Green Pizza

I made this pizza last night after a hectic week at work. I wanted to knead some dough to clear my mind. And I wanted to nourish our exhausted bodies with some dark green veggies. It worked - I felt seriously better after cooking and eating this. The girls loved it too, and each ate three slices. Davis, not so much. But you can't please everyone all the time (and before you feel too sorry for him, I made steak and potatoes the night before!)

Green Pizza
adapted from Eating Well

pinch of sugar
2 -1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 -1/4 cups warm water
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 -1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 -1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
cornmeal

1 large head of broccoli, broken into florets
5 ounces chopped arugula or baby spinach
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt, to taste
1/2 cup pesto (this really provides the dominant taste, so pick one you like!)
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese
1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese

In a small bowl, combine water and sugar, then add yeast and let rest until foamy, about ten minutes. In a large bowl, combine flours, salt and olive oil, then pour water and yeast into dry mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, and then knead for about eight minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more water or flour if needed. If you're not in need of kneading therapy, you can make this with the dough hook on a mixer as well. Place the dough in a bowl, cover, and let rest for half an hour.

Place a pizza stone on the lowest rack of your oven and preheat (oven and stone) to 450 degrees.

When the dough has finished rising, place it on a surface sprinkled with cornmeal and pull and press with your fingers into a round shape, leaving the edges thicker than the middle. Sprinkle more cornmeal on the pizza stone. Carefully transfer the dough onto the stone and bake for about six minutes.

Meanwhile, place the broccoli in a large skillet with a little water (less than a 1/4 cup) over medium heat and cook, covered, for about three minutes. Then add the arugula or spinach and some sea salt and freshly ground pepper and cook, stirring, until the greens begin to wilt.

Spread the pesto onto the pre-baked pizza dough, leaving the edges bare. Then brush the edges with olive oil. Top with the broccoli and greens, then cheese, and return to oven. Bake additional eight to ten minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy.

Enjoy!