Caesar Salad Pizzas

Caesar Salad Pizzas

Yield: 4 individual pizzas


Ingredients:

For the crust:*

1½ cups warm water (105-115˚ F)

5 tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast

2 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for brushing

2 tsp. honey

4-5 cups all-purpose flour

3 tbsp. semolina flour (optional)

1 tsp. coarse salt

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

¼ cup coarse cornmeal

Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese



For the dressing:

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 anchovy fillet

2 large eggs, beaten (or ½ cup pasteurized egg product)

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper



For the salad:

1 large head romaine lettuce, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Garlic croutons

Parmesan shavings



Directions:

To make the crust, combine the water, yeast, olive oil, honey, and 3 cups of the flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the semolina flour, salt, and red pepper flakes; mix on low speed until combined. Add in 1 more cup of the flour and mix until a soft dough comes together. Mix on low speed about 5 minutes to knead. Add additional flour, 1-2 tablespoons at a time as needed until the dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky.



Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.



Coat 2 baking sheets with olive oil. Sprinkle the sheets with cornmeal. Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. (You can also use a baking stone, preheating it with the oven - no need to oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal just before adding the crusts.) Divide the dough into four equal pieces, transfer to a work surface, cover with a damp towel and let rest 10-15 minutes. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 hours.



With a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, flatten each dough ball into an 8-inch circle. Brush each dough round lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet or stone and bake until browned and crisp, about 10-15 minutes.



To make the dressing, combine the garlic, anchovy, eggs, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and mustard int he bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube in a thin, steady stream. Pour the dressing into a bowl, stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.



To make the salad, combine the lettuce and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with some of the dressing and toss to coat; add more dressing as needed. Place a generous amount of salad on top of each warm pizza crust. Top with croutons and Parmesan shavings, and freshly ground pepper if desired.




Recipe from Annie’s Eats