Pinsa with Green Vegetables and Homemade Pesto | Page 2

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

18 minutes

Total Time

38 minutes

Servings

4 servings

It starts with a scent. The blender whirs, the herbs tear apart, the garlic hits your nose. Even before turning on the oven, the kitchen already smells amazing.

Final result — The pinsa topped with crunchy green vegetables, homemade pesto, and melting Comté shavings.

The pinsa comes out of the oven puffed up at the edges, golden like an overbaked shortbread — that beige-caramel hue that crunches under the tooth. The Comté has melted into small, irregular plates, still glistening. The peas have kept their bright green, that deep bottle green that contrasts with the pale cheese. Underneath, the moist and fragrant pesto clings slightly to the vegetables, like a still-warm cream.

Why you’ll love this recipe

✓Zero kneading, zero waiting : The pinsa base is store-bought. That’s not cheating — it’s a weekday recipe, not a bakery competition.

✓Homemade pesto is faster than you think : Two minutes in the blender, and you’re done. Vastly better than store-bought jars, and it uses up those herbs lingering in the fridge before they turn yellow.

✓The fridge dictates the rest : Zucchini, green beans, broccoli florets — anything green and crunchy works. The recipe is a base, not a constraint.

✓Lighter than a classic pizza : Pinsa dough is airier and more hydrated. It rises differently and is easier to digest. You’ll finish your plate without that usual heavy feeling.

Ingredient Notes

Peas, zucchini, green bell pepper, fresh herbs, and Comté: simple ingredients for an impressive result.

The pinsa : An Italian base made from rice, soy, and wheat flour — more hydrated and lighter than ordinary pizza dough. You can find it in the fresh pasta/pizza section of supermarkets or at Italian grocers. It cooks directly from the package, no defrosting needed.
The Comté : Choose one aged at least 12 months: it has that frank nutty taste that holds up during cooking without becoming too oily. Abondance works very well as a replacement if you find it. Avoid young versions; they are too mild and disappear in the heat.
The pesto herbs : Flat-leaf parsley, basil, chives — the trio works well together. Parsley provides structure, basil adds aroma, and chives give a light allium note. Slightly wilted herbs work perfectly in the blender; they don’t need to be flawless.
The peas : Fresh if it’s the season, frozen the rest of the year — honestly very good here. Blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water, just enough to make them tender without losing their bright color.
The pine nuts : They provide fat and richness to the pesto. If you don’t have any on hand, unsalted cashews work very well. Just watch the price of pine nuts depending on the supermarket — the price gap can be absurd for a few grams.

Why I never make pesto with a fork anymore

I used to try chopping herbs by hand. Long, tedious, uneven result. Now: blender, 90 seconds, done. Toss in parsley, basil, chives, garlic, pine nuts, grated Comté, and olive oil — and pulse in bursts. Not continuously, otherwise it heats up and turns bitter. The result should remain slightly chunky, not smooth like a cream. Taste, adjust salt. It should be well-seasoned because the vegetables will dilute the overall flavor.

Vegetables: thin is all you need to know

Green bell pepper and zucchini in very thin slices — use a mandoline if you have one, a knife if not, but be consistent. The goal: for them to cook quickly and evenly on the pinsa. A slice that is too thick comes out a bit raw in the middle while the cheese is already melted. The peas, meanwhile, blanch separately in boiling salted water. Three minutes. They should stay green like freshly cut grass — not turn khaki, which means they’ve cooked too long.

Pre-baking: the step we skip and regret

The recipe calls for sliding the plain pinsa into the oven for 5 minutes at 180°C before topping it. It’s tempting to skip this step. Don’t. This first pass slightly dries the surface and prevents the pesto from making the dough soggy. When you take the pinsa out, it’s still flexible and warm — that’s the moment to spread the pesto generously, add the vegetables, and then three-quarters of the Comté. Put it back in the oven for 10 minutes. The crust crackles softly against the rack, the cheese melts and begins to brown in places, the color of light honey.

The final touch that changes the look of the dish

When serving, add the remaining Comté directly onto the hot pinsa — without putting it back in the oven. It softens but doesn’t melt completely, giving two textures: the well-melted cheese underneath and the still-firm shavings on top. The sprouts go on last, just before cutting. They bring a vegetal freshness and that visual contrast between melting heat and crunchy raw.

Tips & Tricks

Make the pesto the day before and keep it in the fridge with a drizzle of olive oil on the surface — it keeps easily for 3 days and the flavors have time to meld.
If you have extra pesto, freeze it in an ice cube tray. Thaw exactly what you need, cube by cube, without wasting any.
Pinsa reheats well in the oven at 160°C for 5 minutes — but always add the sprouts after heating, never before.

Close-up — The Comté melting into golden filaments over the green vegetables, fresh from the oven.

FAQs

Can I replace the pinsa with a classic pizza dough?

Yes, it works. The difference: pinsa is airier and slightly crispier on the edges. With classic pizza dough, increase the pre-baking to 7-8 minutes to prevent the bottom from becoming soggy from the pesto.

Can I prepare the pesto in advance?

Yes, and it’s even recommended. Pesto keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a closed jar with a drizzle of olive oil on top — this prevents it from turning black. You can also freeze it in portions in an ice cube tray.