Mediterranean Hummus Pizza
Ingredients:
- 1 (12-16″) pre-baked pizza crust (The recipe for an excellent homemade pre-baked crust is listed after the recipe for the pizza.)
- 1-1/2 cups prepared hummus
- 1/4-1/3 cup roasted red peppers, sliced into thin strips
- 1/2-3/4 of an English cucumber, sliced as thinly as possible
- 1/2 of a red onion, sliced as thinly as possible
- 1/2 cup black olives, thinly sliced or halved
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
Spread the hummus over the crust to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Evenly space the roasted red pepper strips over the hummus. Arrange the cucumber slices over the top, then the red onions and black olives. Scatter the feta cheese crumbles evenly over the top and sprinkle the minced parsley over everything. Slice into wedges or squares and serve at room temperature.
Pre-Baked Pizza Crusts
Yield: 3 large pre-baked crusts
Ingredients:
- 3 cups warm (but not hot) whey or milk
- 3-1/2 Tablespoons instant yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus additional for sprinkling over dough
- 1 pound and 13- 3/4 ounces (7 cups) all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for spreading over dough
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, plus additional for sprinkling over the dough (you can substitute minced fresh garlic if necessary.)
Place the warm whey or milk in a very large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the top. Swirl the bowl and let sit for five minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until an evenly moist and a cohesive dough forms. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 500°F.
Generously grease three large, round pans (or rimmed sheet pans) with olive oil. Wet your hands and divide the dough into three equal portions. With wet hands, spread the dough on your oiled pans. Allow the dough to rest for five more minutes, wet your hands again, and re-work the dough toward the outer edges of the pan. Brush or rub the dough generously with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with granulated garlic or minced garlic and Kosher salt, to taste.
Bake pizza crusts for 8 minutes if you want a partially baked crust to be topped and baked again later, or 12 minutes for a fully baked crust.
Remove crust from pan and cool on a rack. You can use immediately or wrap tightly with a double thickness of plastic wrap and frozen for a month.