Cooking at Home: Pizza with Green Garlic Pesto

Jump to Recipe

Finally, finally, the best of spring seems to be upon us. Asparagus, rhubarb, lettuces, radishes, green garlic, and herbs--after a slow, dry start to the season followed by an unexpected late freeze that asked us all to wait for spring just a little bit longer, fresh local produce in Southern Wisconsin has finally arrived!

Farmers’ hoop houses are overflowing. Foragers are scrambling through the woods in search of wild mushrooms. The first CSA boxes are being delivered. Markets across the city, though operating under revised procedures, are still awash in green. It is, despite everything, a wonderful time to be cooking at home.

To help keep you inspired, we are beginning a recipe series, Cooking at Home, featuring area chefs. We know many of you are spending more time in your kitchen than ever and creativity may be running low. We’ll chat with our favorite chefs to see what simple meals they’re cooking at home and how they’re staying energized as we head into spring and early summer.

We begin with food blogger and new Edible Madison Social Media Manager Lauren Rudersdorf of The Leek & The Carrot.

PIZZA WITH GREEN GARLIC PESTO & SPINACH

Takes 2 hours (first hour inactive) ~ Makes two 10-inch pizzas

Pizza Dough:

• 2 cups bread flour (all-purpose will also work fine)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water

Pizza Toppings:

• 1 bunch green garlic, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds
• 1 cup loosely packed leafy green herbs (cilantro, chives, parsley)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 lemon, divided
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 6 cups spinach, roughly chopped
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add water and stir to combine, scraping down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated. The dough will be very wet and sticky. Cover with a towel and set to rise in a warm place for an hour to 90 minutes (or until doubled).

2. When dough has risen, preheat the oven to 550 degrees (or as hot as your oven will go).

3. Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll into a ball and allow to rise for 30 minutes longer.

4. While your oven preheats and the dough rises, prepare your pesto by combining green garlic and almonds in a food processor and pulsing until finely chopped. Add herbs, salt and the juice of half a lemon. Pulse again until herbs are finely chopped. Remove to a small bowl and add olive oil with a spatula, turning gently until incorporated.

5. Roll out each pizza crust and place on pizza pan, baking steel, or cast-iron skillet. Divide pesto between the two pizza crusts. Add 3 cups spinach to each followed by 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese.

6. Bake for 8-12 minutes until cheese is golden and the crust is browned. Serve pizza with extra lemon wedges.