These Pizza Hacks Will Change Your Life
By Christina Stanley-Salerno
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TED CAVANAUGH; STYLING BY JEN BEAUCHESNE
Let’s face it, we all LOVE takeout — and pizza is at the top of our list of go-to foods. Inevitably, we order too much and end up with leftover slices that remain wrapped in foil, stashed in the fridge, only to be forgotten until weird smells start to waft into the kitchen. (We’re not judging; we’ve all been there.)
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But with a little creative thinking, those remaining slices can be reimagined into great, unexpected meals. Here are three recipes for using leftover pizza that will make you look like a rock star in the kitchen.
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Roma Salad With Pizza Croutons
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 to 3 slices leftover pizza, crusts removed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
¾ cup grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
¾ cup black olives, halved
¼ cup diced red onion
1 (15-oz) can of artichokes, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
½ cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Toss the pizza pieces in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake pizza croutons in the oven for about 8 minutes, tossing about halfway through the cooking process. Remove and set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, tomatoes, olives, onion, and artichokes.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over salad, toss, and top with croutons.
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Leftover Pizza “Pie” Quiche
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 frozen, store-bought pie crust
5 eggs, beaten
¼ cup milk
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup fresh basil, torn
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 large slice of leftover pizza (regular crust, not thick crust), crust removed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, basil, cheese, salt, and pepper.
3. Stir in leftover pizza pieces, then pour mixture into pie crust.
4. Bake in oven until golden brown and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm.
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Pizza Panini
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 slices leftover pizza (regular crust, not thick crust), crusts removed
¼ cup shredded mozzarella
4 slices prosciutto
2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
1. Preheat panini press (if you don’t have a panini press, you can also just use a pan with a lid!)
2. Evenly distribute shredded mozzarella and prosciutto slices among the slices of pizza. Fold each slice over to make a sandwich.
3. Brush the outer crusts of each panini with olive oil and place onto the panini press.
4. Cook until cheese is melted, about 1 to 2 minutes, depending on your particular press or stove top. Serve immediately.
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