Badda Bing Pizza With Pesto-esque Sauce

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 pizza crust, see easy peezy pizza dough (bread machine pizza dough) (i used ratio of 2 cups flour/1 cup whole wheat flour. also add 1/2 teaspoon fennel.)
• 1 medium onion, sliced into crescents
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms, any variety
• 1/2 tablespoon elephant garlic, minced (roasted is even better)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• 3/4-1 cup imported cheese, grated (i always use a combination of whatever cheese i have on hand ( romano, myzithra, feta, parmesan, etc)
• 2 firm tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
• 3/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried greek oregano
• freshly grated black pepper
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, coarsely chopped (can sub hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds)

Recipe

• 1 prepare the pizza dough as indicated in recipe (link) above, up until the point before baking the dough.
• 2 preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• 3 first, saute the onion, mushrooms and garlic for about 2 minutes or just until softened. add the spinach and "cook down" for about 2 minutes, but no longer, stirring often. you don't want the spinach slimery or soggy. set aside to cool slightly.
• 4 make the pesto sauce by whirling the ingredients in a blender about 30 seconds. set aside.
• 5 note: for the pizza dough i place the dough in a 18 x 13 x 1 inch aluminum cookie sheet. prick the dough in random places all over with fork tines. (this allows the olive-y oil-y goodness to seep into the dough.).
• 6 begin by spreading the pesto sauce onto the dough, making sure the edges of the dough are covered witht the pesto to avoid drying out. spread on the sauteed mushroom/spinach mixture and finally add 2/3 of the grated cheese.
• 7 arrange the tomatoes on top, then the olives, pine nuts, oregano, black pepper, and remaining cheese. drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil.
• 8 bake in preheated over at 425 degrees for about 18 minutes, turning 1/2 turn after 9 minutes for even cooking. remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
• 9 cut up into squares and serve.
• 10 cooking time does not include preparing the pizza dough.