Cheesy Crab Mini Pizzas

These quick small pizzas made using purchased mini-Naan flatbreads are a fast Friday night dinner entrée or, if cut into pieces, a fun appetizer or addition to a potluck. Lump crabmeat is dear but you don’t use much and should have plenty left over for a crabcake dinner or salad. Alternately, consider canned crab – much less expensive – or even switch to shrimp or canned tuna. Use your favorite toppings, making sure they’re cut thinly or into small enough pieces to cook in the short allotted time – or precook them. As you choose toppings, keep in mind crab is a mild, sweet seafood and use those that will not overwhelm but instead make it the star. While the recipe looks long, these pizzas come together before you know it.

For smaller appetites or children, one pizza, instead of two, might be enough for dinner if served with a big green salad.

2 entrée servings or 8 appetizer servings

Ingredients

CHEESE SAUCE:

½ cup (4.5 ounces) ricotta cheese
2- ounces goat cheese at room temperature
Generous pinch each: kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, crushed red pepper
Zest of one lemon
Small plump garlic clove, minced

FLATBREAD:

4 mini-Naan flatbreads
Olive oil

TOPPINGS:

4- ounces lump crab (8 tablespoons)
1/3 cup sliced jarred artichoke hearts
¼ cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers (4 tablespoons)
4 very thin sliced red onion
8 pitted kalamata olives cut in half
4 grape tomatoes cut in half
¼ cup each grated mozzarella and grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

GARNISHES: optional but recommended

Minced fresh chives or green onions
Sriracha mayo (1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce mixed into ½ cup mayonnaise)

Instructions

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 375 degrees F. Place rack at bottom. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE: Pulse together the cheese sauce ingredients in a food processor, taste for seasonings, and set aside. (Or beat with an electric mixer or by hand.)
PREHEAT THE STOVETOP GRILL or a heavy skillet over high flame for two minutes. Meanwhile, brush the mini naan lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the mini naan for about two minutes on each side or until a few dark brown marks appear. Do not overcook as the pizzas will bake in the oven, too. Place the naan on the lined sheet pan.
ADD THE CHEESE SAUCE AND TOPPINGS TO THE MINI NAAN: Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese sauce evenly over each flatbread, stopping ¼-inch short of the edges. Add 2 tablespoons crab, 2 slices artichoke hearts, 2 or 3 slices roasted peppers, 4 kalamata olive halves, 2 grape tomato halves, a slice of red onion spread out over the other toppings, 1 tablespoon each grated mozzarella and sharp cheddar, a ½ teaspoon or so grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, along with a light sprinkle of salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
BAKE THE PIZZAS 6-8 MINUTES or until the cheese is melted and the bottom is crisp. Serve hot garnished with chives and Sriracha mayo, if using. Store leftovers well-wrapped for one-two days in the fridge. Do not freeze.