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Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!
I am excited about this one.
Can’t you tell?
But first a little story.
Yeah, this pizza has a story and it’s pretty embarrassing.
You guys like my stories right?
Ok, maybe you shouldn’t answer that. Unless by some miracle you do. Then go right ahead.
I am really lucky and have a kitchen surrounded with GIANT windows. Actually, they are technically doors and they go all around our kitchen. I alway’s set up my little make shift “studio” at the end of the kitchen table where it is closest to the window. Our table is one of those long ones with supports only in the the middle of the table.
Yeah, do you see where this is going yet?
The boards I use to shoot my food photos on top of are HEAVY. I have one large marble slab and two slate cheese boards, plus a white wood board to use as a back drop. For some reason on this particular day I had all three of the boards at the one end of the table, plus my super heavy cast iron skillet, plus my large wooden cutting broad, plus a whole bag of pine nuts and a glass of water.
I promise I do not normally have this much stuff, especially heavy stuff, all out at the same time. This was just a weird day.
Alright, so here is where I just get plain stupid.
I get the pizza out of the oven and throw it on my cutting board (not the small one you see in these photos), which for some reason I have sitting on top of the marble and both slate boards. Then I grab my camera. Then I step up on the table for an overhead shot like I always do, except today the weight was just too much……
Ah huh.
It was like a teeter totter. One end went up and the other went down. Except the heavy end just stayed down. Really it was quite the site. Luckily I jumped to the side with my precious camera in my hands (I guess the ninja like qualities run in the family) and was completely fine. My pizza?
Yeah, it survived, but it sure did not look the same. Edible and still totally delicious, but not pretty.
Seriously, I am sitting here laughing about this.
I am. Why the heck did I think that table could hold so much weight all in one spot? Maybe it was because I do this EVERYDAY without any problems. See, I am not a big person. My mom’s tiny, my sister’s tiny, my little brother is tiny and one of my older brothers is tiny. My dad and my three other brothers? They’re big, but only because they are into that whole weight lifting thing. Yeah, they totally do the protein shakes too.
I never worried that I would actually tip the table over, but today? Today I pushed my limits way too far. Oh well, at least I got a story out of it and ya know what? The second pizza turned out better than the first anyway.
Now this pizza!! Man is it so so so good! The whipped feta is my new thing. I could slather it on everything, dip anything into it or, heck just give me a spoon. Basically it’s feta cheese, roasted garlic, basil and lemon and it is KILLER. So good. Oh gosh and the roasted jalapeño’s? Holly yum!
Greek pizza with a Mexican kick.
Whipped Feta and Roasted Jalapeño Greek Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 cup warm water, 100-105 degrees
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Creamy Whipped Feta
- 6 ounces feta cheese
- 2 ounce light cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 8 leaves fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Toppings
- 1 red pepper
- 4 jalapeño peppers
- 3/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 3/4 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- fresh basil, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- For the Dough: In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour and olive oil stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour in to the dough, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. You can also do all the mixing and kneading in your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. 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.
- While the dough rises make the whipped feta and roast the garlic and peppers. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wrap the the garlic cloves in foil and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the garlic is soft. At the same time, brush the red pepper and jalapenos with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then either grill or roast them – I stuck them in the oven with garlic and just watched until they were charred. Remove both from oven and let cool. Once they are cooled, remove skins, cut in half and discard the seeds (I left some seeds in) and slice.
- Add crumbled feta and roasted garlic cloves to a food processor and pulse until small crumbs remain. Add in the cream cheese and puree for 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides when necessary, until feta is super creamy. Add in the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, dill and pepper. Puree until combined and smooth.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Cut the dough in half and either freeze the other half, save for another day or double the toppings listed above to make two pizzas (there is probably enough whipped feta for 2 pizzas). Using a rolling pin or your hands, form it into your desired shape and place on a baking sheet or pizza peel.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees or follow the [cast iron skillet method|https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/green-olive-pesto-pizza-with-roasted-red-peppers-and-feta-stuffed-crust/].
- Spread a nice thick layer of the whipped feta (I used about half to three-fourths) all over the pizza crust. Scatter the sliced roasted red pepper, sliced olives and 1/3 of the roasted jalapeños on top. Cover with the mozzarella cheese and then top that with the chopped tomatoes and the remaining roasted jalapeños. Sprinkle on the crumbled feta and pine nutes. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until cheese and crust is golden and bubbly. Remove and immediately top with the fresh basil. Let cool five minutes, slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Hey it’s Thursday! It’s pizza time people!
This sounds so yummy! Thanks for sharing all these great flavors over on Foodie Friends Friday!
Thanks you!!
What a beautiful picture… I love the combination for a pizza! Thank you for sharing at Super Saturday Show & Tell! I love to see everyones creative recipes and projects! Come back again next week to party again http://www.whatscookingwithruthie.com Have a fabulous week 🙂 xoxo~ Ruthie
Thank you, Ruthie!!
not able to pin it (not sure if the technical glitch is here or there)…so I bookmarked. And printed. Looks so good. Lynaea @ <a href="http://everydaybloom.com/in-the-pink-apron/
Oh man!! REally? I will look into it! Thanks for bookmarking and printing!
So really, this was dinner AND a show! A cautionary tale. Note to self: probably not a good idea to stand on my little pedestal table in the kitchen for the perfect shot of whatever it is that I’ve just made. I’ve survived so far, but… it could get ugly.
I’ve pinned your recipe. Well, actually I’m about to pin your recipe (absolute clarity is important). This looks sooo yummy. Your second pizza. Pics of the first disaster would have been fun…Lynaea @ <a href="http://everydaybloom.com/in-the-pink-apron/
ha, you are right! Pic os the disaster would have been fun! The next one for sure! Thanks pinning!
I’ve had a greek style pizza but never with jalapeno that sounds like a great kick. Thanks for sharing this with us on foodie friday.
Thanks Diane and thanks so much for the party!
Sounds exactly like something that I would do. Hooray that you made a second pizza..and it looks SO good!
Karen @ annumography
Ha! Thanks Karen!
LOVE your photos VERY enticing to me!
A YUM, exciting “on the list” recipe!
Cheers!
Joanne
What’s On The List?
http://www.whatsonthelist
Foodie Friends Friday
we make homemade pizza every friday, and I have been starting to get BORED, but this looks SO amazing, and I cannot wait to try it…sorry about the “table”
Thank you!! I hope you guys love it!
Love the flavors of this pizza. I am especially digging the jalapenos totally unexpected with the other yummy ingredients!
Thanks Kari!!
Holy moly this looks great! My boyfriend loves pizza so I’m totally saving this recipe to make for him sometime.
Ya! Thank you and let me know what you guys think!
Wow! I LOVE greek food – and that whipped feta spread is calling, no screaming, my name. I think I would’ve had to had made a second one regardless of the previous crash. Rather a fortunate accident:) Better food, engaging story, and none the worse for the wear? I’ll take it – along with a huge slice of this pizza.
hehe! Thank you, Mary!
Way to have a good attitude about the tumble! I totally would’ve cried and ate the whole pizza in a corner to comfort myself. 🙂 But hey, at least it was an excuse to make two of these AMAZINGLY yummy looking pizzas!
Ha!! Thanks Stephanie! I honestly cannot stop laughing at myself! What the heck was I thinking?!?
Seriously, I’m surprised I don’t do that toppling thing every day. I’m horrible at forgetting something is stacked up, or worse, balanced over the edge of the counter. I lean on the board and get a face full of pie.
Love this pizza!
Ha! I have no idea what the heck I was thinking! Just glad I saved my camera! LOL
Thanks!
Truly amazing! I love the whipped feta!
Thank you, Cassie!! The whipped feta is so crazy good!
The best pizza is homemade! This looks great with the whipped feta and all the roasted ingredients!
I agree!! Thanks Meagan!