Harvest Pizza with Lemony Swiss Chard, Burst Cherry Tomates and 2 cheeses

 This pizza uses wonderful fresh harvest ingredients and adds Manchego cheese (Spanish sheep cheese). These are unexpected flavour combinations that work out amazing!  

This recipe makes one large or 2 small pizzas. You can easily double this.

Making it is a bit of a labour of love--took me about 2 hours to prepare everything from scratch. Note much of this can be made ahead (1-2 days) and assembled on the day of eating.

1. Make Pizza dough using your favourite recipe. See Perfect Pizza Dough by Mary Lou.

2. Make Burst Cherry Tomatoes:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

cherry tomatoes (about 12)

kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, sliced

Oregano (1/2- 1 tsp)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until skins start to blister and split, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and toss to coat. Cook, lightly pressing on tomatoes with spoon to release juices without smashing completely, until garlic is softened about 2 minutes. Mix oregano into sauce; taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

3. Make Lemony Swiss Chard (can be made ahead and refrigerated)

1/2 bunch swiss chard

        2 tbsp olive oil

        kosher salt and freshly group pepper

        1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

        1 garlic clove

        1 lemon (need rind only)

        1/2 oz parmesan cheese, finally grated (about 1/4 cup)

Cut swiss chard leaves away from ribs and stems, and then cut crosswise into 3 in wide strips. Discard woody parts. Finely chop ribs and stems.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ribs and stems and cook with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until they release some liquid, look slightly  shriveled and are a shade or two darker, about 5 minutes. Add leaves and red pepper flakes and toss to coat. Season with more salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium. Cook, tossing occasionally, until leaves are bright green, wilted and tender about 4 minutes. Transfer chard mixture to a bowl and cool slightly.

Finely grate garlic into bowl with chard, then finely grate in zest from lemon; mix well. Add Parmesan and mix again to combine. Taste and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes as needed. 

4. Make Tomato Passata (can be made ahead and refrigerated)

        1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes

        1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

        2 tsp kosher salt

Puree tomatoes in a blender or with immersion blender until smooth. Extra passata can be frozen for up to 6 months. 

5.  Assemble toppings onto pizza shell. 

        Add pepperoni or Salami if desired. 

        Add Mozzarella and Manchego cheese. 

Below are some photos of our last trip to Clearwater Bay in July 2021.

        

                                       Collage inspired by Beverley Kelley

Grayson Zapior age 9

Grayson 9 and Zoe Zapior, age 7; Weston Kelley Warenzek 16 month

                     Mary Lou and John in our Tie-dye shirts (family project)

 

         

Friday night's Perfect Pizza Dough and the secret of the double bake revealed!

 Makes enough dough for 1 large or 2 small pizzas

3/4 cup warm water

1 tbsp sugar

1 pkg instant yeast

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1. Combine warm water and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let stand until foamy, about 5 min.

2. Stir yeast mixture. Drizzle in oil and stir to combine.

3. Place 1 3/4 cups flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a dough blade; process to combine.

4.  Add yeast mixture and process just until dough comes together and forms a ball, about 1 minute. Dough will be soft.

5. If dough is too sticky, add additional flour, 1 tbsp at a time, and process until dough comes together and forms a ball.

6. Using greased hands shape dough into a ball. Dough may be prepared to this point  and frozen in an airtight container. 

7. If frozen, thaw dough in the refrigerator before proceeding. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl; turn dough to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap (or a tea towel). 

8. Let stand for 5 minutes if fresh and 15 minutes if thawed from frozen before rolling out. I roll out with a rolling pin. 

This makes a thin, crisp crust.

John and I have an Italian deli across the street that makes take out pizza with a great crust. I learned from them the secret of the double bake. They bake the crust (brushed with oil) for 5 minutes BEFORE adding the toppings. Then add toppings and bake at 400 until cheese is melted and toppings heated through. Crust should be nice and crisp.

                               Weston Kelley Warenzek at age 18 months.