Arugula Pizza

Arugula pizza is just about the easiest pizza one can make. Better still, it is a pizza and a salad, all in one!

Friday night is always pizza night at my home. Most times I start with my trusty pizza dough (that I can make the day before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight). When time is tight, however, a store-bought dough is perfectly good to use. Having the pizza dough ready makes it so easy as you only need to plan for the toppings you want.

A simple pizza Margherita, or, a potato and Fontina cheese pizza are among our favorites. Other times we just top the pizza with a lemony, arugula salad. The dough of this light and refreshing pizza is first brushed with garlic-infused oil (that can also be made ahead) and then is topped with arugula or other tender greens when it is still hot and just out of the oven. This arugula pizza is simplicity at its best and is always voted better than store-bought pizza at my house, which is an added bonus!

Arugula Pizza

The pizza dough

• 4½ cups unbleached AP King Arthur flour, or Italian Double Zero (-00-) flour
• 1¾ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. instant yeast
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1¾ cups water

Garlic Infused Oil

• ½ cup olive oil
• 5 med. garlic cloves, sliced
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 TBSP. fresh thyme or rosemary, minced

Toppings:

• 8 oz. fresh Mozzarella cheese, grated
• 8 oz. fresh Fontina cheese, grated
• 8 oz. gorgonzola or goat cheese, crumbled

Arugula Salad:

• 3 TBSP. lemon juice
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 8 oz. baby arugula salad

In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the hook attachment, stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water and olive oil and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth (the dough should clear the sides of the bowl but still stick to the bottom of the bowl). If the dough is too wet, add some more flour. If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of water.

Sprinkle some flour on the bottom of a large bowl with a lid, place the dough in it and sprinkle some more flour on top (hint: using a clear or plastic container will allow you to watch the rise). Place the container in the refrigerator overnight to rest and relax the dough. This slow fermentation will greatly improve the dough’s texture and taste. The dough can keep well for up to 3 days.

On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator. With floured hands, cut 6 equal pieces of dough. Place the dough pieces on a well-floured surface, sprinkle with some flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let them rest at room temperature for two hours. Dust your hands with some flour. Working with one piece of dough at a time, gently press and stretch the dough into flat disks of about 8” in diameter. Place two disks on a piece of parchment, sprinkled with flour. Repeat with the rest. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let them rest for 30 minutes.

About 30 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone (or a cast-iron griddle) on the lowest rack of the oven. Heat the oven to 500°F (or 450°F, if that is the hottest possible setting). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

To make the garlic-infused oil, heat the olive oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for 3 more minutes. Watch closely the garlic to make sure it does not burn. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

Brush some of the infused oil on each pizza disk. Sprinkle each evenly with the cheese mixture and drizzle with some more of the oil. With the help of a pizza peel, lift the parchment paper with the two pizzas and slide them into the oven onto the hot pizza stone. Bake for about 12 minutes, or, until the crust is golden brown.

While the pizza is baking, prepare the salad vinaigrette. In a large bowl whisk together all ingredients (except for the arugula), until well emulsified. Just before the pizza is ready, add the arugula to the bowl and mix gently.

Top each pizza with some arugula salad, slice and serve at once.