BLT Pizza and Homemade Bacon

By Josie Moody, Office Manager

This is part two of my review of the cookbook Baconish by Leinana Two Moons.

Last week I reviewed a recipe from Baconish for Bacon-Spinach Quiche. But this cookbook has so many good recipes, that I wanted to share a couple more! BLT is a definite theme in this book, and I thought this recipe was perfect because it mixes that with one of my (and the world’s!) favorite foods—pizza!

BLT Pizza

Serves about 4 to 6.

Ingredients

• 1 Quick and Easy Whole-Wheat Pizza Crust (from recipe in Baconish) or store-bought crust, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup store-bought pizza sauce
• ⅓ cup vegan shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Daiya brand)
• ⅓ cup chopped Tofu Bacon (see recipe below), marinated but not cooked
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup arugula leaves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 475℉.
2. Stretch the pizza crust dough onto a 12-inch round pizza pan. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the crust to within 1 inch of the edge. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top of the sauce. Distribute the Tofu Bacon pieces and cherry tomatoes over the mozzarella.
3. Bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the Tofu Bacon is browned. Remove the pizza from the oven, arrange the arugula leaves all over the top, cut into slices, and serve.

I couldn’t justify reviewing a cookbook centered on plant-based bacon without trying out one of the recipes for vegan bacon. This is the first time I have ever tried to make anything like this—it was surprisingly easy, and I was happy with the result. I had to stop myself from eating these solo before I had a chance to put them on the pizza! (I cooked these before putting on the pizza, although the recipe above recommends having them cook with the rest of the pizza).

Tofu Bacon

Makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package smoked tofu
• ¼ cup tamari
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive or safflower oil (if pan-frying)
• Non-stick cooking spray (if baking)

Directions

1. Use a sharp knife to cut the tofu into ⅛-inch strips.
2. Whisk the tamari, maple syrup, tomato paste, liquid smoke, apple cider vinegar, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder together in a medium bowl. Place the tofu slices in a large shallow 9 x 13-inch baking dish or gallon-size plastic freezer bag, then pour the marinade over the top. Make sure all the slices are evenly coated. Allow the tofu to marinate a minimum of 1 hour (several hours is even better; the longer it marinates, the more flavor it will have).
3. To pan-fry the Tofu Bacon (which is the cooking method I recommend), heat the oil in the large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet because the bacon slices will get more carmelization and crispier edges than they will in a non-stick skillet. Working in batches, place the bacon slices in a single layer in the oil and pan-fry until they are dark brown in spots and crispy around the edges. Using tongs or a spatula, flip the slices and fry until they are crisped and browned on the other side.
4. To bake the Tofu Bacon, preheat the oven to 400℉. Lightly spray two cooling racks and place them on top of two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Arrange the bacon slices in single layers over the cooling racks. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, keeping a close eye on the tofu during the last 5 minutes. The thinner the slices are, the faster they will begin to burn. Baking them in the oven will create a firmer, crunchier bacon and will omit the oil.

Have you made anything from Baconish? Have a favorite plant-based bacon? Share your answers with us in the comments below!