Paleo Meatza

Let us take a guess: in your pre-Paleo life you adored pizza and you desperately miss it, at the same time you haven’t found a good enough gluten-free pizza to authentically replace it. We’re with you. You can make a mini pizza from a portobello cap, or crust made from cauliflower, but it isn’t really the same experience. With a little creativity and a lot of meat, the meatza was born, and we enjoy it every now and then for a Friday pizza night at home.

Remember that the secret to a good pizza is in the crust? The same rules apply here, so this is what you need to know: spread the meat “dough” over parchment paper and lay another sheet over it, and spread it out thin using a rolling pin or a glass bottle; remove the top parchment layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, remove from the oven and blot dry with a paper towel. If you want to crisp up your crust, you will want to remove the fat that accumulates, take your time for the best results. Then add your herbed pizza sauce and the toppings to your liking, including almond cheese if you wish.

Wish a bit more and perhaps a red sangria will magically appear to make your evening completely right. And if you have been on your best behavior all week, then we can imagine a pan of sweet potato brownies are in your cards. We’ll leave that to you to conjure up.

Paleo Meatza Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp. fresh basil, minced + more for garnish
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
• 1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 bell pepper, sliced
• 4 to 5 mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
• 1/2 cup almond cheese, or other Paleo cheese (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pizza Sauce Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Add the ghee, minced shallot and garlic in a saucepan over a medium heat to start the pizza sauce. Cook until soft and golden 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomato sauce, fresh basil, oregano, and season to taste; lower heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes stirring every 3 to 4 minutes.
4. In a bowl, add the ground beef, red onion, garlic, egg, fresh basil, fresh parsley, dried oregano, and season to taste.
5. Mix everything until well combined.
6. Spread the meat mixture onto a 16-inch pizza pan and bake in the oven 10 minutes.
7. Spread the sauce evenly over the pizza, reserving any extra sauce for later use.
8. Top the pizza with our suggested toppings – or your favorites.
9. Place the pizza back in the oven, and bake another 10 to 12 minutes.
10. If the meatza looks like it needs a little more crisping up, set the oven to broil and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.
11. Let the meatza rest a couple of minutes, and top with fresh basil before serving.