Roasted pitas with tomato & corn

Roasted pitas are a game-changing idea. One evening my kids were in the mood for pizza, but there was just not enough time to make a yeast dough, knock it down and wait for it to rise again. Here’s my quick solution – we cut open pitas to use as the pizza base and they were quite impressed with this quick fix. Just don’t use too many toppings as it will become too heavy for the pita bases. The spices in the tomato sauce are something special and the combination of corn, tomato and cheese is so tasty. These pitas are perfect for a weekend or holiday treat and even work well as a snack around the braai.

1 x 410 g tin chopped tomatoes

10 ml (2 tsp) balsamic vinegar or red wine

2,5 ml (½ tsp) smoked paprika

5 ml (1 tsp) mild curry powder

salt and pepper

4 plain or wholewheat pitas, cut each through, to form 2 ‘bases’

15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil

250-375 ml (1-1½ cups) grated mozzarella or mature white cheddar cheese

2 cobs of corn, cooked and kernels sliced off in strips

2 spring onions, sliced

plain unsweetened yoghurt or sour cream to serve

handful fresh coriander or Italian parsley

1. Place tomatoes, vinegar and spices in a small saucepan. Season to taste and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thickened.

2. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Place pitas on two baking trays and brush pitas lightly with oil. Bake for a few minutes or until just golden brown. If your oven is small, do this in two batches.

3. Divide the sauce between the pitas. Sprinkle over the cheese, corn and spring onions and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

4. Place dollops of yoghurt or sour cream and garnish with fresh herbs and a good grind of black pepper.

1. For a more filling topping, add a cooked protein, like bacon, chicken or mince to the pitas.

2. Fresh tomato, avocado or spinach will also be delicious on these pitas. Add after the pitas have been baked, just before serving.