Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Pesto Pizza with Tomato Salad

Pizza Dough
(makes 3 of these 9 inch cast iron skillet sized crusts)
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1-2 cups extra flour
    In a medium bowl add the water, yeast, and sugar.  Stir and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.  In another bowl combine the 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, and garlic salt. In a mixing bowl add the bloomed yeast and flour mixture.  Turn the mixer on low with the dough hook and mix for about 5 minutes.  Add 1 cup of the extra flour and let it mix in.  Continue to add the remaining extra cup of flour until the dough is sticky, but forms a ball.  Do not add too much flour!  You want the dough to be sticky to the touch and slightly gooey.  Turn the mixer up to high and let it knead for 5 minutes.  Remove the dough from the mixer bowl, lightly oil the bowl and return the dough to it.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for about 10 minutes. After it has risen, cut the dough into 3 equal portions.  If you want to save any of them for another time, spray a ziploc bag and put the dough into it.  Then it can be frozen and saved for another day.
Spray a 9 inch cast iron skillet and stretch the dough out onto it.  Next, spread about 3 Tbsp. of pesto sauce (I use a premade jar.) on the dough.  Then top it with 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and top with the tomato salad.

Tomato Salad
3 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
     Combine all the ingredient together and stir to coat.



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