PESTO SAUCE

THE GREEN GONDOLA (named after one of my Nana’s favorite restaurants) 

Green Gondola made on Stonefire garlic flatbread with homemade pesto sauce

For the pre-made flatbread pizzas…I usually spread the sauce of my choice, decorate & sprinkle with cheese, put these babies in a cast iron pan with a thin layer of olive oil, sea salt & cornmeal….on high heat. This method makes a perfectly crispy crust. Cover it to cook the toppings & melt the cheese.

You can pick any toppings you like, but here is the recipe for the Green Gondola.

• homemade pesto sauce
• shaved zucchini
• shaved mushrooms
• baby spinach or baby kale leaves
• sliced castelvetrano olives (my fav)
• fresh figs or fig spread
• buffalo mozzarella cheese or fresh burrata cheese
• topped with fresh basil, thyme & drizzled with olive oil

Same recipe but with kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes & shaved red onions.

Scroll down for the homemade crust recipe. These pizzas take about 10 minutes at 500ºF. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, olive oil & serve!

Try something sweet on your flatbread to give it a dahlicious twist & distinctive taste…like fresh cherries & balsamic reduction. Feta crumbles are always a good idea!

This pizza below has a fresh fig spread sauce. You can add thinly sliced pear & sprinkle with gorgonzola crumbles… Cooking it on a pizza stone will create that perfect crispy pizza crust!

Try to keep the toppings to a minimal amount for the best turn out…I can never do that. Don’t listen to me…make it look like one of the 7 wonders of the world 😉

Pizza Dough
Makes 4 8- to 10-inch pizzas (Serves 1 to 2 people per pizza)

¼ cup whole wheat flour
3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 2/3 cups lukewarm water
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
2 teaspoons olive oil

• Place the flours & salt in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• Combine the water, sugar and yeast in a small bowl and let sit for five minutes until the mixture bubbles slightly.
• Add the olive oil and stir.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add the oil-water mixture into the bowl.
• Knead until the dough is firm and smooth, under 10 minutes.
• Divide the dough into four balls, about 7½ ounces each.
• Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. (Be sure to oil the parchment paper.)
• Place two balls on a sheet. Lightly coat balls with olive oil, then cover with plastic wrap about 2 hours.
• Roll out the dough: Dip your fingers in flour and then place one ball on a generously floured work surface. Press down in the center with the tips of your fingers, spreading the dough with your hand. When the dough has doubled in width, use a floured rolling pin and roll out until it is very thin, like flatbread.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Line a pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle paper with fine cornmeal.
• Place rolled out dough onto parchment paper.
• Drizzle dough with a little olive oil and rub it over the surface to coat evenly.
• Top with a layer of your choice toppings.
• Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the crust is slightly brown and the cheese is melted.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil & a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Last but certainly not least, you can…GRILL EM’