Vegetable Pizza with Pesto Sauce

This entry is by me (Jeremy), husband and fellow food lover to Handan.  Thanks to Handan for letting me cook tonight!  The pizza dough recipe was given to me by a good friend I used to work with in NJ.  Thanks MGP. :-)

Pizza Dough (makes one 14" pie)

 

1/2 cup tepid water (100 F)

1/2 T active yeast

1/2 T sugar

1/2 T olive oil

1 T vegetable or canola oil

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

1 t salt

1. in a bowl whisk together first three ingredients and let sit for 5 minutes

2. add oils and whisk until blended

3. add only 1 cup flour and mix until well-blended (no lumps)

4. add salt and remaining flour.  work into a dough ball and knead for 5 minutes

(add more flour to make the dough workable as needed)

5. dust dough ball with flour and let sit in a covered bowl for at least one hour.

6. knead again and let sit (covered) for at least one more hour.

 

Making The Pizza

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. With your hands or with a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 14" pie
3. Place dough on 14" pizza baking pan
4. Spread Handan's delicious walnut pesto sauce over the surface evenly.
5. Add toppings.  I used sliced red onion, tomato, jalapeno peppers and red bell peppers.
6. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese
7. Drizzle a little olive oil on the top and put in oven
8. Bake until cheese starts to brown.  This varies by oven, so keep your eye on it.
9. Remove pie and cut into 6 slices.  Serve.

TIP: After baking 7 or 8 minutes you can slide the pie off of the pizza pan.  This will give the pizza bottom a nice crust.