Napa Farmhouse 1885™: fresh corn, roasted tomato & pickled garlic pizza with cornmeal crust

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

fresh corn, roasted tomato & pickled garlic pizza with cornmeal crust

i eat corn almost every day in season. my favorite preparation is grilled on the barbecue and then drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with coarse grey sea salt.
or have you had the roasted corn on the cob they serve at street fairs? the ones with lime butter and cotija cheese? unbelievably good. corn...freshly shucked from the cob...sprinkled in salads, pureed into soup, quickly sauteed with peppers and onions...there are a million ways to serve. and, each summer, i plan to try all the recipes but seem to stick with the corn on the cob version.

but this is corn week at food network's summerfest and new recipes are required. i decided to combine two of my favorite "corn" ingredients...corn and cornmeal...to create a pizza. who doesn't love pizza?

i love this cornmeal crust...wonderful texture with just a hint of sweetness from the honey. the pizza is "sauce less" just extra virgin olive oil covered with fresh corn, roasted tomatoes, pickled garlic and fresh buffalo mozzarella don't be intimidated by the thought of making homemade pizza dough...this recipe is simple and very forgiving. i have included a recipe for roasted/marinated tomatoes but for an even easier time, pick some up at your local olive bar...same tip with the pickled garlic. fast, easy fresh...with loads of fresh corn. what could be better on a warm summer night. pair with a green salad and dinner is served! enjoy....

fresh corn, roasted tomato & pickled garlic pizza with cornmeal crust
(makes 4 seven inch individual pizzas)

2 ears corn, freshly shucked
roasted tomatoes (recipe follows)
pickled garlic (from your favorite olive bar)
fresh buffalo mozzarella, cut into bite sized pieces
extra virgin olive oil
coarse grey salt
dried red pepper flakes
handful fresh basil, torn
cornmeal pizza crust recipe

roasted tomatoes
24 italian tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1 tbsp wild honey
6 cloves garlic chopped
coarse grey salt
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

preheat oven to 275 degrees. line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. place tomatoes, cut side up, on top of paper. drizzle honey over tomatoes. sprinkle garlic and a pinch each salt and pepper over honey. drizzle olive oil over tomatoes (2 passes of bottle).

place in preheated oven and roast for 3 hours. remove from oven, scrape tomatoes and all juices into small bowl. drizzle additional olive oil over tomatoes. cover with saran wrap. store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

cornmeal pizza crust
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
pinch sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 cup cornmeal, fine grind
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
extra virgin olive oil
coarse grind cornmeal for baking sheets

add water to bowl of upright mixer and sprinkle yeast over top. using the paddle attachment, mix until yeast has dissolved. add salt, olive oil and honey and mix to combine. add flour and process just until incorporated. add the cornmeal and process until incorporated. process an additional minute until the dough has formed into a ball. do not over mix. remove dough from bowl, form into 4 smooth balls of equal size and place in an oiled bowl. turn balls a few times to ensure they are totally covered in oil, cover bowl with saran wrap and place in a warm area. allow to rise until doubled in size 45 minutes to 1 hour.

remove from bowl and place on a lightly floured counter. use a rolling pin to roll out dough into free form circles. each pizza crust should be about 1/2 inch thick. place on pizza stone or baking sheet which has been lightly oiled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with coarse cornmeal. (the cornmeal adds a delicious flavor and helps ensure the pizza dough will not stick to pan.)

preheat oven to 500 degrees. drizzle pizza rounds with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with coarse grey salt. sprinkle corn kernels, pickled garlic, marinated tomatoes and mozzarella over pizza....customize the amount of each topping to your liking. drizzle oil over pizza, including the "naked" crust edges. use a pastry brush to cover the naked crust with oil. place in preheated oven. bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling. remove from oven and sprinkle red pepper flakes and basil over top. slice and serve immediately