Pizzas
Pesto, Cheese & Fresh Tomato Pizza
Homemade pesto and fresh, ripe tomatoes from the garden
make this a great summertime pizza.
Makes two 12
Preparation: 1 hour for the pizza dough (Cuisinart recipe, p. 33);
20 minutes plus 12 minutes baking and resting time.
pizza dough (p. 33) | 2 | ounces (55g) Italian Fontina cheese | |
12 ounces (340g) firm but ripe plum tomatoes | 4 | tablespoons (60ml) pesto | |
1/2 ounce (15g) Reggiano Parmesan, cut in | 2 | teaspoons (10ml) extra virgin olive oil | |
| Cornmeal for dusting the peel or pan | ||
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3 | ounces (85g) fresh mozzarella, well |
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| chilled |
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Prepare the pizza dough and let rise. Position the top rack of the oven about 8 inches (20cm) from the top. If using a baking stone, place it on the rack. Preheat the oven to 500° F (260°C).
Bring 6 cups (1.5L) of water to a boil in medium saucepan. Cut a shallow “x” in the bottom of each tomato. Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately plunge them into a bowl of iced water. When cool, slip the skins off. Slice the stem end off each tomato; set aside.
Insert the metal blade. With the machine running, drop the Parmesan cheese cubes down the small feed tube; process 15 seconds and leave in bowl. Insert the shredding disc and shred the mozzarella and fontina. Remove the cheese to a bowl; toss to combine, and reserve. Insert the slicing disc. Place the tomatoes in the small feed tube one at a time, and slice, using light pressure. Place the sliced tomatoes on a triple thick layer of paper towels to drain.
When the dough has risen, punch down and divide into 2 or 4 equal balls. Let rest 10 min- utes. Roll the dough out to size. Place on a baker’s peel that has been sprinkled with corn- meal. Brush the edges with the olive oil. Using an offset spatula, spread the pizza to 3/4 inch (2cm) of the edges with the pesto sauce, using 3 tablespoons (45ml) on each
Carefully slide the pizza onto the stone (position the peel over the back edge of the stone, and use a rocking motion to shake and slide the pizza off the peel onto the stone), or place the pan in the hot oven. Bake the pizza for 5 minutes, then rotate it front to back for even baking. Bake for another 3 to 6 minutes until the pizza is bubbly, and the edges of the dough are golden brown, puffed and crispy. Remove from the oven and let rest on a rack for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing.
Nutritional analysis per serving:
Calories 367 (from fat 35%) • pro 14g • carbo. 45g • fat 15g
sat. fat 6g • chol. 25mg • sod. 723mg • fiber 3g
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