Monday, March 21, 2011

Pizza - Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Mozzarella and Arugula



Continuing the Pizza 2011 Project (52 different pizzas in a year).  Progressing along nicely, today's post marks a dozen, and I am not out of ideas yet.


Today I am going to share a lunch pizza.  Commonly thought of as mini pizzas.  Single serve, perfect for that husband for lunch while waiting for his long suffering wife to get home from her inconvenient day job. Mini pizzas are perfect to use up left overs.  Little flat bread, little sauce and a topping... pizza!


This is a wonderful pizza.  In place of a traditional tomato sauce, I made a Sun Dried Tomato Pesto.  This has become my new passion.  Spread a little on a boring chicken sandwich and you have a treat.  Mix into a quiche and you have an ordinary with panache!  There is the nutty taste of the Parmesan, the crunch (and aroma) of roasted walnuts, the bite of the garlic and that special taste of Sun Dried Tomatoes... Like I said, a new passion!


As far as the crust, as I have said a few times, I make pizza dough at least once week (more when I can feel a mini pizza jag coming).  The recipe I use freezes easily, but as long as you use it up within the week, it is great in the fridge.  just let it come to room temp before you use it.  The recipe I use (click HERE to find it) makes 2 "regular" size pizzas, one thick crust or 4 mini pizzas.


Here's my Sun Dried tomato pesto recipe

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup Sundried tomatoes, packed in oil (comes in a jar)
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cups finely chopped Walnuts
4 clove Garlic, smashed and minced



This makes a bit more than a cup.  I only used about 1/2 cup on the pizza, but it never goes to waste around me (maybe waist though).





OK... Here's how to make a 

Mini Sun Sried Tomato, Mozzarella and Arugula Pizza...



Crust of choice, premade or homemade 
My "go-to" pizza dough recipe)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

thin slices of Mozzarella cheese to line the bottom

a few leaves of fresh Arugula for a garnish

  • Preheat oven and pizza stone (or heavy baking sheet) to 550 degrees for at least 30 minutes.
  • Roll your crust out on parchment paper to your likeness... Thin, Chewy or thick like a bread.
  • Brush Olive oil around the edges to get a beautiful Golden Brown and Delicious looking crust.
  • Salt and pepper the crust at this time
  • Layer the pesto sauce to within 1/2 inch of the edge
  • Top with the cheese..
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  • Top with the arugula and serve!

A great lunch!






Oh, and I appologise for missing a few days of posting... things are hopping around here...


Hopping so much, I made a carrot cake...




But that's tomorrow's post (I promise)
...

8 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh your carrot cake looks so cute!! Can't wait to read the post!
    I love your pizza recipe because it includes everything I have on hand right now! What kind of pizza stone do you have? I've been looking around for a good one.

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  2. I use an Emil henry stone...

    http://www.amazon.com/Emile-Henry-Flame-Pizza-Stone/dp/B003UI8B2S/ref=sr_1_16?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1300719815&sr=1-16

    It's a bit pricey ($50), but it has a stone nonstick coating that NEVER stains or sticks. The ones that do not have a finish, if your cheese melts onto the stone, it is very difficult to clean off completely. If it's not completely clean, the next time you use it, a bit of the crust will stick, making transfer from the stone to the peel difficult.

    They are always in stock at Williams Sonoma if you want to look at em first... They are about $5 more if you buy them there instead of online.

    Dave

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  3. The pizza sounds great and your sun-dried tomato pesto is other-worldly. I can't wait to see that cake. I hope all is going well with your venture. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary Have es

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  4. Love this! Single serve pizza is exactly the kind of thing I crave constantly for lunch!

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  5. This pizza looks wonderful, Dave! And I am really looking forward to seeing tomorrow's post!
    Happy Monday!
    Blessings, Catherine

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  6. Love the pesto on the pizza. Your carrot cake is so inventive! Looks like orange jelly beans and celery decorating it. Can hardly wait to hear about it.

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  7. Ha ha awesome cake, dude!

    Great pizza too. Every time I say arugula, I want to say it like one of those old car horns that sound like "a-roooo-gaaah"

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  8. Nicely done, man. You have become my new pizza hero. I'll be here all year for sure!

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