Monday, July 14, 2008

Arugula Pesto Pizza

Pepperoni pizza is an American icon, no doubt about it. And there is certainly a time and a place for it.....a kid's birthday party, a college dorm cram session, Superbowl Sunday or like when your power goes out and the contents of your fridge are spoiled. I'm just sayin'.

It's just that I've been to the other side and I'm not going back.

I'm actually a total novice at making my own pizza. Making my own dough? Using yeast? Nope, never done it. I am not gifted with bread-making abilities. If you have a lot of time and a hankering to make your own, check here . If you want my secret, it's Trader Joe's Pizza Dough in a bag. You find it in the fridge section near the cheese and salads. On a side note, this is really fun to use for cooking with kids too. You can divide it up and make several little pizzas.

But back to toppings....ahhhh, the possibilities are endless. Just use what you have handy and it will be golden (no pun intended). Mine today included pesto, arugula, sundried tomatoes, red onions, goat cheese and pine nuts and a splash of olive oil. Pre-heat the oven to super hot, ie 500 degrees. Transfer the rolled out dough to your baking vessel (pizza stone, cookie sheet, pizza screen) and add the toppings. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and firm.

What are your favorite topping combos? Hit me with some ideas for my next pizza. I need some more........practice (mouth watering).

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know how we New Yorkers love good pizza.

Gawd, it looks beautiful!

Anonymous said...

We have this awesome pizza place in my town called Your Pie (http://whatsyourpie.com) and its like the Subway of Pizza. It rules. You pick whether you want wheat or white crust, you pick your toppings, then stuff it in a brick oven and a few minutes later you get a tasty personal pizza for like, $6. My last combo was tasty, I got white crust with marinara, fresh mozzarella, capicola, pine nuts, green olives and artichokes. Tasty stuff.

Anonymous said...

My friend, Del, owner and operator of the CassandraCrossing, usually does not get excited about a food blog.

But, she happened across your method for making arufula pesto pizza, and apparently, it caught her attention.

Thanks for sharing, and thanks "Del" for emailing me about this post.

Anonymous said...

I love how rustic and soft your dough looks! And those toppings are a long way from pepperoni! It's just gorgeous!

Unknown said...

I agree - TJ's dough is great for kids in the kitchen. My favorite pizzas are simple - not overloaded with ingredients. Any combination of mushrooms, spinach, garlic, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, prosciutto, eggplant, caramelized onions, summer squash, italian sausage, ricotta cheese, goat cheese, fresh or fire-roasted peppers (Muir Glen organic - so good!). And no cheddar or jack cheese please!!!

Oh I'm so hungry now ...

Simply...Gluten-free said...

Looks delish! My pizza is gluten-free crust (of course), sauce, chesse then after cooked I top with salad. A one dish meal!

Anonymous said...

Love your blog and this combo loks divine. My husband and i make pizza about once a week. Our two favorites are:

1. Garlic infused EVOO, roasted ichiban eggplant(our garden is overwhelmed with it), caramelized sweet onions, roasted red peppers, and goat cheese. Yum.

2. Pesto, Tomato, and Mozzarella.

Arika