my body really does dictate what i eat. it’s well and truly made me go off the dairy, after trying to re-introduce it slowly. maybe it’s a southern hemisphere thing – i seemed fine all through the northern hemisphere a few months ago.

this is a sunday-night-in dinner for me and my much loved housemates (and a little celebration of certain vogel prize shortlistings…). i made up a vegan ricotta to put on the pizza instead of cheese, and it rocked my world.

vegan ricotta
blend:

• half a block of firm tofu
• two teaspoons of white miso
• half a handful of walnuts
• juice of half a lemon, and
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

until smooth and creamy. add more oil or lemon juice to make it smoother if you want. it goes this weird grey colour but tastes amazing.

the pizza
on a pre-made thin pizza base i put a tomato sauce thing (tomato paste, water and garlic – there were no tomatoes to be found in the house!), and topped the pizza with thinly sliced zucchini, mushrooms, capsicum, olives and fried sliced leeks (the best addition after the ricotta). splodge the ‘ricotta’ on top and bake in a hot oven until golden.

served here with a very classy iceberg lettuce and snowpea salad (feels like the mid-nineties again) and a ‘moutarde aux provence’ dressing.