Greens Deborah Madison
1 recipe Pizza Dough* (Nigel’s take on Bobby Flay’s Pizza Dough)
3 medium Tomatoes, yellow and red, try using the Heirlooms
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup Pesto, use your favorite recipe
1/2 small Red Onion (or try the Shallots), thinly sliced
3 oz Mozzarella Cheese, thinly sliced
18 Nicoise Olives or other small Black Olive, pits removed
Prepare the pizza dough and set it in a warm place to rise. Slice the tomatoes thinly crosswise, and season them with 1 TB of the oil, the garlic, plus the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Prepare the pesto. Preheat the oven to 500 F, and if using a pizza stone, warm it for 20 minutes. Shape the dough, set it on a well-floured peel or on a pizza pan, and brush it with oil. Lay the sliced onion on the dough, and arrange the tomatoes and the cheese in overlapping layers. Slide the pizza onto the stone or bake it on its pan in the upper third of the oven for about 8 to 12 minutes, or until the edges and bottom are well browned. Remove the pizza from the oven, spoon the pesto over the tomatoes, and garnish with the olives.