Homemade pizzas were a big thing in our house when I was really young. It had the potential to be something totally gourmet, with the homemade pizza dough on the rise, the sauce left sizzling on the stove, the fancy salamis and minces and finely chopped veggies all ready for topping.... or, it was simply slamming ketchup onto pita bread with olives and bits of this and that, covered in cheese and shoved under the broiler until hot and oozy. Whichever it was, it was awesome and we loved it. More than 20 years later, pizzas are still popular at home, and I've made them in all shapes and sizes and on a multitude of bases. The boats, however, are my favorite. Kind of deep-dish, but with an edible dish.
This has to be the easiest breakfast ever and doubles easily as a quick lunch or dinner. If you haven't got the patience to bake your own focaccia, any normal bread substitute is perfect where you can scoop out the center. In addition to that, your toppings on this beauty are optional and give you leeway to be as creative as you want. It's your pizza, you decide how you want it!
Ingredients:
• 2 focaccia loaves, divided
• 1/4 cup sliced olives
• 4 spring onions, chopped
• 4 large mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper (any color), chopped
• 2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
• Salsa or pizza sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Juice of one lemon
Method:
• Carve out the inside of your focaccia (or bread) loaves to resemble a 'boat', making sure to leave enough bread on the crust to hold it together.
• Slather your loaves with your sauce, and sprinkle with cheese
• Start to load your toppings - olives, mushrooms, spring onions, and chicken
• Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top
• Squeeze lemon juice over boats
• Pop them in the oven and bake at 240.C for 8 minutes, then sizzle them under your grill or broiler until golden.
Easy, huh? Substitutions can always be made - cheddar instead of mozzarella, salami instead of chicken, and pineapples instead of peppers... there are no rules, so do your thing.