GETTING RID OF THE EXCESS

If you already have a functioning paperweight, you don't need a 10-pound pizza. Get rid of the excess, and you'll still have a luscious concoction that's great for a quick lunch or dinner.

Start with the crust. Substitute a flour tortilla for the typical yeast dough. A 10-inch flour tortilla has about 100 calories compared to 150 calories for one-eighth of a standard crust.

Adjust the cheese. Cheese should be a condiment, not the roofing for a pizza. If your knife bounces back when you cut into a pizza, you've got too much cheese. Substitute a touch of piquant goat cheese for the mozzarella and you'll get all the flavor with a fraction of the fat.

And how about the meat? Don't pile a week's worth of meat on top of an already overburdened crust. As a light and delicious alternative, use prosciutto which has a delicate, smoky flavor. Put these elements together and you've got Goat Cheese, Prosciutto and Tomato Pizza. It's light, it's elegant and it's so easy to make you may never go back to the heavyweights.

It's pointless to make a salad to accompany the typical pizza. Who has the capacity for all that food? However, when you serve your tortilla-topped pizza, you'll enjoy the salad course. Try a combination of spinach and pear with a curry vinaigrette. The spicy, sweet flavor is perfect after the pungency of the goat cheese.

GOAT CHEESE, PROSCIUTTO AND TOMATO PIZZA

2 (10-inch) flour tortillas

5 ounces goat cheese

3 tablespoons cream or milk

1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 ounces diced prosciutto

2 tablespoons minced chives

Place flour tortillas on baking sheet. Toast in oven at 400 degrees until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend together goat cheese and cream. Gently spread over tortillas. Scatter tomatoes and prosciutto over tortillas. Sprinkle with chopped chives. Return pizzas to oven to warm, about 2 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 2 servings.

PEAR AND SPINACH SALAD WITH CURRY VINAIGRETTE

1 medium pear, cored and diced

2 cups torn fresh spinach, stems removed

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

In salad bowl, toss together pear and spinach.

In cup, stir together honey, vinegar, curry powder, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over spinach mixture. Toss gently but well. Makes 2 servings.

(Bev Bennett is the author of four cookbooks including the award-winning ``Dinner for Two,'' Barron's.)

(c) 2000, Bev Bennett. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

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Author: Bev Bennett