A Modern Margarita

So history recalls how the traditional margarita was born in 1889 when the Neapolitan pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito created a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to mirror the colours of the Italian flag in honour of the Queen consort. Its popularity has ensured the recipe has survived centuries and as delicious as it is, I do feel its high time we spiced it up a little with a few tweaks here and there…

To make the bases for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

1kg carrots

2 tsp paprika

400g spinach leaves

250g mozzarella balls

340g antipasti jar of roasted peppers

Method:

1. While the bases are proving in the oven, the purée can be prepared.
2. First of all, peel and chop the carrots. Boil them until tender and drain.
3. They can then be puréed using a juicer or handheld blitzer. Stir in 2 tsp of paprika in order to give it a deep red colour (and a bit of a kick!)
4. Remove the bases and turn the heat up to 210°C. While the oven is getting up to temperature the spinach can be wilted. Tip the leaves into a saucepan with a dash of boiling water and cover with the lid. Over a low hob, heat the spinach until wilted and then drain using a colander. Try to remove as much liquid as possible to avoid a soggy bottom… Not something deemed fit for a Queen, I’m sure you’ll agree.
5. Now it’s time to assemble! Spread over your carrot and paprika purée, then add the spinach.
6. Repeat the process with the roasted peppers and finish off with the mozzarella.
7. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and serve immediately.
8. Buon appetito!