Garliky Spinach Pizza

   Homemade pizza is one of my ultimate comfort foods.  The whole process is enjoyable: making and kneading the dough, gathering and prepping toppings, [im]patiently waiting for it to bake to gooey, crispy perfection.  This past month I found myself craving pizza constantly.  I didn't give in, but I wanted it so bad.

   This is one of the pizzas I made in NC right before I moved.  It uses creamed spinach as the sauce.  Oh, yeah.  But it is not that gloopy, fatty, runny greenish stuff of the frozen food aisle.  It is actually a healthier version of the steakhouse side classic.  Still creamy and cheesy but without the guilt of a traditional creamed spinach. 

 

Garliky Spinach Pizza

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

3 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1/3 C shredded mozzarella

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed

3 lrg cloves roasted garlic, mashed

1 tsp fresh minced garlic

3 oz light cream cheese

2 Tbsp half & half or cream

1/4 C parmesan

salt and pepper

extra virgin olive oil

corn meal

   Partially squeeze water out of spinach.  Heat a little oil over medium heat, quickly saute raw garlic for about 30 sec.  Add spinach and roasted garlic.  Heat spinach through.  Melt in cream cheese.  Add half & half.  Melt in parmesan.  Cool.

   Spread dough onto a 13x9 sheet pan sprinkled with corn meal.  (Or into a 12 inch circle.)  Pre-bake at 450 deg F for 5-7 minutes, until bottom is lightly golden.

   Spread spinach evenly over crust.  Sprinkle cheeses over top.  Bake at 450 deg F for another 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is browned and crispy.

   Serves 4-6