Homemade Pizza Pie

Pizza.

It's a finger food.
It's warm.
It's gooey.

I know my kids will eat it.
I know my kids will make it.

'Cause it's easy.


You can make your dough, all it takes is a little bit of time and a few ingredients which more likely than not you have at your disposal already. The Pioneer Woman just posted a nice post about her pizza dough here. Actually it's a post about her favorite pizza, which looks mighty tasty.

My kids, they're not big eggplant eaters so I go a different route.


When I don't have the time to make a pizza dough (with running here and there) I will often just buy the prepackaged dough that is available at my local Winco or Trader Joe's.


The kid's decided on Pesto Pizza and I wanted to attempt to recreate my favorite from a local Pizzeria, The Napoli.

***
Pesto Pizza - with mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, olives and prosciutto

Pull the dough out of the fridge and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle a little corn meal on your work table surface.


Grab a hold of the dough ball and start stretching it from the center, pulling at the edges to make a pizza shape. I make mine large enough to fit on my pizza stone. When I'm finished I set it down upon the corn meal covered surface and let it rest for a few minutes. I restretch the edges if needed.


Spread about 3-4 tablespoons of pesto over the rolled out dough. I added a little more olive oil to my pre-made pesto.

Cut thin slices from the mozzarella and space evenly about the pizza.

Scatter some sliced olives over the top.

Cut up some artichoke hearts and sprinkle these as well.

Top with some prosciutto bits here and there.

Finally, sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top.

I usually roll the edges of the crust just prior to popping it in the oven.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Pull out of the oven, slice and eat.

***
Next - The Napoli.
I have raved about this pizza before here.


My local market doesn't carry San Marzano tomatoes, so I bought a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. I drained the can while I was making the pesto pizza above. I used the remaining mozzarella slices and a bit more prosciutto. I also added a bit of fresh basil.


While this pizza was tasty it in no way compares to Christo's.

The best part of making pizza at home is that you control the ingredients.

Go wild.
Make a pizza.