Here is my version of chicken pot pie, with my twist being the addition of a pizza crust in place of the expected pastry topper. This is the kind of thing you can make for kids or adults: use a slightly larger ramekin for an adult-size serving and serve it with a side salad; or make it in smaller portions for kids and serve with veggie sticks or even French fries.

　　

Ingredients

6 servings

　　

Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

　　2 ounces diced pancetta

　　1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　

Pizza Pot Pies

3 cups Tomato Sauce (see above)

　　2 cups diced roasted chicken (from a purchased roasted chicken)

　　2 cups broccoli cut into small, bite-size pieces

　　1 1/2 cups diced mozzarella cheese

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 1/2 pounds purchased pizza dough

　　1/3 cup olive oil

　　6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

　　Special equipment: 6 (10-ounce) ramekins

　　

To Make the Tomato Sauce

Step 1

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, and pancetta and sauté until the pancetta is crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir to combine, and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Set aside.

　　

To Make the Pot Pies

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce, chicken, broccoli, mozzarella, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among six 10-ounce ramekins. Roll out the pizza dough 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick, and use a paring knife to cut circles that are 1 inch larger in diameter than the ramekins. Set the circles of dough over the filled ramekins and press down to seal, making sure to pull the dough over the edges of each ramekin. Brush the pizza crust with the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cut a small slit in the top with the paring knife. Bake until the pizza crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.