So – I made this pizza the other night for the fam.  It ROCKED!!!   I used to love barbecue chicken pizza – so I veganized it.  I made barbecue tempeh with LOTS of carmelized red onions on a homemade pizza crust – topped with vegan cheese.  I found that if I use Follow Your Heart cheese and shred it on smallest section of the grater – it will melt.   This was so freaking good…..will get the recipe together and put it on the site.

Ok – not very good at this blogging stuff yet – so just adding the recipe to this post.  Patrick will have to do the “official” post to the site later.  I apologize now for any typos….:)

Enriched Pizza Dough:

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

3/4 Cup warm water

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup soy flour  ( I didn’t have any so I used Rice flour)

1 1/2 T ground sesame seeds

1 tsp salt

Pinch of sugar or natural sweetener

1 T olive oil plus more for spreading

1.  place the yeast in a small bowl.  Add 1/4 cup of the water and stir to dissolve.  Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.

2.  To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flours, sesame seeds, salt and sugar pulsing to blend.  With the machine running, add the yeast mixture through the feed tube, along with the olive oil and as much of the remaining 1/2 cup water as necessary to make the dough hold together.

To make the dough by hand, combine the flours, sesame seeds, salt and suger in a large bowl.  Stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil, and remaining 1/2 cup water until combined.

3.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a large oiled bowl.  Spread a small a small amount of oil on top of the dough, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk.  About 1 hour.

4.  Use immediately or store for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator or for 3-4 weeks in the freezer.  Make sure it is tightly wrapped in plastic.

So  now for the tempeh.  If you are used to it – you know that you must steam or poach the tempeh first – for about 20 minutes.   If you poach – you must drain/dry off the tempeh…OK – so now on with this recipe  I made it up – so this is a little loosey goosey.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

2 8 ounce packages tempeh steamed and cut into 1/2 inch x 1 inch pieces

LOTS of purple onion…I used 1 giant – and I mean GIANT onion cut into whatever shape makes you happy  :).

olive oil for pan frying

barbecue sauce – whatever you like – just as long as it is vegan – and you will need about 2 cups of it

in a large skillet/saute pan –  pan fry your tempeh in olive oil in batches so that you can brown each side.  Start with 2 T of olive oil – and add more if you need.  Set aside.

In the same pan, saute your onions until soft.  Add the tempeh to the onions and then pour barbecue sauce over mixture.  Gently stir making sure that everything is coated.  Reduce to a low heat and simmer for about 15 -20 mintues – making sure the tempeh has soaked up the sauce..

WHEW – OK – while the tempeh is simmering slowly – soaking up the goodness….go get the pizza dough.  Punch it down then roll it out on a lightly floured surface.  It makes a pizza approx 12 in round.  (you decide the thickness)  Gently place on a pizza pan and bake on the lowest rack in your preheated 450 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Once pizza crust is ready – I spread the barbecue tempeh and onion fabulousness over the pizza crust – and then grated Follow Your Heart cheese over the top.  I used both the mozzerella and cheddar styles.   Bake in the 450 oven for approx 10 minutes.  Watch it carefully to check the cheese.  I think I baked this for more like 20 minutes – but cook to your hearts desire.  ENJOY!!!