Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) grapeseed oil or olive oil
- 1 small white onion, trimmed and peeled, sliced to about ¼ -inch (6-mm) thick
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp (2 g) Aleppo pepper flakes or
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (to taste), plus extra for serving
- Pinch saffron threads (optional)
- 1 cup (120 g) raw cashew pieces, soaked in filtered water at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) unsweetened canned coconut milk or coconut cream
- 4 oz (113 g) extra-firm silken tofu or unsweetened plain vegan yogurt
- Juice from ½ lemon (1 tbsp [15 ml])
- ¾ tsp coarse kosher salt (if using regular salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tbsp (5 g) nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp (12 g) white chia seeds
- Cornmeal, for crust
- 1 pound (454 g) vegan pizza dough of choice
- 10 squash blossoms, washed and drained, stamen removed, halved lengthwise
- Freshly ground peppercorn
- Maldon sea salt
Instructions
- Place the oil, onion, garlic and pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Heat on medium-low heat, then lower the heat once the bulky ingredients start to sizzle slightly. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes until fragrant and the onion becomes translucent. Remove from the heat, add the saffron threads (if using) and infuse for 1 hour. Mince the garlic and set aside.
- Drain and rinse the cashews. Place the coconut milk, tofu, cashews, lemon juice, salt and nutritional yeast in a food processor or high-speed blender. Process until smooth. Add the chia seeds and process a few times until slightly thicker. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C, or gas mark 8). Place a thin layer of cornmeal on a large baking sheet. Roll out the pizza dough as thin as you can into a rectangle, approximately 11 x 14 inches (28 x 36 cm). Lightly brush the whole surface with infused oil, including the edges. There will be leftovers of the oil, which can be used to stir-fry veggies or to flavor pasta or other grains. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Top with a layer (not too thick) of cashew preparation. There will be leftovers, which can be used on a future pizza within a week. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Evenly place the halved squash blossoms on the surface. Top with the minced garlic and with onion slices scooped out from the infused oil with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 16 minutes. Top with ground pepper, salt and extra Aleppo pepper flakes to taste. Serve immediately.