Let’s Make Pizza!

Although I harvested lots of snow peas, radishes, kale, spinach, arugula, garlic chives, and scallions earlier in the year, I had my first true summer harvest a couple days ago. Check out my Black Beauty Zucchini, Red Russian Kale, and Lacinato Kale. All of these plants were started from seed by my sister over at East Sac Edible.One of my favorite things to make at home is pizza. Pizza can be so bad for you, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s really not that difficult to make yourself – you can control all the ingredients and, more importantly, the amount of each ingredient. It’s also a great meal to make with children. It’s my 4-year-old’s favorite recipe to help with, and she can pretty much put it all together herself. She helps pick the vegetables from the garden, can roll out the dough, and tops the pizza herself! The pizza dough recipe I use is adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties. It makes 2 16-inch pizzas.

Pizza Dough Ingredients (92 calories per slice, not including the toppings)

• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 2 packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt (I use kosher)
• 3-4 cups flour (I use all-purpose for the 1st 3 cups and wheat for any additional flour needed)

Pizza Toppings (These are what I put on this pizza, but the topping choices are endless!)

• pizza sauce
• mushrooms
• zucchini
• kale
• mozzarella cheese

To make the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Set the mixer on the lowest setting and let it stir for a minute or so.

Add 3 cups of flour and the salt. Let the machine mix for 3-4 minutes until the dough forms. Slowly add more flour (up to a cup) until it comes together as a soft dough. I have found that the hotter the day, the more flour I need to add.

After it has come together, turn it out onto a floured board. Knead by hand 10-12 times. Put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a metal or glass bowl. Turn the dough in the oil to cover lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and set in a warm place in the kitchen for 1-2 hours.

The dough should double in size.

 Preheat the oven to 475. Wash the garden greens, and lay out on towels to dry.

After the dough has doubled, punch it down, and divide in two. Take out half and keep the bowl covered with the towel to prevent the remaining dough from drying out. Place the dough on a board floured with whole wheat flour and cornmeal. Roll out the dough into a circle. Place on a pizza pan and add the toppings. This is usually my daughter’s job!

Bake for 17 minutes at 475. Place on a cutting board, slice into 12 pieces and enjoy!