Shawarma Pizza on a Chickpea Crust

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Some people say that the longer you live with someone, the more you begin to look like them. Ben and I have lived together for almost six years now, and I don’t see it happening just yet. And honestly, I hope it doesn’t. My husband makes one very sexy bald man, but I’d like to keep my hair, thank.you.very.much.

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But if you told me that the longer you live with someone, the more alike your thoughts become, I’d tend to agree. And I quite like it, actually. It definitely takes the stress out of decisions like what color to paint the walls, which charitable organizations are worthy of our contributions, and or course, what to eat.  So it was no big surprise when we were noshing on that incredible Mediterranean Date and Olive Pizza on a Chickpea Crust, and I asked Ben what other toppings might go well on a flatbread that tastes like a slab of hummus, he answered, “Shawarma.”

No big surprise, because I had already thought of it. Weeks earlier, in fact, when I first came across the recipe for a chickpea flour pizza crust. But being the good wife I’ve grown to be, I let him think it was his idea.

For all of three seconds.

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Anyway, I’m glad we agreed that a shawarma pizza on a chickpea crust sounded like pretty much the best thing ever, and that we enjoy the same toppings, like plenty of salad, tahini, and pickles. Mmm, pickles. That made it a cinch to pull together. And furthermore, I’m happy that both of us have the kind of tastebuds that will never tire of Israeli-food, or whatever we can make at home that is Israeli-inspired. I have to say, life is pretty darn good when you both get to enjoy really good food together all the time. 

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PS:  Are you a foodie living in a ho-hum kitchen?
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Shawarma Pizza on a Chickpea Crust
Makes 4 Individual or 1 large pizza

Printable Recipe

Pizza Dough – A Cambridge Story
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1lb ground turkey
1 tablespoon shawarma seasoning*
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup sliced dill pickles
4 tablespoons tahini

Mix yeast and warm water together in a small bowl, and let sit for 5-10 minutes, until foamy. Measure chickpea flour and salt into a larger bowl and whisk to combine. Pour in the yeast and water mixture and stir together. Cover with a clean dishtowel, and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and shawarma seasoning. Cook, stirring with a large wooden spoon to crumble, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more, until browned. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Tear off four squares of parchment paper. Divide the dough into four equal portions and place each on a piece of parchment, flattening gently with your hands. Tear off a fifth piece of parchment and place it over one of the portions of dough. Use a rolling pin to gently roll to even thickness. Remove the top piece of parchment and transfer the rolled-out dough, with the bottom paper, to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (Alternatively, do not divide the dough. Perform the same process, rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment, to form one large pizza crust, and transfer to a baking sheet.)

Divide the ground meat mixture evenly among the pizza crusts and lightly press in. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crusts are crisp. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and parsley in a bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Top each pizza with some of the salad mixture. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of tahini and top with sliced pickles. Slice and serve.

*Available in Middle Eastern markets. If not accessible, try a mixture of coriander, cumin, paprika, cloves, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and black pepper.

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 469.8
Total Fat 21.4 g
Saturated Fat 3.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.8 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.5 g
Cholesterol 80.1 mg
Sodium 786.3 mg
Potassium 320.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 38.2 g
Dietary Fiber 10.5 g
Sugars 5.9 g
Protein 35.8 g

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24 Responses to “Shawarma Pizza on a Chickpea Crust”

  1. 1

    Nicole, RD — September 7, 2011 @ 11:12 am Reply

    Shawarma seasoning!!? No kidding. I need to get out from under my rock once in while…that would make life a little easier 🙂 Looks delicious, and the chickpea crust really is perfect with the Shawarma topping 🙂

  2. 2

    elly — September 7, 2011 @ 1:23 pm Reply

    Obviously, I will be making this. 😀 I've had various iterations of shawarma floating around in my brain, and I really need to start making them soon.

  3. 3

    Queengbugle — September 7, 2011 @ 2:49 pm Reply

    OMG!  I'm going to the kitchen now. 

  4. 4

    Bridget — September 7, 2011 @ 3:13 pm Reply

    I've been meaning to try Emily's chickepea flour crust since I first saw it on her blog!  I even have the damn flour 🙂  But this just brought it to the next level!  Brian and I both LOVE shwarmas and all these flavors, I'd love to do it with lamb!  Awesome idea!

  5. 5

    Cara — September 7, 2011 @ 3:21 pm Reply

    Yes, it would be terrific with lamb!

  6. 6

    Lizzy — September 7, 2011 @ 3:47 pm Reply

    This looks insanely incredible.  I need to try making that dough even if it scares me to make pizza dough.  And yes, agreed that the more you live with someone, the more your thoughts become one!  Signing up for Ikea now!

  7. 7

    Bridget — September 7, 2011 @ 4:35 pm Reply

    Is it also true that the longer you read someone's blog, the more your thoughts become the same?  Because I was just thinking the same thing yesterday. I was thinking about how Dave and I usually share everything when we go out to eat (as I know you and Ben often do as well), and how several years ago, that wouldn't have been possible because we had such different preferences.  And then I thought about how you supposedly grow to look like your partner, but I don't think Dave and I do…On top of that, I'm making something along the lines of your Mediterranean pizza tonight. 

  8. 8

    Maria — September 7, 2011 @ 4:38 pm Reply

    I love the chickpea crust!

  9. 9

    Kelly — September 7, 2011 @ 4:42 pm Reply

    I really need to pull out my chickpea flour more often.  I love the sound of making it into a crust for an ethnic-inspired pizza.  Yum.  And I enjoy being pretty girlie so I have no intent of ever consciously looking like a significant other.

  10. 10

    Shannon — September 7, 2011 @ 5:13 pm Reply

    definitely one of the best things ever 🙂  need me some chickpea crust!!

  11. 11

    Junia @ mis pensamientos — September 7, 2011 @ 5:27 pm Reply

    oh my, i love the chickpea crust!!! and i love the schwarma toppings with mediterranean flavors!!

  12. 12

    Caneel — September 7, 2011 @ 7:03 pm Reply

    Mmmm, this looks great! I'd love the chickpea crust – going to have to try that!

  13. 13

    Joanne — September 7, 2011 @ 8:02 pm Reply

    I think that's true for reading people's blogs not just being married.  You and I…we are like THISCLOSE in tastebuds.  I do love shawarma…I am so making this with lentils instead of turkey!

  14. 14

    Emily @ A Cambridge Story — September 7, 2011 @ 9:39 pm Reply

    Love that you keep making chickpea crusts – and the shawarma idea is excellent. Glad the husband was on board with it!

  15. 15

    Fahad Khan — September 7, 2011 @ 10:24 pm Reply

    Sounds scrumptious!Thank you for sharing,I have always been a fan of thin crust pizzas for their crisp bases – I am sure that this one is going to taste lovely.Will omit the pickles though.

  16. 16

    Beverly — September 8, 2011 @ 12:56 am Reply

    I just made the crust only as a quasi flat bread instead of pizza crust to go with our chowder.  It reminded me a little of cornbread in texture and was amazing!

  17. 17

    Marla — September 8, 2011 @ 2:18 am Reply

    A chickpea crust?? Love this pizza, so creative too 🙂

  18. 18

    Kate — September 8, 2011 @ 2:51 am Reply

    I think some couples look alike from day one.  That's creepy to me.

  19. 19

    Carolyn — September 9, 2011 @ 11:17 am Reply

    Oooo, love this combo!

  20. 20

    grace — September 13, 2011 @ 7:11 pm Reply

    what a tasty concoction!  the toppings are perfect, but the crust is what intrigues me most–very clever use of chickpea flour!

  21. 21

    janet @ the taste space — October 11, 2011 @ 6:00 pm Reply

    Hey Cara, I was thinking of making your chickpea crust. Did you prefer this crust to the one with the vital wheat gluten?

  22. 22

    Cara — October 11, 2011 @ 6:05 pm Reply

    Hi Janet! It will work either way. I found that with the vital wheat gluten it was a tad easier to roll out (really just a smidge – neither way is very dough-like in the traditional sense) but didn't seem to make a difference in the final product. Hope you like it!

  23. 23

    Natalie @ Perry's Plate — March 21, 2012 @ 8:22 pm Reply

    I’m a little nervous, Cara… I have the pizza dough rising, but it’s SO runny. It’s about the consistency of pancake batter. That’s probably not right, huh? (I’m 95% sure I used chickpea flour. I should really label my mason jars.)

    • 23.1

      Cara — March 21, 2012 @ 9:24 pm

      hmmm… you know, another blogger friend of mine had the same problem, said her dough was “pourable.” I will admit that it’s very soft and doesn’t roll out like a normal dough (more accurately, it spreads out.) Because I was so convinced that the recipe should work, I sent her some of my chickpea flour (purchased from a mediterranean market.) She tried it and had much better luck. So I don’t know, maybe there is some “different” chickpea flour out there!
      Also, since I first put this up, I’ve been making a new version with psyllium husk powder which works out really well. (And that one I’ve made with regular old Bob’s Red Mill chickpea flour.) I really need to get that version up here….

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