Tomato Pesto Pizza

I wish I had a picture of this tomato-ey masterpiece to post up here, but unfortunately I misplaced my camera.  We’re definitely making this dish again so when we do I’ll update the post with a picture.

The idea for this pizza started out when Mikey and I bought a 7-cup Cuisinart food processor on Black Friday.  It was a great deal we couldn’t pass up and I am happy to report is the most amazing kitchen gadget we own to date.  Not to sound like a commercial but it cuts my prep time in half.  I made everything for the pizza in the Cuisinart including the pesto, dough, shredded cheese and sliced tomato.

All of the directions to make this pizza will include how to do it in the food processor.  If you don’t own a food processor and want to make this dish just email me and I’ll adapt the directions for you.

Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 chunk of Parmesan cut into a 1/2 inch chunk
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cups fresh basil
• olive oil to taste
• 2 tbs pistachios
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions: Drop the parm into the processor with it running.  Let it go for about 15 seconds and then set cheese aside.  Drop the garlic into the processor with the blade running and chop for about 5 seconds.  Scrape the bowl down.  Add in the basil leaves and pulse until it is finely chopped.  Scrape down again.  Now with the blade running slowly drizzle in your olive oil until it is at a consistency you like.  This should be around 2 to 4 tbs.  Scrape down once more.  Now you can add in the cheese, the salt and the pistachios.  Chop this up until everything is incorporated. If you don’t like pistachios you can use walnuts or pinenuts.  Put this in the refrigerator for at least a half hour so the flavors can blend together.  I recommend covering the pesto with olive oil so it retains its color.

Dough

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsps dry active yeast
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 2 C flour
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsps Italian seasoning

Directions: Dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water and let it stand until it’s foamy.  This should take around 3-5 minutes.  Then add the olive oil to the yeast.  In the food processor combine the flour, Italian seasoning and the salt and pulse it to mix everything up real good.  With the processor running slowly pour in the yeast mixture.  Let the processor run until the dough forms into a ball and then let it run for 30 more seconds.  This kneads the dough.  When it is through processing coat the dough with some more olive oil then place in a plastic bag.  Seal the top and let it rise for about 45 minutes.  When the dough has risen put it onto a floured surface and roll it out.

Tomato Pesto Pizza

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 2 1/2-inch chunks of Parmesan
• 1/4 lb fresh mozzarella
• 1/4 lb fontina cheese
• Pesto

Directions:  Preheat oven to 475.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Score a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato.  Once the water is boiling drop the tomatoes in for 30 seconds and then immediately blanch in a bowl of ice water.  When the tomatoes are cool to the touch peel the skins off.  They should come off quite easily.  Cut the stem end off and set aside.

With the processor running drop the Parmesan in and process for about 15 seconds.  Now if your processor comes with a shredding blade attach it.  Shred the fontina and the mozz with your processor.  Now insert the slicing disk and slice up the tomatoes.

By now you should have rolled out your dough and made the pesto.  Take you rolled out pizza dough and put it on a pizza pan or a pizza stone.  Spread the pesto out and then brush any un-pestoed crust with olive oil.  Sprinkle on your cheese and then place the tomatoes on top.  Put it in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Michelle’s Thoughts:  This was a really delicious pizza.  It was very easy to make and definitely was a crowd pleaser.  If I had to change anything next time I make it, I would do away with the fontina cheese and use a mixture of regular mozzarella, fresh mozzarella and Parmesan.  Let me know if you have any more suggestions for this.

Mikey’s Thoughts: Well I wasn’t really around during the creation of this dish.  I was over my neighbor’s house trying to diagnose a complicated computer hardware failure issue that ended up being 4 hours long.  I lost all my data by the way. . . everything.  Either way when I returned to the kitchen the pizza was all assembled and ready for the oven.  The cook time was only a few minutes and then it was ready.  At first bite I melted into the seat savoring every tiny drop of pesto I could.  I am a HUGE fan of pesto and to have a pizza that was this pesto intensive was truly pestoriffic.  My only complaint was that eating half of the pizza wasnt enough.  Not that I am a pizza eating machine or anything, but this pizza was so good that I wanted another one.  Even if I had to magically grow a second stomach, or force my current stomach to explode to make room for more pizza i would have done that just to savor the amazing taste.  I was also really happy we used pistachio nuts instead of . . . whatever nuts are supposed to go in pesto.  Either way, forget everything you know about pesto nuts and use pistachios.

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