An artistic twist on the basic pizza

I like to refer to this creation as the Jackson Pollock of pizza's; a blank canvas of chewy naan bread splattered and swirled haphazardly with a balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil, this is the perfect weeknight salad/pizza hybrid that will help shake up any one's pizza rut. 

What really makes this recipe work is the different flavors and textures playing off of each other. The naan bread (a flat and somewhat chewy Indian bread) provides the perfect foundation. Trader Joe's sells frozen naan bread and I always have some on hand to make the perfect individual sized pizza. Once the naan bread gets toasted a little, it is topped by peppery arugula, sweet roasted cherry tomatoes and a balsamic reduction. A balsamic reduction sounds like a super intimidating undertaking, but it really is quite simple. Essentially, as balsamic vinegar heats, it reduces and concentrates into this beautifully sweet and syrupy treat to drizzle over just about anything.  It's a welcome addition to this dish, providing an artist look.  In addition to the balsamic reduction, the added step of oven roasting the tomatoes really renders them soft and sweet, the perfect compliment to the other components of this dish.  I also selected a nice sharp, salty and thinly sliced asiago cheese to stand up to the other flavors in this dish.  Parmesan would also be a great cheese to use as would manchego or goat cheese.  Whatever you have on hand or prefer.  You could also use a store bought crust or make your own if you have some extra time. 

Pizza

- 1 piece of naan bread

~ 1 cup of fresh arugula
~ 6-8 cherry tomatoes
Thinly sliced asiago
~ 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

In a foil-lined aluminum pan, heat the cherry tomatoes at 350, drizzled in a little extra virgin olive oil.  Check on them frequently and give them a shake every once in a while to avoid burning and to ensure even cooking.  The tomatoes are done when they start to blister and shrink in size.  To make the balsamic reduction, heat the vinegar on medium heat on the stove, stirring frequently to avoid burning.  (A bit of advice: be careful with this step. When you start to heat vinegar, keep your face away from the steam, it can be pretty potent!) After about 5 minutes or so, you should start to see the vinegar thicken up a bit.  When it starts to coat the spoon, give it a little taste.  It should have a sweet taste and a thick syrupy feel to it.  Remove it from heat when it gets to this stage and set aside.

In another baking pan, heat the naan bread at 400 for about 5-7 minutes until the bottom starts to get crunchy but the top remains chewy.  Remove naan from the oven, top with the arugula, tomatoes and cheese.  Drizzle with olive oil and the balsamic reduction.