Pizza Puttanesca

I love accolades (even if it is from family members).  We all have a little bit of an ego that needs stroking every once in a while, don't we?  My sister Veronica, a non-cook by anyone's standards, was so inspired by my post about pasta puttanesca, that she has since become a cook!  After the post, she excitedly called me the next day from the grocery store as she was buying all the ingredients to make the dish.  The next day the praise was overwhelming!  (I did take it with a grain of salt since she is 7 months pregnant and might have found it more amazing had I added pickles)  However, that post proved to her that cooking needn't be a complicated and overwhelming thing and that it is possible to make amazing dishes without working all day on them.  She has since made pasta puttanesca a few times and has recently discovered a new recipe, pizza puttanesca, for which she is singing the praises.  

The following recipe, and the photo above, come from Veronica.  She says she got the recipe from Rachel Ray and modified it a little.  The above photo of devoured pizza is what happens when a pregnant woman is put in charge of taking the pictures.  The recipe sounds great though and I'm sure when I make it it will look the same even without being pregnant. 

Pizza Puttanesca  by Joie de vivre's sister Veronica!

2 Tbls. extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 Tbls. anchovy paste or 6 anchovies

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped, pitted, good quality, black olives

Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 prepared thin crust pizza shell

3/4 lb. very thinly sliced fresh mozzarella, or shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.  Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, anchovy paste and red pepper flakes.  When anchovies are melted (if using whole) and garlic is tender, about 2 minutes, add tomatoes and olives.  Simmer sauce 3 to 4 minutes.  Top the pizza with sauce and the sliced (or shredded) cheese.  Bake until crust is crisp, 10 minutes.  Cut and serve.