Today's VeganMoFo prompt was to make a dish inspired by an emoji. I chose to make a dish inspired by two of my favorite emojis-- Pizza, and Pie.

In a text, they don't look like much. They don't do the actual magic of these foods justice.

I've never been to Chicago, nor tasted deep dish vegan pizza-pie. But should I really have to go to Chicago to do just that? I think not.

I began with some homemade dough, in which I included garlic, olive oil and chili flakes. I like to use a pan a little too small so that I can refold the extra dough for crust purposes, in the style of what resembles breadstick crust.

I took this opportunity to try out the new Daiya shredded cheese, after they claimed it is newly improved. I bought this at the third grocery store I visited that day. I had to go back to the third store twice because I forgot flour the first three times. 

At the first grocery store I hit, they miraculously had Beyond Sausage in stock. Since it was released, I have found it in stores only twice-- once before this time. I grabbed two, and planned to use one for this purpose. All Chicago-stlye 'zza has a layer of sausage spread over the cheese like a disk, no? Well mine should be no different.

It being the 2nd of September and all, and heirloom tomatoes being so overwhelmingly awesome this time of year, I found myself with 5 in my kitchen awaiting their undecided purposes. I used them to make a fresh tomato sauce for my deep dish pizza, with lots of garlic and herbage.

I baked the dough with the cheese alone at 450°F for 8 minutes, then again this time topped with the sausage for 10 minutes, and finally with the tomatoes for 10 more. I let it rest for 10 painstaking minutes before I cut myself a slice.

It was worth the rest, otherwise I feared it would gush out and not hold it's shape, just as a berry pie needs to rest, lest it gush.

Again from its good side:

No regrets. [High Five Emoji]

xo,

KZ