Ok, I totally realize that Thanksgiving is a few months past and if you still have Thanksgiving leftovers in your fridge, you probably don’t want to be eating them. But this pizza is the reason you should celebrate Thanksgiving all over again.

Right after Thanksgiving, I was telling a friend of mine about all the super tasty leftovers I had from celebrating Thanksgiving with my dad, and he was telling me about the super tasty pizza he was making. All of a sudden we had a collaborative brainstorm and the idea for the Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza was born! It took us a little while to actually make this pizza happen, but finally the goodness has been created. If you don’t have your own Thanksgiving leftovers to work from, take a gander at the plethora of recipes below and make all or some of these things from scratch. We made a whole grain crust and whole grain gravy, but either of those things can be made with white wheat or whole spelt flour. We also used my friend’s well seasoned pizza stone, but if you don’t have one, just use a perforated pizza pan or a sheet pan. Also, this Maple Cranberry Sauce that we made is absolutely fantastic. The leftovers make an amazing jam and it’s hands down the easiest jam I have ever made. I spread it on some french toast in the morning. Yum!


Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza

1 batch pizza dough (or a premade ball of dough)
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs chopped herbs (rosemary and thyme, or whatever is in season and your favorite)
1 batch or 1-1/2 cup gravy
1/2 lb semisoft cheese, grated (like mozzarella, gouda or Monterey Jack)
2 oz hard cheese, grated (like parmesan or romano)
1/2 can or 1/2 batch cranberry sauce
1 small raw sweet potato, sliced very thin
1/3 lb cooked turkey, shredded or chopped

1) Preheat your oven to 450° F
 
2) Lightly flour your counter and roll or push your pizza dough out into a 16-inch circle (or into the size/shape appropriate for your pan). Flour your pan or oil your stone (depending on your implement). Place the dough on your pan and lightly brush the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle the crust with the herbs.

3) Spread the gravy generously over the crust. Sprinkle 3/4 of the combined cheeses over the gravy. Scatter dollops of cranberry sauce over the cheese. Spread the potato slices and turkey pieces over the gravy as well, and then top with the last of the cheese.

4) Bake the pizza for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown and the crust is baked through. Let cool slightly and enjoy!


Whole Spelt Pizza Dough

1/2 cup warm water
1 tbs yeast (or 1 package)
1 tbs natural sweetener at room temperature (sugar/agave/maple syrup/honey)
3 cups whole spelt flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbs olive oil
additional water

1) Using water just hot enough that your finger can stand being in it for 10 seconds, mix together the sweetener, water and yeast in a large bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes, or until the yeast becomes foamy

2) Add the flour, salt and olive oil to the bowl. Bring together all the ingredients with your fingers and start forming the dough into a ball. Add more water as needed, 1/4-3/4 cups more. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes, folding the dough into itself repeatedly.

3) Form the dough into a ball and place it into your bowl, seam side down. Lightly cover the surface of the dough with oil, so it doesn’t dry out and let it sit in a warm location for about an hour, until it has doubled in size and doesn’t readily spring back when poked. Punch it down and then push or roll it out into your pizza crust.


Basic Gravy

3 tbs butter
1/4 cup all purpose or whole spelt flour
1 cup broth
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp spices to taste (onion powder, garlic powder, chili flakes, etc.)

1) Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly with a fork until the flour is cooked, and no longer has a “raw” smell, about 2-3 minutes.

2) Add the broth, milk, salt, pepper and spices. Keep stirring constantly with a fork as the gravy thickens. Cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency, about 5 minutes.


Smoky Turkey Pieces

1 lb turkey cutlets (or slice turkey breast)
1 qt water mixed with 2 tbs kosher salt
1 tbs plus 10 drops liquid smoke

1) Place the raw turkey in a bowl and cover with water/salt mixture. Add 1 tbs liquid smoke to the water and mix with a spoon. Let the turkey sit in this brine, refrigerated, for about an hour.

2) Drain the water from the bowl and lay the turkey pieces flat in a preheated pan. Sprinkle with a scattering of liquid smoke drops. Cook at medium high heat until the turkey is cooked through, turning over once, to cook evenly. Cook the turkey in batches if necessary.

Maple Cranberry Sauce

8 oz cranberries
2 cups Vermont maple syrup

1) Add the cranberries and maple syrup to a medium saucepan and cook over medium low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Let cool.