Pizza with Black Olive Tapenade, Roasted Cipollini Onions, Grilled Tuscan Kale and Aged Goat Cheese

Source: International Olive Oil Council

Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink recently opened its long-awaited pizza-focused sibling —Harry’s Pizzeria. Seasonally inspired pies, many topped with locally sourced ingredients, are made from scratch and finished to a tasty turn in a wood-fired oven. Here, the charred crust is piled with a healthy dose of veggies along with tangy cheese.

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 500°F. Put a pizza stone or a baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat it along with the oven for at least 20 min.
2. Preheat grill or grill pan to med.-high (alternatively, you can use the broiler). Drizzle kale with 1 tbsp. olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place kale on grill (or in a baking dish under broiler). Grill, turning with tongs, until kale is lightly charred, about 2 to 3 min. Transfer kale to cutting board and cut into 1-in. pieces; set aside.
3. In med. skillet over med. heat, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add onions to hot oil; pan roast, stirring often, for 6 to 8 min. or until browned but still firm. Season with salt and pepper; remove from heat.
4. To prepare pizza, dip ball of dough into a little flour, shake off excess and set on a clean, lightly floured surface. Stretch dough with hands, turning the ball as you press down center. Continue spreading dough into a 10-in. circle with either your hands or a rolling pin.
5. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under dough. (It’s easiest to top pizza with the dough already on the paddle.) Lightly brush outer edge of dough with olive oil to create a sheen on surface of crust. (Take care not to get any oil on the pizza paddle; that will cause sticking.)
6. With back of spoon, spread tapenade evenly over pizza, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Next spread both cheeses evenly. Distribute kale and onions evenly over cheese.
7. Slide prepared pizza onto hot baking stone and bake until crust is nicely browned, about 10 min. Transfer to cutting board. Drizzle with a little olive oil and some cracked black pepper. Cut into slices with a pizza cutter and serve.

Pizza Dough

1 1/4-oz.  package active dry yeast
1 tsp. honey
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl

1. Combine yeast, honey and 1/4 cup warm water in small bowl; stir gently to dissolve. Let mixture stand until yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 min.
2. In mixer fitted with dough hook, combine flour and salt. With mixer on low, add oil, yeast mixture and remaining 3/4 cup water; mix until dough comes cleanly away from sides of bowl, 3 to 5 min.
3. Turn dough out onto clean work surface and knead by hand for 1 to 2 min. (Dough should be a little sticky.) Gather dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat with oil. Cover dough with clean, damp towel; let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 30 min.
4. Knead dough gently on an unfloured surface and divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball under palm of hand until top is smooth and firm. Cover dough with damp towel; let rest 15 to 20 min. (The balls can now be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or wrapped and frozen for up to 2 weeks.)

Yield: 1½ lb. dough; four 10-in. pizzas

Black Olive Tapenade
2 cups pitted black olives, such as kalamata
4 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. finely ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In food processor, combine all ingredients; pulse 3 to 4 times. Scrape down sides; process about 30 sec. longer until tapenade is finely chopped. Tapenade will keep, covered, up to weeks in the refrigerator.

Yield: Makes about 1 cup