Pizza with Pesto Chicken and Asparagus

I find it funny that I crave thin crust pizza during the hot summer months more than during the winter (when I can crank up the oven and get the house warm). During the summer, I avoid my oven as much as possible:  Most everything gets cooked on our outdoor Weber Grills (yes - 3 of them - a smoker, a kettle that I primarily use with mesquite and a gas one).  Nothing is more perfect than pizza and a side salad on a hot summer night

I've tried pizza stones and salt stones, tried my friend's high end pizza ovens, and even  used a wood burning stove. But for me - my go to is a HOLY PAN and my gas grill.

A Holy Pan?  Yes, I find it divine and it has holes!  I was given a vegetable grill sheet years ago and one day I put my pizza dough on it (to cook indoors) and it's been my pizza pan ever since (ok, now I have 3)!

So that's my suggestion for how to get a thin crust pizza.  If you're happy with your's, send me a comment and I'll give it a try. 

Other tips - don't over sauce and don't over cheese.  We love them both, but with too much of either, the dough gets soggy.  Less is more.

Pizza Ingredients: (makes 2 sheet pizzas)

Dough (see below recipe or store bought)

2 diced chicken thighs (1/2 inch squares)

1/2 cup pesto sauce

1 jar Beyond The Olive Pasta Sauce

1 jar Beyond The Olive Artichoke Olive Tapenade

3/4 lb Sliced - not shredded - mozzarella

2 shallots - diced

14 thin stalks of asparagus, tough ends removed and chopped into 2 inch pieces

1 T olive oil

4 garlic cloves chopped

basil leaves

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 425, or gas grill to high-high-high.

Oil cooking pans.

Saute the asparagus and shallots and set aside.

Mix the diced chicken in the pesto sauce.

Mix the pasta sauce and the artichoke tapenade together.

Roll out the dough on your oiled pans.

The pasta sauce and artichoke tapenade mixture go on the dough first - they're your "pizza sauce".  Spread evenly.

Next - lay down one layer of mozzarella.  Fill in gaps.

Spread the chicken and pesto mixture over the cheese.

Sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the pizza evenly.

In Oven - bake for 7 minutes.  Turn the pizza around (even convection ovens cook unevenly) and check the bottom of the crust.  

Cook another 5 minutes or until crispy.

On grill - place pan on hot surface. Close lid and turn to medium-medium-medium.  Cook for 7 minutes and turn the pan.  Check the bottom of the dough (it should pull up easily when ready.  Cook another 5 minutes at medium-low-medium or until the dough is crispy and the cheese is bubbling.

Slide pizza off of pan.  Cut on cutting board and serve.

Serves 4-8 

Dough:

1 package yeast (1/4 oz)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups whole grain, all purpose or semolina flour (or a combo of your choosing)

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

Activate the yeast in a non metallic bowl with the sugar and 1/4 cup warm water.  Stir, then let it sit until it foams.  

Add the flour and salt and then slowly add the water.  I prefer hand mixing so I can feel the texture and elasticity.  Add 1/2 of the olive oil.  I kneed for about 10 minutes.  Add more water if it feels too dry.  

Clean the bowl and add the remaining olive oil.  Form a ball of the dough and put it back in the bowl.  Turn it over, so the olive oil coats both sides.

Let rise until double.  If it's super hot out - put it in the refrigerator to slow it down. A "slow rise" in the refrigerator gives the dough a more fermented flavor (but may take 6-8 hours).

When ready to bake, punch it down and divide into two.  Roll each ball out separately as needed for your pan size and desired thickness.

... or store bought works too!