Mini Mediterranean Pizza

The real estate market is strong this week. I showed 5 properties and closed on 1. The pipeline is strong. The phone rings with the steady rhythm of a business that has taken six years to build and refuses to slow down.

Mama called at 6 AM to tell me the bakery had its best week. She reported this with the urgency of a woman who considers every piece of information critical and every phone call an opportunity to also critique my cooking from forty miles away.

I thought about Baba this week. Not the grief — the grief is always there, a familiar companion now — but the man. The way he stood at the bakery counter with his arms crossed. The way he hummed Greek songs he never knew the words to. The way he loved us in silence, which was the loudest love I have ever known.

I made pastitsio from Mama's recipe — the Kalymnos version with extra cinnamon and a bechamel so thick you could mortar bricks with it. I served it with bread and olive oil — always too much olive oil, because in this family there is no such thing as too much. We ate and the conversation was easy and the evening was warm.

Sophia told me this week that she is proud of me. I was not expecting it. We were in the car, driving to Tarpon Springs for Sunday dinner, and she said Mom, I am proud of you. I said for what. She said for everything. For the bakery. For the houses. For making dinner every night even when you are tired. I gripped the steering wheel and blinked and said thank you, koritsi mou. She said do not cry. I did not cry. Much.

Pastitsio takes most of a Sunday afternoon, and I do not always have a Sunday afternoon to give — but I always have twenty minutes, and I always have feta and olives in the refrigerator, because that is just what it means to be my mother’s daughter. These Mini Mediterranean Pizzas have become my weeknight answer to the craving for something warm and unmistakably Greek: the kind of thing I can put together after a long day of showings, set on the table still bubbling, and watch disappear before I have even sat down. They are not pastitsio, but they carry the same spirit — olive oil, oregano, the flavors Sophia grew up knowing by heart.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 27 min | Servings: 8 (2 mini pizzas each)

Ingredients

8 whole wheat English muffins, split
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange the split English muffin halves cut-side up in a single layer.
Make the garlic oil. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the minced garlic and stir to combine. Brush the mixture evenly over each muffin half, covering all the way to the edges.
Wilt the spinach. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the baby spinach and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted. Remove from heat and press out any excess moisture with a paper towel.
Layer the toppings. Distribute the wilted spinach evenly across the muffin halves. Top with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and red onion slices, dividing equally among all 16 pieces.
Add the cheese. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over each pizza first, then follow with the crumbled feta. The mozzarella melts and holds everything together; the feta stays crumbly and salty on top — exactly as it should.
Season and bake. Dust each pizza with dried oregano and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if using. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and bubbly and the muffin edges are golden and crisp.
Finish and serve. Remove from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes. Tear fresh basil leaves over the top and serve immediately while still hot. These do not last long — plan accordingly.

Nutrition (per serving)

Mini Mediterranean Pizza — The Little Bites That Taste Like Coming Home