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Recipe: Pesto Pizza

Pizza/Focaccia
Pesto Pizza
Source: The Great Chicago-Style Pizza Cookbook by Pasquale Bruno, Jr.

12 inch pizza pan, 2 inch deep

Dough:
1 1/2 tsp honey
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 F.)
4 to 4 1/2 cups unbleached/bread/high gluten flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp active dry yeast

Topping:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. pine nuts (pignola)
1 garlic clove (crushed)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 (28-ounce) can Italian-style plum tomatoes, well drained and crushed (or 8 skinned, seeded, and chopped fresh ripe plum tomatoes)
6 ounces mozzarella

Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the honey and the vegetable oil with the warm water. Add 3 cups of the flour, the salt, and the yeast to the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a sticky ball. Add an additional 1/2 cup of flour and knead this into the ball of dough with your hands. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a well-floured work surface. Knead and pound the dough, adding more flour if the dough sticks to your hand. You should use at least 4 cups of flour but not more than 4 1/2. Knead the dough for 5 - 6 minutes until smooth and soft.

Dust the dough and a large mixing bowl with flour; cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

After the dough has doubled in bulk, turn it out of the bowl (it will be slightly sticky), and knead for 2-3 minutes, dusting lightly with flour if it feels too sticky. Oil the pizza pan, bottom and sides, with olive or vegetable oil. Press the dough into the pan (12 inch, 2 inch deep) with your fingers and the palm of the hand. (It will spread easier if it sits in the pan for 10 minutes.) Work the dough until it covers the bottom of the pan. Pull the edges of the dough up the sides of the pan to form a lip or pronounced border all around the pan. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

The pesto sauce can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.

Food processor or blender method:
Put the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and oil in the work bowl fitted with the steel blade. Turn on the machine and process until a smooth puree is formed (scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice). Transfer the pesto to a small bowl. Stir in the grated cheese, salt, and pepper.

Mortar and pestle method:
Pound the basil leaves in a mortar with the pine nuts and garlic. Slowly add the oil, continuing to mix thoroughly with the pestle to form a smooth paste. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper. Combine thoroughly.

Combine the pesto with the drained tomatoes. Mix thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 425.

After the dough has completed the second rising in the pan, spoon the topping onto the crust. Spread the grated mozzarella evenly over the sauce.

Bake the pizza for 30-35 minutes until the crust is brown and the pizza cooked through.
MsgID: 3125625
Shared by: Betsy at Recipelink.com
In reply to: Recipe: Pizza Pan Recipes (6)
Board: Daily Recipe Swap at Recipelink.com
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