When it’s made with fresh, carefully selected ingredients and thoughtfully brought to life, food truly holds the key to my heart. As a result, I would be hard pressed to pick a “favorite food.” However, if I really had to choose, my first instinct would be to say: Pizza. That’s why this weeks edition of Foodie Friday is near and dear to the kid inside all of us. Now some of us have very specific favorite toppings and sauces that we absolutely must have on our pizza. That’s OK! Just take the dough recipe and use your favorite ingredients to make your pizza the way you like it. This caprese style pizza has always been a favorite of mine and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Caprese Pizza

Toppings

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2 Roma tomatoes sliced ¼ inch
Any other topping you might like to add

Basil Spinach Pesto

2 cloves garlic peeled
1 cup packed basil leaves
1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
1 ½ tsp lemon zest
4 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil

Combine Garlic, basil, spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, parmesan, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Drizzle in olive oil in a thin stream with food processor running until it is a thick paste. Store refrigerated until needed.

Pizza dough

2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp salt
¼ cup olive oil

Combine yeast and water in a large mixing bowl and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or until a thick foam forms on top.

Add flours and salt to the bowl and mix by hand, or using an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment, until the dough is smooth and elastic about 5 minutes. If you use an electric mixer you should start it on the lowest setting and slowly increase the speed to medium.

Transfer the dough to another large mixing bowl that has been lightly oiled. If you only have one bowl, you can rest the dough on some lightly oiled parchment paper while you wash and oil the mixing bowl you have. Once you have the dough in the bowl cover it with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest at room temperature for about 1 ½ hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Gently fold the dough in half and allow to rise again at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Pre-Heat your oven to 500 degrees. If you have a pizza stone you will want this in the oven when it is heating up so it will also be 500 degrees.

Stretch or roll the dough out as thinly as you can get it onto either a 12” pizza pan or cookie sheet preferably non-stick. If you do not have a non-stick cookie sheet brush lightly with olive oil.

* If you are using a pizza stone and peel, you will want to skip the last step and dust the peel with semolina before stretching the dough onto it. You want to be very careful when transferring the pie to the top of the stone as to not lose your toppings.

Spread desired amount of your pesto onto the crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle grated mozzarella over the top evenly. Space tomato slices evenly across the top of your pie. You can also add additional toppings if desired. Bake at 500 degrees with the rack in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Allow your pie to cool for 10-15 minutes. I know waiting is hard but it will be easier to transfer to a cutting board and cut it.

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Here are some cool upcoming foodie events available through Brown Paper Tickets:

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Sunday, November 11 I Downtown Santa Cruz Food Tours – Santa Cruz, California

Every Saturday until Saturday, December 29 I Taste of Philly Food Tour – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Monday, October 1 I Hosting an amazing “Foodie” event (hosted by yours truly!) – Seattle, Washington

Thursday, October 11 & Thursday, November 8 I Columbus Meat Lovers Tour – Columbus, Ohio

Sunday, October 21 I this little piggy went to the brewery – Pasadena, California