This pizza is pretty simple; it is a pizza with Dandelion Pesto as the base, topped with mozzarella, ricotta, cranberries, pecans, and… more dandelion greens! We didn’t candy the pecans this time but I think it would be even better if they were candied, as the slight bitterness of the dandelion greens will be better balanced with extra sweetness. The cranberries do provide some sweetness and if you prefer the bitter edge then leave the pecans un-sweetened.
Dandelion Pesto Pizza
Pesto inspired by David Lebovitz
Ingredients:
- Large bowl of dandelion greens (pick in morning, lightly wash, store in fridge)
- ¼ cup parmesan, grated
- ¼ cup pecans/walnuts/heartnuts*
- 2 Tbs. oil
- salt
- 1-2 cups mozzarella, grated
- ½ cup ricotta
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans (optional – candied, lightly fried with butter and honey/maple syrup)
- 1 Tbs. oil
- 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven as hot as you are comfortable—500 is what we do. Heat a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. When water is boiling add most of the dandelion greens, saving 15-20 leaves for later. Boil for 30 seconds (or less), just long enough to wilt the greens (This also helps preserve their “greenness”). Transfer them using tongs or a slotted spoon to a food processor. Add the parmesan, pecans, oil, and salt. Puree until smooth.
Spread the pesto on a prepared pizza dough (it will turn out more bubbly if you stretch rather than roll the dough). Top with mozzarella and spoonfuls of ricotta, then with the cranberries and pecans. Bake the pizza for 3-6 minutes.
Meanwhile toss the remaining dandelion greens with the oil and vinegar, and a small amount of salt and pepper. When the cheese on the pizza has melted and is beginning to bubble add the tossed greens and bake several more minutes until the crust is beginning to turn golden. Remove pizza, allow to briefly cool, slice and serve. Pair with a sweet white wine?
It reheats great the next day for leftovers too! Just use an oven (better yet, toaster oven), not a microwave…
*I never seem to have pinenuts around. I just can’t buy such an expensive nut. But I don’t really mind if you do 
And if you’re wondering about the cracking of the pecans, before leaving Georgia we were given a huge bag of pecans from a friend who got them from a relative with a pecan tree…. It is a bit of extra work but worth it for the wonderful treasures inside!
When I posted in my meal plan that I was going to make spanakopita, our friend Amaryah suggested that I try Chard Utopia which is basically the same thing but made with… Swiss Chard instead of spinach (the recipe is Amaryah’s contribution to the wonderful cookbook Simply in Season!). I changed my plans which was good because I didn’t have enough spinach anyways. However, the day to make the dish came and I didn’t have enough chard either! So I took some liberties with the recipe and the title and came up with Spring Greenakopia!
Spring Greenakopia – Chard Utopia (Spanakopita) with Mixed Spring Greens
Ingredients:
- 2 cups onion, minced
- 1 tsp. basil
- 1 tsp. oregano
- Dash of salt
- 1 Tbs. oil
- Lots of spring greens (2+ pounds swiss chard, dandelion greens, mustard greens, spinach, kale, arugula, etc), finely chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbs. flour
- 2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup cottage cheese (you can substitute ricotta)
- Ground pepper
- 1 package phyllo dough (puff pastry), thawed
- Oil for brushing the phyllo
Heat oil in a very large frying pan or pot and fry the onion with the herbs for 5 minutes. Add the chopped greens and cook until wilted, stirring, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and flour, cook for 2-3 minutes, remove from heat and add the cheeses and ground pepper.
Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch pan and place a piece of phyllo dough in the pan. If your phyllo is large you can cut it in half to fit the pan. Lightly oil the top of the dough and layer 7 more sheets on top of the first, brushing each lightly with oil. 
Spoon half of the greens filling into the pan, spreading it out evenly. Cover with another 8 layers of phyllo, brushing each lightly with oil. Add the second half of the filling and top once more with 5-8 more sheets of phyllo. Tuck any loose edges into the pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until it turns golden and crispy on top.
Before this year I had never really accepted dandelions as an edible plant. Okay, so I knew that they were edible but I hadn’t bothered trying them. I believe that the main inspiration in finally trying them this year came from Chef Jeff Crump’s cookbook Earth to Table, which reads at times more like a manifesto than a cookbook, and that’s what I love about it! Here’s one quote:
“This is not about sacrifice (something I confess I have little talent for), it’s about discovery. And what you discover may well be right around the corner, or just outside your door.” (Jeff Crump, Earth to Table, p.14)
Having “discovered” them just outside my door, and subsequently having tried them I’m hooked! Here are four reasons why you should try some dandelion greens!
Dandelions and their greens are:
- Free (although I have seen them at markets).
- Growing abundantly everywhere!
- Not only edible, they are quite delicious!
- Very high in nutrients!
Well, that’s enough for me. But what to do with them? Either mix them into your salads with other greens, make a dandelion pesto pizza, or an alternate version of spanakopita, or make an all-dandelion green salad, like the one that follows!
Dandelion Salad with Parsnip “Bacon”
One thing I should point out is that dandelion greens are bitter, sort of like arugula but with less spiciness. To balance the bitterness you need something sweet and a fat. The parsnip “bacon” (original recipe) and the candied pecans provided that for me! I think cranberries or another fruit would have been quite good on this salad too!
Salad Ingredients:
- Large bowl full of dandelion greens (preferably from plants that aren’t yet flowering)
- 1 parsnip, peeled
- Oil
- Salt
- ½ cup pecans/walnuts/heartnuts (candied if you like)
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
Dressing Ingredients:
- 2 Tbs. oil
- 2 Tbs. lemon juice or wine vinegar
- 1 Tbs. mustard (spicy or plain)
- 1 Tbs. Maple Syrup
- Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 300. To make the parsnip “bacon” use a peeler to cut long thin slices of parsnip. Oil a baking sheet and place the slices of parsnip on it. Brush the top of the parsnip with a small amount of oil and spring salt on top. Place parchment paper or a silicon mat over the parsnip, and then place a second baking sheet on top (if you have lots of parsnips you may need to two a double layer which is what I did). Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the “bacon” is beginning to brown.
Make the salad dressing and drizzle half of it on the greens and toss them together. Top the greens with the parsnip and the nuts.
(To candy the nuts put them in a pan with a teaspoon of oil, a tablespoon of maple syrup, and a dash of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to coat the nuts. Remove from heat when the syrup has mostly evaporated or caramelized, and allow to cool.) Top with the thinly sliced green onion, drizzle the rest of the dressing on top and enjoy!
Update: Another use for Dandelion Greens
Linking up at Tempt My Tummy
