THIS PIZZA IS TOPPED with an intensely flavored paste of roasted mushrooms and walnuts, plus fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, resulting in a wonderful contrast of fresh and roasted flavors.
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 recipe Basic Pizza Dough
- 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and halved
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup walnut pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the pizza dough and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting or half sheet pan.
- In a large bowl, toss the mushrooms with the oil and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange in a single layer in the pan.
- Roast for about 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are well browned and juicy, stirring once or twice. Add the walnuts and roast for about another 7 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned and juicy and the walnuts are fragrant and beginning to color. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 500°F. Let the mushrooms cool briefly.
- Combine the mushroom and walnut mixture, garlic, basil, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and blended. Do not puree; there should still be some texture to the pesto. Season to taste with salt and plenty of pepper.
- Divide the dough into two balls. Lightly oil two 10-or 12-inch round pizza pans or two 12 × 15-inch baking sheets. Assemble and bake the pizzas one at a time.
- Stretch one ball of dough to fit one pan. Spread half the mushroom pesto over the dough. Arrange half the tomatoes on the pesto and top with half the mozzarella.
- Bake on the bottom rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden.
- Meanwhile, assemble the second pizza. Bake when the first pizza is done.
- Serve both pizzas warm.
