Spiralized Margherita Pizza with Olives and Basil
Try this Spiralized Margherita Pizza with Olives and Basil recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Spiralized Margherita Pizza with Olives and Basil recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large russet potatoes peeled, blade d
- 3 medium eggs beaten
- 4-5 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (i use victoria fine foods’ organi
- 12 large pitted black olives sliced
- 4 basil leaves sliced
- optional: parmesan cheese to garnish
- Carbohydrate 158.35994 g
- Cholesterol 1269 mg
- Fat 37.57984 g
- Fiber 16.2605995326042 g
- Protein 56.3834 g
- Saturated Fat 10.428406 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1280g)
- Sodium 535.793572916667 mg
- Sugar 142.099340467396 g
- Trans Fat 5.724586 g
- Calories 1141 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof 12†skillet. Once oil is shimmering, add the potato noodles and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss until cooked and wilted and lightly browned, about 10 minutes and then transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Let cool for 1 minute and then add in the egg and toss well to combine.
- Transfer the noodles back into the skillet, spreading them out to cover the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the egg is cooked and the noodles are set and appear firm when pressed down with the back of a spatula. Ideally, the crust should start to brown and perhaps some of the edges are crispy.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, leaving about 1†from the ends for a crust. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until mozzarella melts.
- Meanwhile, in a small pot over high heat, add the marinara sauce and bring to a strong simmer. Let cook for 2 minutes or until fully heated.
- Once pizza is done, remove from the oven. Ladle the sauce into the center of the pizza and then swirl around until it covers the pie to your preference. Then, take the olives and create a beautiful heart!
- Garnish with basil leaves and parmesan cheese. Serve to your Valentine!
Why does a starchy vegetable base require a binding agent like whole eggs before it can support heavy toppings? Russet potatoes are exceptionally high in amylose and amylopectin, which gelatinize when heated in olive oil at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, yet these individual starch molecules lack cohesive structural elasticity on their own. Beating three medium eggs introduces albumen and yolk proteins that coagulate under thermal energy, forming a rigid three-dimensional matrix that traps the potato strands as they bake in a 12-inch oven-proof skillet for 10 to 15 minutes. Without this protein network setting the base, the high moisture content within the root vegetable would simply cause the crust to disintegrate under the weight of the sauce.
Layering shredded mozzarella directly over the hot, firm potato crust initiates a rapid thermal transfer that melts the casein protein matrix of the cheese. As the dairy lipids separate and emulsify with the residual moisture, they create an impermeable hydrophobic barrier protecting the starch noodles from becoming soggy when the tomato sauce is applied. Maintaining this fat barrier is essential because the acid in marinara sauce can break down delicate starches if allowed direct, prolonged contact. Sprinkling the cheese within one inch of the skillet edge ensures the exposed potato strands achieve the desired Maillard browning and crisp edges without burning the dairy sugars.
Simmering the marinara sauce independently for two minutes drives off excess water content, concentrating both natural glutamic acid and reducing sugars to intensify the umami profile. This thermal reduction alters the viscosity of the tomato puree so it clings evenly to the molten cheese layer rather than pooling in the center of the pie. Furthermore, heating the sauce separately prevents the moisture shock that would otherwise prematurely cool the melted mozzarella and cause the fat to separate into an oily sheen. Controlling water activity across each individual component guarantees structural integrity from the first slice.
Finishing the dish with sliced black olives and fresh basil introduces contrasting flavor compounds driven by volatile oils and monounsaturated fatty acids. Fresh basil leaves contain aromatic terpenes such as linalool and eugenol, which volatilize immediately upon contact with the warm pizza surface, releasing distinct herbal notes. Cured black olives contribute sodium chloride and specific phenolic compounds that balance the natural sweetness concentrated in the reduced tomato sauce and the starchy potato base. Utilizing fresh herbs at the final plating stage preserves these delicate aromatic compounds before heat degradation occurs.
