Pizza Strips – Delicious Nostalgia

Pizza strips are strips of pizza dough that have been topped with a rich, flavorful tomato sauce and nothing else. They are meant to be eaten at room temperature or chilled rather than hot, and make a great low fat/low calorie, super portable meal or snack anytime.

When most people think of pizza it is nearly impossible for them to imagine it without cheese and a pile of toppings, but have faith, these things are frigging wonderful, especially when they’re made with a homemade sauce that you have 100% control over.

I don’t know how wide spread these are in the US as I never did much food shopping outside of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, but they were one of my favorite things to pick up from the deli when I was a kid, and only recently did it occur to me that I could make them myself. They have been such a welcome alternative to ham sandwiches since my gallbladder issues started!

Below I’ve included the recipe for my homemade sauce and the method I use to combine it with a (lazy) store bought ready to roll pizza crust.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

1 ready to roll pizza crust (If you want to make this vegan in the UK anyway, ASDA own brand)

1 can (400g) of chopped tomatoes

1 tube (200g) of tomato paste

1 Large onion (or 2 small)

4 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp garlic granules

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Olive oil

How To Make The Sauce

You can use jarred sauce, but I wouldn’t recommend it, because to make these come out correct you need a thick and rich sauce, so it’s ideal to make your own. If you’ve never attempted this before you are in for a treat, and it’s easier than you probably think! :)

1. Chop onions and sweat them on a low heat with about 2tsp olive oil.
2. When onions are translucent and tender add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic granules, sugar and salt.
3. Stir and simmer on a low heat for about 5 minutes
4. Remove from stove and blitz everything with a stick blender, in a liquidiser or in a food processor so that the sauce is of a smooth and even consistency.

How To Assemble And Cook Pizza Strips

1. Line a large sheet pan with aluminium foil and grease it with a tiny bit of olive oil or a spray.
2. Roll the pizza crust out over it in a big rectangle
3. Put a tiny bit more olive oil on the top of the crust to stop the sauce sinking in too much
4. Puncture the crust all over with a fork to help stop bubbles from forming
5. Spoon 2/3 of the sauce onto the pizza crust and spread evenly right to the edges
6. Bake in a preheated oven (180c or 350f) for 10-12 minutes
7. Remove from oven and spread the remaining sauce evenly on top, covering any areas that may have dried out (none of the base should be showing)
8. Allow to cool on the pan and once cooled cut evenly into 8 strips

These are lovely to eat on the day they are made, but taste even better on day 2!!!

Wrap individually in cling film to enjoy later, and consume within 3 days :)