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Peter's Peppers Add Zip To This Cheesy Tortizza

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DIVAS OF DISH ANNE-MARIE HODGES and PAM BRANDON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2008

Updated: 05/06/2008 04:22 pm

Where are the pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked? In the fridge, of course, longing to grace something other than a sub and appeal to your creative sense of nosh.

We love a cold, salty pepperoncini. It's the perfect late-night, guilt-free pucker up in a ratty bathrobe when life could use a bit of spice. But perhaps we've yet to scratch the culinary surface of Peter's bounty.

Anne-Marie Hodges and Pam Brandon can be reached at divas@culinaryconfessions

ANTIPASTO TORTIZZA SALAD

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

10 pepperoncini, sliced

1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced

1 fire-roasted red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

2 large flour tortillas
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 heart of romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1 small cucumber, peeled and diced

Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste

Red wine vinegar, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella, garlic, oregano, pepperoncini, olives, roasted red pepper and pine nuts. Toss with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the tortillas, turning often, until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes.

On a large cookie sheet, mound each tortilla with half of the cheese and pepper mixture, and bake until the cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes.

As the tortizzas bake, toss the tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers in extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, to taste; season with salt and pepper. Top cooked tortizzas with salad mixture and serve.

Serves 2.

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