Fresh from the Garden Pizza

 Pizza layered with fresh garden vegetables from the local Farmers Market or locally ground vegetables found at your grocery store.  I love getting up on Saturday mornings and going to the farmer’s market to shop for fresh vegetables.  My Fresh from the Garden Pizza has a fresh Basil Pesto sauce that lays the foundation for this pizza.  

Yield: (1) 10-inch pizza  

(Prep Time for pizza dough and prepping veggies: 25 minutes)  

(Rise Time using Instant Yeast: 10 - 15 minutes)

(Bake Time: 15 - 20 minutes)

Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients for Pizza Dough

·        ¾ cups warm water (110 - 120℉)

·        1 Pack of RapidRise Instant Yeast

·        1 teaspoon of sugar

·        2 tablespoons Olive Oil, plus 2 teaspoons for prepping the bowl for the dough to rest

·        2 cups “00” zero Pizza Flour, plus flour for dusting

Directions for Pizza Dough

1.     Add warm water to a liquid measuring cup, then add instant yeast and sugar and mix well.  Let stand unitl cream, about 10 minutes.

2.     Combine flour and salt in a stand mixer and mix well.

3.     Add yeast mixture and olive oil and beat until smooth using a dough hook  attachment.           

4.     Let dough rest for 5 minutes in a mixing bowl.

5.     After dough has rested, flour working surface and form dough into a ball.

6.     Grease bowl with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and place dough in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for an additional 10 minutes.

7.     Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat the dough to form a 10-inch circle.

8.     See pizza toppings for the next steps to complete pizza preparation.

From Garden Pizza Toppings

All vegetables should be sliced equally to ensure even cooking time.

• 3 tablespoons fresh or jarred Basil Pesto

• ¾ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1 medium firm tomato sliced about a 1/8 of an inch thin

• 1 small yellow squash sliced about a 1/8 of an inch thin

• 1 small zucchini sliced about a 1/8 of an inch thin

• 1 small/mini eggplant sliced about a 1/8 of inch thin

• 3 mini-sweet bell peppers (1 yellow, 1 red, and 1 orange) sliced

• ½ medium red onion sliced a 1/8 an inch thin

• 3 asparagus stalks sliced in half, then slice on a diagonal

• ½ teaspoon of salt

• ½ teaspoon of coursed black pepper

• 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• ¼ cup chopped scallions for garnish

•  ¼ cup of fresh chopped basil and tarragon combined. Hold back some for garnish after the pizza is baked.

 

Directions for preparation of pizza

 

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 ℉

2. Place parchment paper on the pizza pan, lightly dust the pan with semolina flour, and transfer the dough to the pan.

3. Then press the pizza dough out to the edges of the pan to form a 10-inch circle. The dough in the center should be thinner than the edges of the pizza crust.

4. Add the basil pesto in the center of the dough, spread the pesto, and leave the edge of the dough free of pesto.

5. Now add mozzarella cheese freely over the pizza dough, lay a row of sliced tomatoes around the pizza dough, followed by the sliced yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and onions, then add asparagus.

6. Season the vegetables with salt & pepper, then Sprinkle parmesan cheese and half the fresh basil/tarragon mixture over pizza.

7. Place pizza in the oven and bake for about 15 - 20 minutes.

8. Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle the remaining basil/tarragon,

    and chopped scallions on the pizza. Enjoy!