Epicurean Expressions: Puff pastry pizza, it's neither puffy nor pastry. Discuss.

I've had a hankering for pizza for the last few days and if you saw my recent post about pizza you would know it hasn't been all that long since I last had pizza...but yet I crave it. All. The. Time.

I was thinking about my pizza dough making skills (or lack thereof) and realized I didn't have to make my own crust... I could cheat a little and make the sauce and still feel good about it, right? Right. As long as I at least bake the crust myself. I thought about picking up a ball of pizza dough from Trader Joe's but then remembered the puff pastry sheets I had in the freezer. Couldn't I make the pizza on one of those? Indeed I could.

Drunken Mushroom Pizza
serves 2-3 depending on hunger level

1 puff pastry shell, defrosted
1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch salt
1 ball of fresh mozzerella, sliced thin
3 large basil leaves, chifffonade

for the mushrooms:
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 T butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
5 white mushrooms, sliced
splash of dry white wine (sauvignon blanc works well)

for the sauce:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes, sodium free
4-5 large basil leaves, chiffonade
salt, to taste
pinch of sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Roll the puff pastry out so that it extends an inch more wide and an inch more long. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese, dried herbs and salt all over the pastry. Fork the pastry all over, leaving a 1 inch border for the crust to puff up (forking the pastry in the middle fores the middle to stay flat). Place puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper (or Silpat) on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry is lightly browned and crispy.

2. While the puff pastry is cooking, pour evoo and butter into a saute pan over low- medium heat and add garlic. Saute for a few minutes, watching to make sure garlic doesn't burn. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until they are slightly brown. Once pan is almost dry, add splash of white wine and cook the wine down until almost dry. Pour in a small bowl and set aside.

3. In the same saute pan, add 2 tsp evoo, diced tomatoes, basil, salt and sugar and let it simmer for at least 10 minutes or longer. (You will have leftovers of the sauce so use within a day or two or freeze and toss with pasta another night!)

4. Spoon about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce onto puff pastry and spread out, leaving a 1 inch border. Place slices of mozzarella across the sauce leaving about 1/2 inch between cheese slices. Scatter basil and "drunken mushrooms" all over the top.