Arugula Pizza with Mozzarella, Onions and Thyme

STORY

Yesterday, my friend Sara came over for lunch. I had taken out some pizza dough the night before, and I promised her that I would make one of the best pizzas she’s ever had. I based it on a recipe from Skinners’ Loft that I thought was pretty good. But I tweaked and tweaked away, and the results were so fantastic, I had to share it immediately.

RECIPE

• Prep Time: 10 – 15 minutes
• Bake Time: 15 -17 minutes
• Total Time: 25 -35 minutes

TOOLS

• 1 8-inch chef knife
• 1 sauce pan
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 rolling pin
• 1 fork
• 1 pizza stone – or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet
• 1 pizza peel – or a good strong spatula
• 1 oven

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp of olive oil

½ white onion, sliced

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/8 tsp of salt

¼ tsp of fresh ground pepper

1 tsp of dry thyme

¼ tsp of balsamic vinegar

¼ cup of flour for dusting

1 ball of pizza dough

¼ cup of mozzarella, sliced

1 handful of arugula

1 tbsp of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

fresh ground pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Put pizza stone or caste-iron skillet into oven and preheat oven to 450° F/230° C.
2. Heat ½ tbsp of olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat for about 1 minute.
3. Add ½ sliced white onion, and sauté until translucent (about 5 minutes).
4. Add 1 chopped clove of garlic on top of onions.
5. Add 1/8 tsp of salt, ¼ tsp of fresh ground pepper, ½ tsp of dry thyme, and ¼ tsp of balsamic vinegar to onions and garlic and stir until combined.
6. Sprinkle ¼ cup of flour over clean, dry countertop or table, and rolling pin.
7. Using the rolling pin, roll out the pizza dough, until it’s the desired thinness (be sure to work the dough well by turning it over).
8. Once the dough is shaped to your liking, prick dough using a fork all over (this helps prevent any air bubbles that may occur during baking).
9. Sprinkle remaining ½ tbsp of olive oil, and fresh ground black pepper over dough.
10. Spread ¼ cup of sliced mozzarella, and garlic and onions over dough.
11. Sprinkle remaining ½ tsp of dry thyme, and 1 tbsp of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over pizza.
12. If you are using a pizza stone, shimmy the pizza onto a pizza peel and carefully place onto the stone in the oven.
13. If you are using a cast-iron skillet, remove skillet from the oven (drizzle with olive oil), and carefully wedge pizza onto the skillet.
14. Bake for about 15 -17 minutes.
15. Once pizza is ready, carefully remove pizza stone or skillet from the oven, and place on a platter using a spatula or a pizza peel.
16. Add 1 handful of arugula over the pizza, and fresh ground black pepper, if you like.

Cut and enjoy.

(Photo Credit: Matthew G. Piccolo)