Al Fresco Pizza with Tomato, Basil, and Fresh Mozzarella

I used to work in a brick oven pizza shop in Waterville, ME called the Grand Central Cafe.  I learned a great deal about pizza creations in this job, as well as ideas on flavor combinations.  I was in the mood to recreate one of my favorite pizzas from this restaurant, using the beautiful tomatoes and basil from the CSA box.  Next time, I would cut the dough in half to make two thinner crusts.  This thicker crust made more of a sicilian style pizza, which was delicious in its own way.  By putting the basil under the tomato, it only gets slighly cooked to retain most of its flavor.

Ingredients


For the Dough


1 tsp white sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour


For the Toppings


~20 large leaves fresh basil, coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, green parts removed and sliced into 1/4" slices
15 large kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, finely sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled


Method


1.  Proof the yeast with the sugar and water in a large bowl.


2.  Add the olive oil and salt to the proofed yeast mixture.


3.  Slowly add the flour in 1/2 cup increments and mix into the wet ingredients.  You will have to start mixing by hand towards the end.


4.  Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel.  Leave the bowl in a warm place to allow dough to double in size, which will take about an hour.


5.  When the dough is doubled in size, punch it down and knead a few times.  Cover again with the cloth and let rise until doubled, which will take about 45 minutes.
Note: If you prefer to break this into two thin crust doughs, cut the dough in half. One of the doughs can be saved in the fridge for a couple days until you want to use it. Just remove it from the fridge for 30-40 minutes before using.

6.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly coat the parchment paper with additional flour.


7.  Carefully stretch the dough out to fill the baking sheet.  I recommend starting with both fists under the center of the dough and stretching the middle of the dough out. Then, grasp the edges of the dough with both hands and let the rest of the dough hang down, move hands a few inches along the dough, then move again until you've rotated the entire dough through your hands.  Once the dough becomes too big to handle, you can place it on the baking sheet an stretch it out with your finger tips.


8.  Cover the dough with the basil, leaving about 1/2 around the edge which will make the crust of the pizza.  Then add the tomatoes in an even layer.  Then place the mozzarella over the tomatoes.  Sprinkle the feta and olives over the top.  You could also add some minced garlic if desired.


9.  Bake for 14 minutes at 425 degrees.  Then turn the broiler to high and cook for an additional 4 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.