Never say No for A pizza Slice 🍕

Homemade Tuna & Cheese Pizza 🍕

Great choice — this keeps things Mediterranean, hearty, and gluten-friendly. I’ll give a clear, kitchen-tested workflow plus two crust options (one for chickpea-flour batter and a short note if you actually blended whole chickpeas into a thicker dough). Quantities below make one 10–12 inch (25–30 cm) pizza.

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Ingredients

Chickpea crust (option A — chickpea flour batter, recommended)

• 1 cup (120 g) chickpea flour (besan)

• 1 cup (240 ml) water

• 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for pan)

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp baking powder (optional — gives slight lift)

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano (optional)

If you already blended cooked chickpeas (option B)

• ~1½ cups cooked chickpeas (drained) — you’ve done this; see notes below for handling.

Sauce (homemade, quick)

• 1 can (400 g / 14 oz) crushed tomatoes (or 4 ripe tomatoes roasted & mashed)

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp paprika (or smoked paprika), salt & pepper to taste

• 1 tsp harissa (optional, for Tunisian heat)

Toppings

• 1 can tuna (about 140–160 g / 5–6 oz drained), flaked

• 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 150–200 g mozzarella (5–7 oz), shredded or sliced

• 8–12 black olives, halved

• Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzle

• Dried oregano or za’atar for finishing

• Lemon wedge or chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Yield: 1 large pizza (10–12″) — adjust quantities for more.

Equipment: oven, baking sheet or pizza stone, mixing bowl, spatula, small saucepan.

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Method — start to finish

1) Make the crust (Option A — chickpea-flour batter)

1. In a bowl whisk together 1 cup chickpea flour, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp baking powder (if using).

2. Slowly add 1 cup water while whisking to make a smooth batter. Stir in 2 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp dried oregano if you like.

3. Let the batter rest 20–30 minutes (this hydrates the flour and improves texture).

If you already have a thicker blended chickpea “dough” (option B): press it until reasonably smooth, then mix in 1–2 tbsp chickpea flour or 1 tbsp tapioca starch to firm it slightly if it’s too wet. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp salt. Shape thinly (see step 4).

2) Preheat the oven

• Preheat to 240°C / 475°F (or 230–250°C / 450–480°F for different ovens). Put a pizza stone or an inverted heavy baking sheet in the oven while it heats (30 minutes if you have the time).

3) Prepare sauce & prep toppings while oven heats

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan over medium. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent, add garlic and cook 30 sec. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, paprika, salt & pepper, and 1 tsp harissa (optional). Simmer 10–15 minutes until slightly reduced and bright. Taste and adjust.

• Drain tuna well and flake with a fork. Slice peppers, onions and olives. Shred / slice mozzarella.

4) Shape & par-bake the chickpea crust

For batter (A):

1. Oil a 10–12″ round baking pan or sheet, or use parchment. Pour batter into the pan and spread to an even thickness (about 5–8 mm / ¼–⅓ inch).

2. Slide onto the hot stone / baking sheet and par-bake 10–12 minutes until the surface looks set and edges begin to colour.

For blended dough (B):

1. Press the dough into an oiled pan to a uniform 5–8 mm thickness. Brush lightly with olive oil.

2. Par-bake 12–16 minutes (a bit longer because it’s denser) until set and golden.

Par-baking prevents sogginess from the sauce and toppings.

5) Assemble the pizza

1. Remove par-baked crust from oven. Spread a thin layer of sauce (about 3–4 tbsp — don’t overload).

2. Scatter flaked tuna evenly. Add sliced green pepper and red onion (if you want less moisture, sauté them 2–3 minutes first).

3. Distribute mozzarella and arrange olives. Drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of dried oregano.

6) Bake until cheese melts

• Return to the oven and bake 6–9 minutes at 240°C / 475°F until cheese is bubbling and top is golden. If edges brown too quickly, move pizza to a lower rack or reduce temp by 10–20°C.

7) Finish & serve

• Remove, let rest 2–3 minutes. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon (optional — brightens the tuna), and chopped parsley or a sprinkle of za’atar. Slice and serve hot.

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