Like a Big Pizza Pie

        That's amore...
        Pizza. While dessert is often incredibly hard to pass up for most people (deep down, we all know we should), there are still delicious savory foods that succeed in having the same effect on us. For me, one of these foods is pizza. Particularly homemade pizza. Even more particularly, my Mom's homemade pizza. Pair that with a from-scratch pizza dough made with love, and you've earned my heart.
        During the summer I went to Italy with my family -- an experience I had anticipated for years. Italy was too beautiful to be described in words and every meal was incredible. By the end of the trip, I thought I had eaten enough pizza (plus gelato every day) to last me a lifetime. As it turns out, I didn't, because here I am again in the same position… eating pizza.

Spinach Goat Cheese Pizza

        This is not the first time I've eaten this pizza. It became a family favorite the moment we took our first bites, and the spinach and goat cheese combination was one we had never tried before. Originally, my wonderful mother created the topping impromptu and without a recipe, but it turned out so delicious that it needed a place as one of our staple meals. Now, I have recreated it perfectly and recorded the recipe.

        I'm a thick crust gal. The great thing about making your own food is the option of making it exactly the way you like it. I used my favorite pizza dough recipe, which yields a nice, thick crust. The spinach is sautéed with a bit of olive oil and garlic before topping the pizza, and the goat cheese adds a great tang to the flavor.

        Is it possible to get tired of pizza? 
        I don't think it's possible. This is pizza we're talking about.

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Spinach Goat Cheese Pizza

(Yield: 1 large pizza | 10 to 12 servings)

Print This Recipe

Ingredients

Pizza Dough: (adapted from Allrecipes)

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Spinach-Goat Cheese Topping:

8 cups fresh spinach, packed, cleaned and stems removed

1/2 small onion, chopped

A few pinches of salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 large pizza dough, homemade (above) or store-bought

Directions

For the Pizza Dough:

1. Dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in a large bowl; let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and oil. Add 3 cups of flour.
2. On a clean, well-floured surface, turn out the dough and knead in more flour until dough is no longer sticky. If the dough is too wet, add more flour. If the dough is too dry, add a small amount of water.
3. Place the dough in a well-oiled boil, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the topping.

For the Spinach-Goat Cheese Topping:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a heavy saucepan with water until about three-quarters full; bring to a boil and add the salt. Add the fresh spinach and boil until the spinach turns a bright green. Remove from heat and drain spinach.
2. In a frying pan over medium heat, sautée the garlic in the oil for about 1 minute but not until browned. Increase the heat to high and add the spinach, cooking until all the spinach has wilted. Remove from heat.
3. Punch down the pizza dough to form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for 1 minute. Roll out the dough to fit a large pizza pan, and place the dough in the pan.
4. Top the dough with the spinach and spread it evenly. Add chopped onion and crumbled goat cheese.
5. Bake the pizza in the preheated oven until the crust is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.