill.

Once home, I set up my laboratory and got to work on this so called chickpea pizza.

(Did you know that chickpeas come from a plant that grows between 8-20 inches high and has small feathery leaves on either side of the stem? Weird. Chickpeas are also a type of seed, with on seedpod containing two or three peas. It has white flowers with blue, violet or pink veins. Chickpeas need a subtropical climate with more than 16 inches of annual rain.) – source. 

First, I caramelized the onions. Dude, there is nothing better then buttery, caramelized onions. They can make a girl weak in the knees. Next, I drained and rinsed the chickpeas and rolled out the pizza dough. Then all you have to do is add the toppings, slide her into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Easy, peesy.

For me, the hardest part is waiting for the pizza to cook and cool.

Alright, the verdict is….scrumptious!

The chickpeas have a little crunch, while the cheese and caramelized onions provide a perfect balance of sweet to savory. People, this is a recipe that we can all get behind and cheer on to pizza victory.

Can I get an Amen?

Barbecue Chickpea Pizza (adapted from Eat Live Run)

Makes 1 square pizza

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 15

Ingredients:
1 batch of store bought or homemade pizza dough
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 bottle of barbecue sauce of choice {*I recommend Stubbs!}
1 large yellow onion
1 Tablespoon olive oil
8 oz gouda cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup mozzarella

Directions:
Drizzle pan with olive oil and heat the medium. Slice the onion and cook in the olive oil for about 30 minutes, until golden and caramelized.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out your pizza dough into a large rectangle or circle. Drizzle with barbecue sauce. Sprinkle with both cheeses then layer with chickpeas and caramelized onions.

Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake pizza on lined baking sheet for 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and the crust is done. Let cool then cut into slices and serve.

Conclusion: Conclude your culinary journey with barbecue chickpea pizza, relishing its savory goodness and satisfying textures that make it a delightful choice for any pizza night.