the best pizza I’ve ever made

I’m getting used to seeing lots of greens in our farm box every week during these winter months.  I’ve done tons of recipes with swiss chard and kale.  Some good.  Some not so good.  But I enjoy the creative challenge of figuring out how to use them

This week, we had collard greens.  The biggest most beautiful looking leaf I have ever seen.  As big as a palm branch.  I could have fanned myself if it weren’t a freezing 66 degrees in our house.

So I went to my trusty website www.epicurious.com to find out what I could do with these gorgeous greens and came across the pizza recipe that will undoubtedly go down as the best pizza I’ve made so far.  Friday night is usually make your own pizza night, so I decided to try it .  The kids, of course turned up their noses at the green stuff and added none of it to their pizzas.  But followed the recipe online and made a few of my own changes and Leif and I devoured it.  I think I might have to actually seek out collard greens in the grocery store to make this pizza again. 

Pizza Bianca with Goat Cheese and Greens

(Not my photo, my pizza looked even better, with a little red pepper and red onions!! YUMMY)

Pizza Dough (this is the easiest, best homemade pizza dough recipe I’ve used – comes from America’s Test Kitchen – I love those people)

• 4-4 1/4 cups bread flour
• 2 1/2 tsp (or 1 envelope) instant yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbls olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups warm water

Seasoned oil

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Topping

• 1 bunch greens (about 10 ounces), of any kind - ribs cut away
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated
• 4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
• red pepper, sliced
• red onion, sliced
• Yellow cornmeal

For dough:
Pulse 4 cups of flour, yeast, 2 tbls sugar and salt together in a food processor fitted with dough blade.  With .processor running, pour the oiled, then water through the feed tube and process until a dough ball forms.  30-4o seconds.  Let the dough rest for 2 minutes and then process for another 30.  if after 30 seconds, the dough is sticky and clings to the blade, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon at a time as needed.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and form into a smooth ball.  Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let rise in warm place until double in size 1 1/2 – 2 hours.

Turn the dough onto floured counter and divide in 2 equal pieces (or more if you have kiddos who like to each make their own).  Cover in GREASED (don’t forget that part) plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.  Working with one dough ball at a time, press and roll out into circle and transfer to baking sheet or stone.

 

Meanwhile, prepare seasoned oil:
Mix oil, garlic, and red pepper in small bowl. Let stand 1 hour.

For topping:
Cook greens in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water; drain. Squeeze dry, then coarsely chop. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add greens and stir 1 minute. Season to taste with salt.

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Sprinkle rimless baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll out dough on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet. Sprinkle mozzarella over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Scatter greens over mozzarella. Top with red pepper, red onions and goat cheese. Brush crust edge with some of seasoned oil. Set aside 2 teaspoons seasoned oil; drizzle remaining oil over pizza.

Bake pizza until crust is brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven; brush edge with seasoned oil and serve.