Mama Zuquinis Mediterranean Pizza

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sparkling water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided, plus more as needed for kneading
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups plum tomatoes (canned is ok)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon toasted pine nuts
• 1 small pinch red chili pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
• lemon juice, to taste
• prepared pizza dough
• prepared tomato sauce
• 2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3/4 cup kalamata olive, pitted
• 1 cup marinated artichoke, drained
• prepared basil pesto

Recipe

• 1 dough: in a large bowl, whisk together the water, oil, sugar and yeast. set aside the mixture for 15 minutes to hydrate the yeast.
• 2 stir in the salt and two-thirds of the flour, 1 spoonful at a time, to achieve a very soft dough.
• 3 turn out the dough onto a well-floured board and continue kneading in additional flour until a soft, sticky dough is achieved. the dough should be very moist; the more flour added, the heavier the dough and final crust.
• 4 place the dough in a large, greased bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. set aside the dough until it doubles in volume, about 1 to 11/2 hours. (while the dough is rising, make the tomato and pesto sauces, and assemble the toppings.).
• 5 when the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured board. halve the dough and roll each half into a ball. place the balls on the floured board and lightly flour the top of each. loosely cover each ball with plastic wrap and set aside until almost doubled again.
• 6 sauce: in a medium saucepan heated over medium heat, add the oil, garlic and onion. cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, careful not to burn the garlic.
• 7 stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and sugar. cover the pan and gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. remove from heat and stir in the herbs.
• 8 pass the sauce through a food mill, or purée using a food processor or blender. this makes 1 scant cup tomato sauce. cover and refrigerate until needed.
• 9 pesto:in a large mortar and pestle or using a food processor, grind together the garlic, pine nuts, chile flakes, parmigiano and olive oil. add the basil leaves, a few at a time, until they are incorporated and a coarse paste is formed.
• 10 taste and adjust seasoning as desired with additional parmigiano, lemon juice, pine nuts or olive oil. thin as desired with a little olive oil.
• 11 refrigerate the pesto in a nonreactive container with the surface covered with plastic wrap until needed; the pesto will keep for up to 1 day.
• 12 assembly: place a pizza stone on a rack in the oven, and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
• 13 roll out each dough ball to a 12- to 14-inch round and place on a floured pizza peel. divide the sauce between the two rounds, ladling evenly over each round and leaving a 1-inch border around each.
• 14 sprinkle the mozzarella and feta evenly over the pizzas, and garnish the top of each pie with the tomatoes, olives and artichokes.
• 15 gently slide the first pizza on the stone. bake until the crust is puffed and golden-brown, about 8 to 10 minutes (timing will vary depending on the thickness of the pie and heat of the oven).
• 16 remove the pizza and slide the second into the oven. cool the pizzas slightly, then spoon the pesto over and slice. serve immediately.