Vegan Herb de Provence and Roasted Garlic Pizza Crust with San Marzano Port Wine Pizza Sauce and Melting "Cheese" Blend: Regular and Deep Dish

Alright. It's finally happened to me. I've fallen for someone...and not just like "I tripped over the sidewalk" blonde moment type of fall. I mean "I slipped off the edge of a canyon, slammed into six jagged boulders on my way down, then crashed into a rapidly flowing river" type of fall. And I'm not trying to get back up. I haven't gone over a week without a blog post in a while, and even though the desire was nagging at me all week, my already busy life has become ever more chaotic. It's chaotic in the best way possible. I'm now trying to learn to balance three things I really care about as opposed to just two, and it's a challenge I'm definitely up to facing. Bear with me. I'll figure out this juggling act by March...I swear.

I have to publicly admit, though, that I've been having a torrid love affair on the side.

*GASP!* "What?! You harlot!!", you scream. "So soon?!".

Yes. I've been sneaking around with Vegan Pizza for over a month now. Nibbling on her crust, sensually licking the tomato sauce off of her plate and driving over an hour for a taste of her warm, comforting goodness. It all started when fellow LA Vegan Blogger QuarryGirl introduced us, because we all know personal introductions always "pan" out better than drunken pub sleaze-balling. Pun entirely intended. It was love at first site, pure lust at first bite. I then had the opportunity for a little vacation hanky panky in Flagstaff, and even snuck her in my door late at night. But then she turned U-Haul lesbian on me and decided to move in down the street. That's when I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands and kick that needy woman to the curb.

Still with me? Great.

What follows are are basic crust, sauce and meltable vegan cheese blend recipes that can be used to make your favorite pie. For the regular, bake at 425 degrees F until the crust is brown underneath, and the cheese is melted. Read on for a special Eggplant Lasagna style deep dish recipe.


3 cups All Purpose High Gluten Flour 2 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat All Purpose Flour 2 packs Rapid Rise Dry Yeast 2 cups warm Water 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil 4 TBSP Olive Oil ½ cup Cornmeal 1 head Roasted Garlic 3 tsp Herbs de Provence
This can be done by hand, but using a stand mixer really helps. Take the bowl of your stand mixer, pour the yeast into the water and stir to dissolve. Add the oils, cornmeal, and half of the flour. Beat by hand for 10 minutes. Attach the dough hook, and slowly mix in the remaining flour, roasted garlic and herbs. Knead for several minutes with the mixer on a lower setting. Remove dough from the mixer and place in a large metal bowl. Cover dough with towel, and allow it to rise until doubles in size. Show the dough who's boss by punching it down to size, then allow it to rise again. Punch down again, and you're good to go! Store extra dough by wrapping in plastic wrap, then placing in the fridge. Just be sure it's done rising or you may have a doughy surprise the next morning.



1 28 oz. can Whole San Marzano Tomatoes2 T. Olive Oil¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes1 tsp Fennel Seeds2 TBSP Chopped Fresh Garlic1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Basil1 tsp Chopped Fresh Oregano1 tsp Fresh Mint, chopped1 TBSP Port Wine1 tsp SugarSalt and Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add garlic, cooking for 30 seconds. Add herbs, seeds, and all seasonings. Cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, wine, and sugar. Crush tomatoes w/ potato masher, then bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened considerably (1 hr 15 min). Remove from heat, let cool.



I also had to make a deep dish. Something to really sink my teeth into. My aunt lives an hour outside of Chicago, and I grew up eating the real deal. It had been a long time, but I decided to bust out.

Grease a deep-dish pizza pan with Salted Earth Balance very very well. Place enough of the dough in the pan so that you can run the crust right up the side of the pan, about 1/8-inch thick all throughout.

Take one whole Eggplant, and slice into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Pre-heat your oven to 350. Rub a clove of garlic on each round, then brush with Olive Oil and season with a touch of salt and pepper. Bake until rounds are tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool

When assembling the pizza, the "cheese" goes on the bottom for a deep dish. Traditionally, there's no more cheese added. I just happen to really enjoy by vegan cheese ;) So...assemble like so: (You can add whatever toppings you want. This is just my method)

Vegan Cheese Blend
Layer of Eggplant RoundsLayer of finely diced OnionsLayer of Fresh Herbs (Basil, Oregano and a touch of Fresh Mint)Layer of sauce1 more thin layer of Vegan Cheese Blend1 more layer of Eggplant Rounds1 last layer of sauceBake at 425 F for at least 45 minutes, probably closer to an hour. MMMMMM!!!!