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Oh, and um cheese galore!
Four kinds actually – Jeez, it’s looking like it is going to be a cheesy December!
Not complaining though.
You guys, I think pizza may just be one of my least favorite foods to make. Well not to make, to photograph. I dread photographing pizza. For every single pizza recipe on this site, I hate the photos. I just cannot seem to get pizza right. I mean, I can make it taste pretty, but look pretty? Yeah, not skilled in that area.
It of course looks beyond delicious as I pull it out of the oven, but I cannot, for the life of me capture that ooey, gooeyness I am looking for in my pizza shots. It’s so frustrating because the pizza is so good and I feel like the pictures do not do them any justice. <–Tieghan problems.
In other news, my cabinets were installed today and I have yet to actually go and see them because one, I am a chicken and terrified I will hate them and two, because I am wondering if I just want to wait a few days and see the kitchen complete. This way I can have the big “tadda” moment and just see it all together. I doubt this will happen since the counters will not be in until Monday and I pretty much guarantee I will need to go into the barn before then.
I also feel I should tell you that even though I am planning on actually moving in by the nineteenth. I still have zero furniture, no mattress and at the moment no bathroom sink as well. It’s possible this could all be fixed by the end of the day….or it’s possible it won’t. It’s kind of a long and complicated story, but let’s all just cross our fingers it works out. I actually have a good feeling all will be good. Or at least this is what I am making myself believe in order to not stress. Does the saying “fake it till you make it” apply here?
Probably not, but you get the gist of what I am saying, right? Thinking good thoughts to get good results.
Positivity has never been my strongest feature though. 2015 is all about positive thoughts for me! Umm, anybody thinking about New years resolutions yet? I wasn’t until about five seconds ago, but positivity seems like a good one to me!
So this sun-dried tomato and olive pesto pizza is another one of those “grab everything in the fridge and call it dinner” pizzas. This particular pizza turned out to be exceptionally good, so I made it again the next day (we’ve been eating a lot of pizza!). Good news is, I still have way too many people to feed…oh but wait, none of these people seem to want leftovers?
What?
I think they need a reality check if you ask me. Just sayin.
Anyway, if you have not noticed, I love sun-dried tomatoes. They are one of those ingredients that I think just bumps up the flavor of so many dishes. Honestly, I eat them by the handful. Kind like you would chips. I am weird.
This pizza literally just happened last Thursday night. I had some DeLallo Sun-Dried Tomato pesto sitting in my fridge and if you have never had this, I highly recommend it. It’s beyond awesome. For this recipe I made my own version because I was out of the DeLallo pesto when I re-made this and also wanted to adjust the flavors, BUT if you’re just not in the mood to make pesto, buy the DeLallo brand. You’ll love that too.
From there, I just added a bunch of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, a roasted red pepper and some salami I had sitting in my fridge. Normally, I do not use salami, but I had to use some for an outside project and I kind of got hooked on it. It’s a really nice switch up from pepperoni. It also goes well with all the cheese, but then again, what doesn’t go well with cheese?
Silly question, everything goes with cheese.
And it’s as simple as that. Just another reminder that not a ton of ingredients are needed to make a good meal. Oh wait, I need to say this to myself more often. I’m always wanting to add more and more. Simple is best.
Oh, and if you want to, you can drizzle this with a little balsamic glaze. It doesn’t need it, but it is a good addition if you have the time to make it or have some lying around.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Pesto Pizza with Salami + Roasted Red Peppers.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 1324 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Toppings
- 1 ounce jar oil packed sun-dried tomatoes oil reserved, 8
- 3/4 cup fresh basil
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives sliced
- pepper to taste
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 4-8 ounces blue cheese crumbled
- 1 ounce jar roasted red peppers sliced*, 6
- 4 ounces thinly sliced salami
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
- fresh sage for topping
- crushed red pepper for topping
- balsamic reduction for drizzling (optional)*
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in the flour and olive oil stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, on a floured surface, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour into the dough if needed. All of the mixing and kneading can also be done in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Next, rub the same bowl with olive oil, then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.
To Assemble
- About 10 minutes before the dough is done rising, start assembling the pizza. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.*
- In the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the sun-dried tomatoes + 2 tablespoons of the oil left in the jar, basil, garlic and parmesan. Puree until chunky smooth. Either stir in the sliced olives or puree them into the pesto. Season with pepper.
- Once the pizza dough is ready, lightly flour a counter. Use your hands or a rolling pin to roll the dough out until you have a flattened disk. Place the pizza on a greased baking sheet and then use your hands to gently tug, pull and push the pizza dough into your desired shape. Spread the pesto over the dough, using as much or as little as you'd like. Add the mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese. Evenly spread the roasted red peppers and salami over the cheese. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese. Add a handful of sage leaves.
- Bake the pizza for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is all melty and gooey. Remove from the oven and top with crushed red pepper and pine nuts. EAT while melty and delicious!
Notes
*To roast your own red peppers you can either broil the pepper in the oven or place it directly on a gas top burner and char all sides of the pepper. Once all sides are charred remove the pepper from the broiler or stove top and place in a bowl and cover. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and remove and peel the charred parts away. Slice and use. **Balsamic glaze can be purchased in the Italian aisle of most grocery stores, or you can also make it yourself by simply reducing 1 cup of balsamic vinegar with a spoonful of brown sugar until thick and syrupy. ***Feel free to cook this pizza whichever way you please. Sometimes I use a baking stone and cook the pizza at 500 degrees F. for about 15 minutes. Or sometimes I use a cast iron skillet like I did [here | https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/green-olive-pesto-pizza-with-roasted-red-peppers-and-feta-stuffed-crust/].
Done talking now. It’s time to get serious. I mean, there is pizza involved.
Great pizza recipe idea…
Thank you!