Vegetable Pizza
If you want to turn this pie into a vegan entrée, use soy mozzarella for both cheeses. But no matter how you make it, this is a simple pizza, a standard in the repertory, best as lunch or dinner off the grill on a summer Saturday
- Yellow cornmeal to dust the pizza peel or olive oil to grease the pizza tray or the baking sheet
- One recipe homemade dough, preferably the Semolina Pizza Dough or the Cracker Pizza Dough ; or 1 pound purchased fresh dough or frozen dough, thawed; or one 12- to 14- inch store- bought, prebaked plain pizza crust
- 1⁄2 cup Classic Pizza Sauce , No- Cook Pizza Sauce , or jarred plain pizza sauce
- 6 ounces soft goat cheese, such as Montrachet
- 21⁄2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed; or mixed, prepared, quick- cooking fresh vegetables, such as seeded and diced bell pepper, diced zucchini or summer squash, thinly sliced red onion, frozen peas, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, and/or roasted garlic cloves
- 1⁄4 cup shredded basil leaves (do not use dried basil)
- 2 ounces Parmigiano- Reggiano, fi nely grated
- 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or red pepper fl akes, optional
Instructions:
- Spread the pizza sauce over the pressed- out crust, taking care to leave a 1 ⁄2- inch border at its edge. Crumble the goat cheese evenly over the sauce.
- Top with the vegetables, arranging them in a decorative pattern over the pie.
- Sprinkle with the shredded basil and then the grated Parmigiano- Reggiano. Finally, sprinkle with the pepper or red pepper fl akes, if desired.
- Slide the pie from the peel to the hot stone or set the pie on its tray or baking sheet either in the oven or over the unheated portion of the grill. Bake or grill with the lid closed until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown at its edge, taking care to pop any air bubbles that may arise across fresh dough, about 17 minutes. Slide the peel back under the very hot pie and set it aside to cool for 5 minutes before slicing—or transfer the pie on its tray or baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. To ensure the crust stays crisp, consider transferring the hot pie directly to the wire rack after a couple of minutes.