White Pizza With Roasted Garlic And Green Olives Recipes

GREAT WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• For the dough: In an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, dissolve the yeast in the water until there are no pieces of yeast left. Add the flour and start mixing on low. After the flour and water have started to mix, add the salt. Let mix for another minute until all of the flour from the sides of the bowl have been incorporated. If the dough is sticking to the side of the bowl, add flour slowly until it starts to firm up around the dough hook. Add the olive oil and mix for another 5 minutes.
• Let the dough rest in the bowl, covered, for 10 minutes. In the meantime, spray a baking sheet or aluminum pan with cooking spray. After the dough is done resting, empty it onto a lightly floured prep surface. Weigh the dough out into three 10-ounce portions. In your hands, fold the dough into itself, tightening the dough and removing air pockets with each fold. Add flour to your hands if the dough is too sticky. When the dough is tight enough to hold its shape, put it on to the greased baking sheet and spray the top with a little of the cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The dough should at least double in size. You can also proof in the fridge overnight and leave it out 30 minutes before you are ready to use it the next day.
• For the garlic ricotta: While the dough is proofing, make the roasted garlic ricotta, sliced zucchini and charred red onions. (Start roasting the garlic right away as it will take the most time.)
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut off the tops of the heads of garlic. Drizzle the olive oil over the tops of the garlic, wrap in aluminum foil and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once tender, remove from the oven and let cool. In a stainless bowl, squeeze out the roasted garlic. Add a splash of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Using a spatula, smooth the garlic into a paste in the bowl. Add the ricotta and fold in the garlic until it is completely incorporated.
• For the charred red onions: Turn the oven temperature up to 500 degrees F. Cut the ends off the onions, and peel off the tough outer layer. Cut in half lengthwise and thinly slice. Toss in olive oil and cook on a baking sheet in the oven of 15 to 20 minutes until you see a good bit of charred pieces. Cool.
• For the zucchini: While the onions cook, cut the ends off of the zucchini and squash and thinly slice on a bias. Toss in a metal bowl with the olive oil, pepper flakes, lemon zest and salt and pepper.
• To assemble the pizza: Leave the oven temperature at 500 degrees F, and lightly flour a smooth work surface. Take out one of the dough balls. Starting at the edges, gently press down on the dough, being careful not to pull at it. Continue pressing the edges and work towards the center, keeping the dough round. Make sure to flour both sides at least twice during this process. Once you've stretched the dough to about 14 inches, move it onto a round aluminum pizza pan or a wooden peel if you plan on sliding it on to a pizza stone.
• Start assembling the pie by spreading the ricotta mixture all over the base. Place several slices of fresh mozzarella evenly over the crust. Next, add the cut zucchini and squash and charred red onions. Drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven on the aluminum pan or if using a pizza stone, slide on from the wooden peel. Let bake for about 10 minutes, then slide the pizza right onto the oven rack and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

PIZZA WITH GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, put a pizza stone or 4 to 6 unglazed "quarry" tiles arranged close together on oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to highest setting (500°-550°F).
• Finely chop garlic and in a small bowl combine with oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and coarse salt.
• On a lightly floured surface pat out dough evenly with your fingers, keeping hands flat and lifting and turning dough over several times, into a 9-inch round. (Do not handle dough more than necessary. If dough is sticky, dust it lightly with flour.)
• Dust a baker's peel or rimless baking sheet with flour and carefully transfer dough to it. Jerk peel or baking sheet once or twice and, if dough is sticking, lift dough and sprinkle flour underneath it, reshaping dough if necessary. Working quickly, top dough with oil mixture, spreading with back of a spoon to within 1/2 inch of edge.
• Line up far edge of peel or baking sheet with far edge of stone or tiles and tilt peel or baking sheet, jerking it gently to start pizza moving. Once edge of pizza touches stone or tiles, carefully pull back peel or baking sheet, completely transferring pizza to stone or tiles (do not move pizza). Bake pizza 6 to 7 minutes, or until dough is crisp and browned, and transfer with a metal spatula to a cutting board.
• Cut pizza into wedges and serve immediately.

WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat a pizza stone if you use one along with the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Stretch dough to form a pie and transfer to stone or pizza baking tray. Pierce the dough with the tines of a fork in several places. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil around the crust. Mix the ricotta cheese with garlic and parsley and season it with salt and black pepper. Spread the ricotta across the dough. Top the pizza with mozzarella or provolone. Bake until crispy, 20 minutes. Top the white pizza pie with the shredded basil leaves, cut and serve.

ROASTED GARLIC WHITE PIZZA WITH GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Gently heat milk in a small saucepan, just until barely simmering. Remove and keep covered.
• In a separate saucepan, melt butter. When foam subsides, add flour and stir until smooth. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Do not allow flour to color. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking to combine. Add the salt and cayenne and increase the heat to medium. Cook the mixture, whisking continuously, until the sauce comes to a boil and is thickened. Remove from heat and add 10 of the roasted garlic cloves. Pour the hot mixture into a blender, cover tightly, and process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and cool slightly, placing a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface.
• Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.
• Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the yellow cornmeal on a baker's peel or baking sheet. Place the rolled out pizza dough circle on the prepared baker's peel or baking sheet.
• Spread the cooled sauce over pizza dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Place sliced mozzarella on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the remaining roasted garlic cloves (whole) over the cheese and top with the grated fontina. Bake the pizza for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and cheese is melted and bubbly and golden brown in spots. Remove from the oven and sprinkle chopped herbs over the top. Serve immediately.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet and rub 1 teaspoon of oil into the top of each head. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and place, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake until the cloves are soft and golden, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Carefully remove each clove of garlic from the head. Squeeze each head of garlic to expel any cloves that you cannot remove individually. Set aside until needed.
• In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, honey, and 1 tablespoon oil, stirring to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Oil a large mixing bowl with remaining olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place, free from drafts until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15-inch circle.

PIZZA WITH ROASTED GARLIC, BELL PEPPERS AND TWO CHEESES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice top off garlic head; place in small baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Brush baking sheet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place onion slices on sheet and brush onion with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Bake garlic and onion until garlic cloves are light brown and soft and onion is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool.
• Using fingers, squeeze out roasted garlic cloves into food processor; add sun-dried tomatoes. Using on/off turns, process until almost smooth, adding enough reserved oil form sun-dried tomatoes to form paste. (Onions and garlic mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Place crust on baking sheet or pizza pan. Spread garlic paste evenly over crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, onion, pepper strips and feta cheese. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons basil and 1 tablespoon parsley.
• Bake pizza until crust is golden brown and cheese bubbles, about 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and 1 tablespoon parsley. Cut into wedges and serve.