Wasabé Almond Broccoli Lavash

It is easy to cook, so don't go for take-out so fast. Lay a simple crust platform down, add nuts and veggies and top with cheese and spicy peppers.  Very little can go wrong.

This won't take longer than it takes to wind down from a crazy day of work.  Wind down. Nourish. Refocus.
3 cups small broccoli flowerettes

1/2 cup wasabe flavored almonds (Trader Joe’s) or see Cook’s Note
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp golden raisins
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 thin prepared Lavash flatbreads (10x10-inches)
4 oz Fontina or Jalapeño Jack cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp finely diced purple onions
dash red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 425F. Toss broccoli in a skillet with a tablespoon olive oil, and sauté for about 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until just turning dark green and softening a bit. salt and pepper to taste.

Tip almonds, garlic and raisins into a small food processor and pulse 15-20 times until you achieve a coarse meal. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times to mix well.

Lay the Lavash sheets out on two cookie or pizza sheets. Distribute half the almond mixture between both sheets and spread evenly to coat the crust.

Divide the broccoli about each sheet and then top with the cheese, onions and red pepper flakes.

Bake about 10-12 minutes, until the cheese melts nicely and the crust just begins to brown.

Makes 2 tarts - enough for appetizers for 6-8 or a part of a vegetarian meal for 4, if for example served with a soup or a salad.

Cook’s Note: Years ago, I encountered Broccoli Walnut Pizza living in Colorado.  Coming from New York, with some of the best pizza on the planet, I asked "Is this just a Hippie, Earthy attempt at 'different' pizza in the Wild West?"  It was then that I fully appreciated the synergy of ground walnuts, garlic and roasted broccoli.

Unfortunately when I recently wanted to recreate this synergy, I found we were out of walnuts but found my stash of Trader Joe’s Wasabé Flavored Almonds (a MUST try).

Success and beyond.  If, now I were to use raw walnuts here (or I think hazelnuts would also be great), I'd toast them for 3-5 minutes at 375F.  I think I would also now add a teaspoon of wasabé powder to the mix before grinding.  Or just go to Trader Joe's.

As for crusts, there are so many great crusts available, and you can use what you find.  Those used here were nice thin Lavash; so use a very meltable cheese like Jalapeño Jack or Fontina.  I tried with Gouda, which we love, but, it does not melt fast enough, and would brown the thin crust too much before melting the cheese.