White Pizzas with Arugala

Drew's mom, Ginny is the master of making pizzas. For years she has cooked up delicious, homemade pizzas for her boys to eat. Knowing that I could never compete with her version, I set out to find a completely different recipe. This one is easy to make and absolutely delicious. I went ahead and made the homemade dough because I love the way it makes the house smell, but if you need to make a quick meal, I know this recipe would be great with a store bought crust. The infused olive oil keeps well in the refrigerator and is scrumptious drizzled over salad greens or even as a marinade for chicken. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the pizza

1 1/4 cups warm water

2 packages dry yeast

1 tablespoon honey

olive oil

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, sliced

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

freshly ground black pepper

3 cups grated fontina cheese (8 ounces)

1 1/2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese (7 ounces)

11 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

For the salad

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

8 ounces baby arugula

Directions

For the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of the flour, then 2 teaspoons of salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make the garlic oil. Place 1/2 cup of olive oil, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. 

Dump the dough onto a board and divide into 6 equal pieces. Place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours. 

Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each parchment-lined sheet pan. (If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.) Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each of them with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with the fontina, mozzarella, and goat cheeses. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheese begins to brown. 

Meanwhile, for the vinaigrette, whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. When the pizzas are done, place the arugula in a large bowl and toss with just enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place a large bunch of arugula on each pizza and serve immediately.