The emergence of »Styrian« Green Pizza

»For a long time I was thinking to myself, why would the Italians be only nation, recognizable by their pizzas, pasta, olive oil … and why would not also we, people from Styria, had such a pizza dough that would be recognizable worldwide?

Based on the experience and after several months of work, I have developed a unique recipe for pizza dough with pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds, which has a special appearance, taste and texture.«

©Bojan Mendek, author

Particularity in the pizza dough – Pumpkin Oil

Pumpkin seed oil is a culinary specialty of Slovenia, especially of Stajerska, Prekmurje and also part of Austria. Just as people of Primorska consider olive tree and its fruit, olives as their own, people of Stajerska and Prekmurje perceive pumpkin and dark green with a touch of reddish colored pumpkin seed oil as theirs. Pumpkin seed oil was unfairly pushed into the background of the olive oil for a long time, because it is also healthy. Pumpkin seed oil, also called a fountain of youth, contains a lot of vitamins, both A and C, E and K and minerals from the zinc to the magnesium, manganese, calcium, protein and up to 80 percent of unsaturated fatty acids which human body needs for its normal function.

Pumpkin seed oil is one of the few oils that contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation (including joints) and prevent from the formation of cancerous formations. It is also rich with the delta-7-sterols, acting against the increase of the prostate. According to the latest research, the active ingredient in pumpkin seeds also helps in reducing bad cholesterol and high blood pressure and also strengthens the functioning of the bladder. This very dark green oil has a host of beneficial effects. Because it is full of powerful antioxidants it helps body to fight free radicals that destroy healthy cells and accelerate aging. Omega-6 fatty acids lead to faster hair growth and regeneration of the skin, regulate metabolism and maintain healthy bones; to improve the health of the latter contributes vitamin K, which also contributes to normal blood flow. Considering a healthy diet there is much more stress on the beneficial effects of olive oil, but you can occasionally, without worrying, use pumpkin oil, which is also healthy; because it is compressed from roasted pumpkin seeds, many people say it is even tastier.

Pumpkin seed oil is most often used and enjoyed cold, usually as an addition to various dishes and salads. It tastes excellent in combination with beans, potatoes, dandelion, onion, black radish, tomato, radicchio, lamb’s lettuce, cabbage, eggs, sauerkraut and boiled beef. Pumpkin seed oil can be used to prepare a delicious spread for canapés, sandwiches and toast and because the oil is very thick, it can also be used to decorate vegetables, cheese, meat and pasta plates and soup. When added, just a few drops to decorate the pumpkin cream soup, the effect is also excellent. Even if it may be difficult to believe, pumpkin seed oil can also be used for the preparation of desserts. It matches perfectly with the taste of chocolate, vanilla ice cream and sweet desserts. It can also be used in the preparation of biscuits and leavened dough. If pumpkin seed oil is used as a coating for ice cream it can be sweetened with a sprinkle of maple syrup…

Want to try it?

Recipe and preparation of Styrian Green Pizza is a trade secret and trademark of its author Bojan Mendek.

If you would like to prepare this special Styrian Green Pizza yourself (in your restaurant, pizzeria, hotel, …), please contact us. We will be happy to provide more information about the recipe, preparation as well as marketing of Styrian Green Pizza, in which we are supported by friends from The Marketing Heaven, while our green pizza is becoming more in demand.

If you would like to try Styrian Green Pizza you are welcomed to visit us in the Konditorei, Restaurant & Eissalon, A-8472 Strass/Steiermark, Hauptstraße 52, Austria.