Plated + Served: It’s Lent! Now Repent!
Spinach Mushroom Feta Kalamata Olive Pizza
In case you missed it, Lent 2011 started yesterday. Yippee.
Every year I give up booze and sweets. That’s 40 days and 40 NIGHTS of abstaining from, what I consider, two of the three most pleasurable things in life: having one of GP’s martinis and (after dinner) enjoying a big slice of chocolate cake.
But it’s all good because by giving up these things for Lent I am guaranteed to: a) be delivered from eternal damnation and b) lose about 5 lbs.
Another way I kick off the crazy Lenten season is by making pizza for dinner (remember, no meat on Ash Wednesday!). I usually make cheese pizza because that’s what the kids like. But this year, Mama made what she wanted… a delicious Spinach-Feta-Kalamata Olive pizza. Yummy pie. You don’t have to make what I made… you can make the dough and then top it with whatever you want, which is what Sistie did (3 kinds of cheese and sliced pineapple… no bacon, it is Ash Wednesday, remember?).
This recipe makes enough for 3 medium pizzas, depending on how thick you like your crust. If you don’t want to make that many pizzas, seal the leftover dough tightly in plastic wrap and make breadsticks the next night. If you want to freeze it, seal it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in one of those re-sealable plastic freezer bags, making sure to squeeze out all of the air.
Mama’s E-Z Homemade Pizza prep: 15 minutes for the dough you’ll need… 2 ¼ tsp. yeast or one envelope active dry yeast for topping one Pizza you will need… let’s make the dough… Risen and Ready for the Oven let’s make the pizza… Nutrients per serving: Calories 387, Total Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 5.5 g, Cholesterol 29 mg, Sodium 1080 mg, Carbohydrates 46 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 16 g cooking know how…
dough rising: about 1 ½ hours
cook: 15-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your crust
makes enough dough for 3 medium pizzas
1½ cups warm water (105°F to 115°F)
4 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup jarred pasta sauce, or your own sauce if you’ve made it
2 Tbsp. chile powder
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
6 oz. cooked spinach, completely drained and squeezed
6 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 oz. crumbled feta cheese
½ cup whole or sliced Kalamata olives
Sprinkle the yeast into the warm water (105°F to 115°F) and stir gently; let it stand a few minutes.
Blend the flour, salt and garlic in a large food processor fitted with the dough blade. Slowly add the water through the feeding tube until a soft dough ball forms. Add small amounts of additional water, if necessary, until a ball forms.
Dust a large cutting board with the cornmeal; turn the dough out onto the cornmeal. Gently knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
Coat a large bowl with the olive oil. Place the pizza dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm, draft free place for 1½ hours.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Remove the plastic from the bowl and punch down the dough. Separate the dough into 3 balls.
Place one dough ball on an oiled pizza pan, pizza stone or a 15 x 10 x 1 inch cookie sheet. Roll or stretch dough to desired thickness.
Spread pasta sauce evenly over dough; sprinkle on chile powder and remaining toppings.
Bake for 20 minutes or until pizza crust is firm and dry (you can check this by carefully lifting an edge of the pizza with a spatula and touching the bottom). Remove pizza from the oven and cool 5 minutes before cutting.
For a thin, crisp crust: Place the risen dough in the refrigerator for a few hours then roll out or stretch on the pizza pan, pizza stone or cookie sheet. Add the toppings and bake immediately as directed.
For a thick crust: Roll out or stretch the dough on the pizza pan, pizza stone or cookie sheet; cover with plastic and let it rise again for about 20 minutes. Add the toppings and bake.
For a deep-dish crust: Press dough into an oiled 9-inch round cake pan. Bake at 425°F, 10 minutes or until slightly brown. Remove from oven, add toppings and bake as directed.
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