Family Portrait Pesto Pizza
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
PIZZA DOUGH:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 11/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 ounce fast acting yeast
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup hot water
PESTO:
- 1 pinch of coarse sea salt
- 60 small or 30 large fresh basil leaves, carefully wiped, stems and spines removed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp pinoli (pine nuts)
- 2 tbsp fresh finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp low fat ricotta cheese
TOPPINGS TO CREATE YOUR PORTRAIT:
- 1 cup low fat mozzarella
- turkey kielbasa
- black olives
- sun-dried tomatoes
- yellow and red bell peppers
- button mushrooms
- snow peas
- hot peppers
- pineapple rings
- cooked spaghetti
- corn nuggets
Instructions
1PIZZA DOUGH:
Prep Time: 20 minutes - Yield: 1 X 14 inch crust
(Special Equipment: rolling pin, 14 inch pizza pan)
- In a large bowl whisk together ¾ cup of all purpose flour, yeast, sugar, and 2/3 cup hot water (the water can be heated in the kettle and should be hot but not boiling).
- Stir in the olive oil, 11/4 cups of whole wheat flour and the salt. - Blend the mixture until it forms dough.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of the remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. - The dough may be used immediately.
2PESTO:
- In a wooden or marble mortar add the sea salt and a few of the basil leaves. - Using a wooden pestle, crush the leaves and salt gently but with a firm rhythm against the bottom and sides of the mortar so that the leaves gradually come apart. Keep adding leaves a few at a time until they are all used. - While the leaves are still partly intact, add the garlic and then pound it too, just until it is mashed and has released its juice.
- Add the pinoli and pound them until they are reduced to paste.
- Stir the pestle in the mortar so that the ingredients combine.
- Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir again to combine the ingredients.
- Add the olive oil a little at a time, stirring with the pestle to make a sauce of a creamy consistency.
- Add the ricotta and combine. The result should be a bright green color.
3PIZZA ASSEMBLY:
- Roll pizza out to a largish circle, then pull and toss it and press into a 14-inch pizza pan.
- Top with about 1 cup of the pesto. Lay garnishes on to create a portrait of your favourite family member.
- Top with grated cheese. - Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 -15 minutes until done. Cut into 8 slices.
