Happy Pi Day everyone! In honor of Pi Day, we've come up with a great (pizza) pie recipe for you. Making pizza completely from scratch is very satisfying. You know that everything is fresh and can change any part that you want. The recipe below includes recipes for white garlic sauce and a pizza crust.
The pizza crust is basic and can certainly be modified if you'd like. Some suggestions I have are to add garlic powder, Italian spices, or grated cheese to the mix of dry ingredients for a different flavor. Be careful with the cheese, though—that can prevent the dough from rising well.
The sauce was inspired by an Emeril recipe. I've made a few small changes, but nothing major. The sauce is very garlicky, which makes this pizza extra flavorful. If you don't like garlic, you could always reduce to a half head of roasted garlic. If the sauce isn't garlicky enough when you taste it, you can also add some garlic powder to the mix.
Lastly, the toppings are obviously changeable. You can add or take away whatever you'd like according to your taste. The spinach, mushroom, and tomato mix gives you a beautifully colorful pizza with lots of contrasting flavor. You could add or substitute ricotta, broccoli, or peppers to this pizza for an interesting twist. Enjoy!
White Pizza with Garlic Sauce
Makes: 2-4 servings
Prep time: 1.5 hours
Cook time: 15 minutes
For the crust
⅔ cup warm water
1 packet (5/16 oz) dry active yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
2 cups (240 grams) bread flour
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the sauce
1 large head (not clove) roasted garlic
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup milk
A pinch of cayenne pepper
For the pizza
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
4-6 oz fresh baby spinach
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4-6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
8 oz grated mozzarella cheese
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1. First, make the pizza crust: mix together the warm water, yeast, and sugar and allow to rest for about 5 minutes until frothy. If the mixture doesn't become frothy, start over because your yeast is likely dead. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour and salt, then make a well in the center of the mixture.
2. Pour the yeast mixture and olive oil into the well. Slowly stir the flour mixture into the liquid from the boundary until a dough forms. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth (about 5 minutes).
3. Place dough in large floured mixing bowl and cover bowl with a damp cloth. Place in a warm location for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in volume.
TIP: If your house tends to be cold and you don't have a warm place to put the dough, turn on your oven for about 2 minutes, then turn it off. Place the bowl with the dough in the oven to rise.
4. When the dough is almost done rising, start making the sauce: Melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the flour and stir constantly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the milk and cayenne pepper, then bring mixture to a simmer and slightly thicken.
5. Pour milk mixture into a blender with roasted garlic (paper removed) and blend until smooth.
6. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
7. Cook the spinach and garlic together in the oil in a non-stick pan until wilted. Set spinach aside, and cook mushrooms in same pan until softened. Set aside.
8. Now let's put it all together. Brush a medium baking sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder if desired. Stretch the risen dough to the edges of the baking sheet, then brush the edges of the dough with oil. Bake for about 7 to 10 minutes until slightly browned.
9. Take crust out of the oven and press down bubbles with a rubber spatula. Spread sauce over the surface one spoonful at a time (you won't need all of it). Top with cheese, spinach, and mushrooms, then bake at 500°F for 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and brown at edges.
10. Remove from oven and top with tomatoes. Cook longer if desired, then transfer to cooling rack.