Why wait for lunch or dinner before celebrating World Pizza Day (9 February) when you can get off to an early start with a pizza breakfast boat?
It’s time to start thinking out of the pizza box, so why not top off your regular pizza with eggs?
There’s also no need to be square; after all, who says a pizza has to be round?
That’s what makes pizza so great; you can create your own masterpiece in any shape by adding your favourite toppings – because there really aren’t any rules.
Consider the history of the pizza and its evolution; from the ancient civilisations who layered herbs and cheese onto simple flatbread, all the way to today’s modern pizzas, adorned with a multitude of delicious toppings.
The idea of including an egg as a topping on pizza transpired because Otto von Bismarck, one of the most powerful leaders in German history, had a fondness for eggs.
He would eat a dozen eggs at a time, and was often heard saying that in order to work hard, one had to be well-nourished.
Although over-indulging like Von Bismarck did is not recommended, the Department of Health’s dietary guidelines for South Africans support eating eggs every day in moderation.
So go on – if you haven’t already tried it, drop an egg onto the pizza dough and pop it into the oven – you will be pleasantly surprised!
PIZZA BREAKFAST ‘BOATS’
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
· 500g prepared bread dough, divided into 4 portions
· 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
· 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
· ½ cup cream cheese
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
Filling:
· Bacon, spinach, sausage meat, sliced red onion or cherry tomatoes
· 8 large eggs (2 eggs per boat)
· Extra egg wash for brushing
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. In a small mixing bowl combine the mozzarella, cream cheese and feta and set aside
3. On a large, floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to an oval roughly 12cm in length
4. Transfer the dough to a parchment paper-lined baking tray
5. Brush the dough with olive oil and spoon on cheese mixture leaving a 2cm margin around the outside of the dough
6. Fold in the 2cm margin creating a crust around the cheese, pinch the top and bottom to create a boat shape
7. Brush the crust with egg wash
8. Bake for 8 minutes
9. Remove the baking tray from the oven and with a knife spread out some of the melted cheese in the centre of the pizza boat and crack an egg into it, customise with the toppings of your choice
10. Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking
