Pomegranate Pizza Arabic Style

[Twitchin Kitten]

Pomegranates are bright colored and range in hue from pinkish to purple-red. The choicest are bright reddish color with thin leathery skin. Inside they are filled with a myriad of large red seeds which appear like masses of scarlet berries embedded in a translucent, slightly pinkish pulp.

An excellent autumn/winter fruit, pomegranates are picked before they are fully mature. However, they continue to ripen in cold storage, where they will keep in excellent condition for as long as six months. Compared to other fruit, they are exceptionally free of disease.

This pizza is an exotic version of an international favorite.

~ From the book "From the Lands Of Figs and Olives" by: Habeeb Salloum & James Peters

Pomegranate Pizza Arabic Style
Safeehat Rumman

Makes 15 to 18 little pies

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs pizza dough or make a batch of home made dough
  
• 1 small can tomato paste
  
• 1 tsp paprika
  
• 1 lb beef or lamb with some fat left on, cut into very small chunks
  
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 2 medium sized fruits)
  
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped chives
  
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
  
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
  

Form the dough into 18 (or so) small balls (about the size of a golf ball) then cover with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 2 hours.

In the meantime, make a filling by thoroughly mixing the remaining ingredients, then set aside.

Roll the dough balls into rounds about 5 inches in diameter, then pinch the edges to make a raised rim (like tiny quiche pans). Spread approximately 2 Tbsp of the filling inside of the rim and pat down evenly with the fingers. Continue until all the rounds are finished.

Bake on a well greased cookie try in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until the rims of the pizza turn light brown. Serve hot.