Tuscan Kale Pesto Pizza with Shrimp Scampi

  2.0 – 2 reviews  • Kale
Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 45 min
Active: 1 hr 15 min
Yield: 6 pizzas

Ingredients

  1. Tuscan Kale Salad with Lemon-Anchovy Dressing, recipe follows
  2. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  3. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  4. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  5. 1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp (21/25 count), peeled and deveined, tails removed
  6. Kosher salt
  7. 1/4 cup minced garlic (from about 1 small head)
  8. 1/2 cup white wine
  9. 1 1/2 teaspoons Calabrian chile paste or 2 pinches red pepper flakes
  10. 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
  11. 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
  12. Six 9 1/2-by-5-inch plain naan flatbreads (see Cook’s Note)
  13. 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  14. 2 cups shredded fontina cheese (about 8 ounces)
  15. 2 bunches Tuscan kale, stemmed, leaves sliced into 1/4-inch strips
  16. Kosher salt
  17. 1/2 cup golden raisins
  18. 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  19. 4 anchovy fillets
  20. 3 tablespoons grated pecorino, plus shaved pecorino, for garnish
  21. 2 tablespoons diced shallots
  22. 1 teaspoon honey
  23. 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  24. 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted

Instructions

  1. For the Tuscan kale pesto: Place the entire dressed salad–including the hazelnuts, raisins and shaved pecorino–in a food processor and process to a fine paste. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil until the paste loosens into a pesto. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days before using. (Makes 2 1/2 cups; see Cook’s Note.)
  2. For the shrimp scampi: Heat the butter and olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the shrimp with 2 teaspoons salt; add to the hot pan, along with the garlic. Cook until the shrimp are just starting to turn pink, 3 minutes. Add the wine and chile paste, and bring to a boil; boil until the shrimp are cooked through and the wine is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Season with more salt if needed.
  3. For the pizza: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with foil.
  4. Place the flatbreads, bottom-side up, on the prepared baking sheets; brush each with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Transfer to the oven and toast until just beginning to brown and get crispy. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  5. Turn the flatbreads over, spread 1/4 cup kale pesto over each and then sprinkle each with 1/3 cup of the fontina. Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes, until the top edges have browned slightly and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and top with 6 to 8 pieces of shrimp per pizza. Spoon over some scampi sauce.
  6. Cut the pizzas into smaller pieces and serve immediately.
  7. In a large bowl, combine the kale and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Massage the salt into the kale and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. In another bowl, combine the raisins, 1/4 cup of the vinegar and 1/4 cup hot water. Rehydrate the raisins for at least 15 minutes. Drain when ready to serve.
  8. Combine anchovies, grated pecorino, shallots, honey and the remaining 1/4 cup vinegar in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add in the oil. Pour the dressing over the salad at least 15 minutes before serving to help further tenderize the kale.
  9. When ready to serve, add the toasted hazelnuts and plumped golden raisins to the salad, and garnish with shaved pecorino.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 24 servings
Calories 460
Total Fat 26 g
Saturated Fat 5 g
Carbohydrates 38 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugar 5 g
Protein 18 g
Cholesterol 61 mg
Sodium 661 mg

Reviews

Katherine Chase
This recipe, start to finish, is a truckload of work!  Toast the hazelnuts.  Wash the kale and let dry.  Pull leaves away from stems.  Cut leaves into fine strips.  Massage in the salt, wait 10 minutes.  Make dressing and put on kale.  Let sit some more.  Process kale, nuts, romano cheese, and oil into a pesto.  Now clean and devain the shrimp.  Peel and prepare the cloves of an entire head of garlic.  Make scampi.  Oil and toast naans.  Grate Fontina while the naans cool.  Assemble pizzas.  Finally, finally … enjoy.  

They were delicious, but I doubt that I’ll be making them again.

 

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