Best Pizza Dough with Pesto

Yesterday I shared with you the recipe I use to make Pesto. The favorite use of the Pesto in our home is to make pizza. It is a really simple and delicious lunch or dinner. You just have to plan a little bit ahead. The dough has to rise for 3 hours but is well worth the time. It is a delicious crust that can be topped with any kind of topping. I usually make one pizza with a pre-made tomato pizza sauce and one with the pesto. Whatever veggies I am going to put on top, I saute a bit in olive oil first,and lightly salt and pepper them. That could be onions, peppers, or mushrooms. The last topping I put on is the cheese because I have found that it does not burn if I wait until the last 5 minutes to put it on. Be creative with your pizza and enjoy.

Pizza Dough with Toppings
(Makes 2- 16 inch pizzas or 4-12 inch.)

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil(plus more for the bowl and the pizza pans)
Pesto sauce-about 2/3-1 cup
Tomato sauce-about 2/3-1 cup
Toppings:
thinly sliced onions, sliced mushrooms, thinly sliced bell peppers, thinly sliced tomatoes, ham, cooked sausage, pepperoni

Mozerella cheese, shredded
Feta cheese

1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl.(I use my kitchen aid mixer with the dough hook)

2. Mix in 3 cups flour, salt and olive oil, mixing until smooth.

3. Add another 2 cups flour and mix. The last half cup can be added a little at a time until dough comes away from bowl but is still sticky.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead with lightly floured hands about 10 times.

5. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled, airtight bowl; turn it once to oil both sides.

6. Let rise in a warm place until the dough
doubles in volume, about 3 hours. Fold dough over in each direction and push down after 1 1/2 hours. Replace top of bowl.

7. After rising, divide dough into 2 balls. Cover one with a towel and begin to stretch the other over your oiled pizza pan.(I use my Pampered Chef pizza stone. You could use a cookie sheet.)If the dough fights you, let is rest for 5 minutes and it will get looser. Try not to make any holes in the dough.

8. Spread topping, either pesto or pizza sauce thinly over dough.

9. Top the sauce with the sauted vegetables, not too thick.

10. Add meat toppings, cooked sausage, pepperoni, or thinly sliced ham.

11. Repeat with second ball of dough.

12. Cook in a 465 degree over for 15 minutes or until crust edges begin to turn brown.

13. Add shredded mozerella or feta over all the top and cook another 5 minutes.