Shrimp Pesto Pizza, No Added Refined Sugar

Method

1. Make the pesto: put 60gr of basil leaves, 30gr of shelled pine nuts, 5gr of garlic, 30gr of powdered Parmesan cheese and 20gr of ice cubes into a blender and run it for about 2 minutes until smooth.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and blend another 2 minutes until the sauce is evenly smooth, giving about 150ml.
3. Dice 1 large onion and 1 bell pepper that have been trimmed, deseeded and washed.
4. Peel 450gr of shrimp, remove the heads, legs and tails, wash them and score along the back to pull out the dark vein.
5. Put 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil in a hot pan and cook the onion and bell pepper with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of MSG for 5 minutes over medium heat, then turn it into a bowl.
6. Add another 1 teaspoon of olive oil, cook the shrimp for 3 minutes, then return the onion and bell pepper mixture and stir through.
7. Set 6 pizza bases of 15cm across and 0.5cm thick on an electric grill, cook for 5 minutes while brushing 120ml of pesto evenly over the surfaces, then arrange the shrimp mixture on top and scatter about 30gr of powdered Parmesan cheese over each one, using all 180gr.
8. Cook another 5 minutes, turn each base 90 degrees and cook a further 5 minutes so they cook through evenly and crisp.

Tips

• Pine nuts to look for are long and even, ivory white or pale yellow.
• Without an electric grill, an oven does the job, heated for 10 minutes first.
• Ice in the blender jug is what holds the pesto green, since basil leaves darken against the heat of the blade.
• Two short pulses rather than one long run keeps the jug cooler and the sauce smoother.
• Leftover pesto keeps in a sealed jar under a film of olive oil in the fridge for 5 days.
• The shrimp get only 3 minutes in the pan because they keep cooking in the oven, and overcooking turns them rubbery.