It does not always have to come sliced in triangles inside a square box; you can take the flavour combination and create your versions of pizza in various shapes and sizes. Turn it into a tart; bite-sized cups; or even give a little twist to the recipe — the sky is the limit.

Here are 3 easy recipes for you to try, that are not your regular pizza!

PIZZA TART

Ingredients

For the crust –

1 cold egg

100g butter

1¼ cup flour

½ tsp salt

For the filling –

3 large tomatoes

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

100g mushrooms

5-6 black olives

1 tsp oil

100g mozzarella cheese

3-4 cheese slices

2 tbsp cheese spread

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp chilli powder

1 tsp oregano

Method 

To make the crust, cut the butter into small cubes and rub them into the flour and salt. Once you have a grainy texture, crack in the egg and mix everything to form a dough. Once the dough forms a ball, wrap it and let it rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. After that, roll the dough and neatly place it in a tart pan, poke holes with a fork all over, and bake the crust in a preheated oven at 180°C.

Chop the garlic, onions, and tomatoes; slice the olives and mushrooms. Heat oil in a saucepan and add the onions and garlic, once soft, add the tomatoes. Let the tomatoes cook on medium heat while you add the condiments — salt, pepper, chilli powder, and half a teaspoon of oregano. Once the tomato has a paste-like consistency, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

Once the tart shell is slightly cool, spread cheese at the base followed by cheese slices. Add in dollops of the tomato paste and finally sprinkle over a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, and olives and bake for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over oregano and chilli flakes before serving. 

Photo: Fariha Amber

PIZZA CUPS

Ingredients

For the cups –

12 slices of bread

50g butter

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp oregano

For the filling –

¾ cup button mushrooms

4 large tomatoes

2 sausages

50g camembert cheese

50g mozzarella cheese

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp oil

2 tsp water

Method 

For the cups, roll the bread flat and cut a large circle out of it. Melt the butter and add finely chopped garlic cloves and oregano to it. Spread the butter mixture over the bread circles and shape them like a cup inside a muffin tray. Toast this in the oven for eight minutes until crispy.

Meanwhile, dice the tomatoes and blend them with a couple of teaspoons of water, leaving them a little chunky. Heat oil in a pan and add the tomatoes, and diced mushrooms, along with salt, pepper, garlic powder, hot sauce, and oregano. Cook this on low heat until all the water evaporates.

Once the cups are toasted and the filling is ready, start to assemble with dice of camembert cheese at the bottom, working your way up with the tomato filling, and shredded mozzarella cheese, and finally top with sliced mushrooms and sausages. Let this toast in the oven again for 5-7 minutes and serve warm.   

Photo: Fariha Amber

HASH BROWN PIZZA

Ingredients

2 large potatoes

50g cheddar cheese

2 tbsp oil

½ tsp salt

4 eggs

½ tsp black pepper

1 medium-sized tomato

2 sausages 

4 cheese slices

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

Method 

Start by peeling and grating the potatoes; wrap them in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much juice as you can. In a bowl, add shredded cheddar cheese, oil, salt and pepper to the potatoes and mix. Crack in one egg and continue mixing.

Slather a pan with oil and spread the potatoes to form the pizza base, place the cheese slices on top and carefully crack in three eggs. On low heat, let the eggs and potatoes cook covered. After 5 minutes, add in sliced tomatoes and sausages along with oregano and basil. Cook for five minutes until the eggs solidify and serve.

Food: Fariha Amber