Vegan Ricotta and Tomato Phyllo Pizza from Chefs Derek and Chad Sarno

Try this oh-so-flaky pastry pizza crust on those lighter days when you don’t want to be weighed down by a regular pizza. Ripe heirloom tomatoes give it a burst of summer flavor! Of course, you can switch up the toppings however you like. Either way, it's an al fresco dining dream for a summer’s evening with a glass of vegan wine.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Tomato Phyllo Pizza

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 heirloom tomatoes
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 small shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup vegan ricotta cheese, such as Kite Hill
• 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, such as Kite Hill or Follow Your Heart
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 Tbsp olive oil or melted vegan butter, plus some for drizzling
• 5 sheets of frozen vegan phyllo pastry
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• A handful of fresh arugula

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
2. Core and slice the tomatoes, and place them on a towel-lined baking tray. Sprinkle them with flaky salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Then flip them. That helps drain some water from the tomatoes so the crust stays crisp.
3. Meanwhile, thinly slice the shallot and garlic and place them in a mixing bowl. Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice (through your fingers to catch any seeds), adding those to the bowl. Stir in the ricotta, cream cheese, and nutritional yeast, along with little salt and pepper to taste. If the mix is too thick to spread, stir in a little water to thin it out.
4. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and brush it with oil or vegan butter.
5. Take a full sheet of phyllo and lightly brush with oil or butter. Then fold it over itself so the oiled sides are facing together. Oil the surface and fold the phyllo again. Oil the top side, then transfer the folded-up sheet to one side of the prepared pan.
6. Repeat with another sheet of phyllo, placing it over the first folded-up sheet. Repeat that process with 2 more sheets of phyllo, laying them on top of each other next to the ones already in the pan. This is your pizza base. Oil the last sheet of phyllo, then tear it into strips and roll and ruffle them up, placing them around the edge of the crust in the pan to create a little rim.
7. Spread the ricotta across the phyllo crust sheet, then layer the tomatoes on top, and drizzle with a little oil. Add a little fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper.
8. Bake for 30 minutes. The tomatoes should be slightly wilted and the crust slightly golden and crisp.
9. Toss the arugula with a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, then scatter it over the top. Slice the pizza into squares, plate it up, and enjoy.

Nutritionals 

Calories 505 | Total Fat 26.1g | Saturated Fat 8.6g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 2126mg | Total Carbohydrate 58.9g | Dietary Fiber 6.2g | Total Sugars 8.5g | Protein 12.4g | Vitamin D 0mcg | Calcium 39mg | Iron 2mg | Potassium 618mg |

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