Caramalized Mushroom-Spinach Pizza

#pizza #portabellamushrooms #mozzarella #entertaining

 

Toppings

8 ounces Baby Portabellas, sliced

2 shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 /2 teaspoon, fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

8 ounces mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1/2 cup frozen spinach of 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped

 

1. Warm olive oil in skillet. Over medium high heat, add sliced mushrooms and sauté until  caramelized.  Flip and sauté until other sides are golden. Push to side. Add shallots, garlic and herbs to the pan and sauté until the shallots translucent. Remove from pan.

2. Add spinach leaves to same pan and sauté slightly until spinach is dry or until fresh spinach leaves are wilted.  Remove from heat. In a clean paper or cloth towel, wring out the spinach so it is quite dry.

 

Pizza Crust (You may also use a pre-made crust that you buy at the store. If buying one, skip to Step 7.)

 

Yield: 1 medium crust

1/2 cup warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons or 1 package dry active yeast

1 teaspoon (10 g) kosher salt

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon (15 g) olive oil

1 1/2 cup bread flour

 

1. Add warm water to a medium bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top and let proof to make sure it’s active. Add salt, honey, olive oil and bread flour.

2. Add 1 cup of flour to dough, adding more until a shaggy dough has formed.

3. Place a tablespoon of flour onto a clean surface. Turn dough out and begin kneading, adding flour as needed, until smooth and elastic. Form into a round ball.

4. Cover with a clean cloth and let rest for 10 minutes in a draft free spot.

5. Roll out dough with a rolling pin to fit your pizza pan. Stretch to fit the edges of the pan, crimping the edges attractively.

6. Preheat oven to 425F.

7. Prick the surface of the dough with a fork. This helps keep the crust from bubbling up in spots.

8. Add a bit of spinach and cheese to dough.

9. Add mushrooms/shallot mixture and then add spinach, evenly distributing on top of the mushrooms. Add mozzarella on top of the vegetables.  Sprinkle Parmesan around the edges and on top of the mozarella.

10. Place pizza pan on the oven rack on the next to top rung. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden. Rest for a few minutes before cutting with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.

11. Serve immediately.
     

Note: To freeze: While pizza tastes best freshly made, it freezes well. Cut into pieces and wrap each piece with plastic wrap and put all the pieces into a freezer-proof bag. This makes it easy to remove each piece as needed. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost each piece and reheat in a toaster oven or oven.