Smoked Chicken Pizza With Red Pepper Pesto |
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Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 75 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Food & Wine. May 2007. They say to serve this with a smokey Pinot Gris. When I make this, I'll cheat and use a ready-made pizza crust and jarred roasted red bell peppers. Ingredients:
1 head garlic, top third sliced off and discarded |
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more |
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling |
1 red bell pepper |
1/2 cup basil leaves |
1 tablespoon oregano leaves |
salt & freshly ground black pepper |
1 lb pizza dough |
all-purpose flour, for dusting |
1/2 lb smoked chicken breast, shredded (2 cups) |
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced |
6 ounces manchego cheese, coarsely shredded (2 cups) |
4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup) |
arugula leaf, for garnish |
Directions:
1. MAKE THE RED PEPPER SAUCE:
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the head of garlic, cut side up, on a double sheet of foil and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Wrap the foil around the garlic and bake until the cloves are very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool.
4. Squeeze the garlic onto a plate.
5. Roast the red pepper directly over a gas flame or under the broiler, turning frequently, until charred all over.
6. Transfer the pepper to a plate to cool. Discard the charred skin, seeds and core and coarsely chop the pepper.
7. In a food processor, puree the pepper with the roasted garlic, basil, oregano and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
8. MAKE THE PIZZA:
9. On a lightly floured work surface, cut the pizza dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
10. Flatten each ball, dust with flour and roll out to a 5-inch round. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
11. Set a pizza stone on the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 500° for at least 45 minutes. Flour a pizza peel.
12. Place a dough round on the peel and roll it out to an 1/8-inch thickness. Spread 2 tablespoons of the red pepper sauce over the dough to within 1/2 inch of the edge.
13. Scatter 1/2 cup of the shredded chicken and one-fourth of the red pepper strips over the pizza, then top with 1/2 cup of the Manchego and 1/4 cup of the goat cheese.
14. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake until browned on the bottom and bubbling on top, about 6 minutes.
15. Transfer to a cutting board, scatter some arugula leaves on top and cut into pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.
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