Angela's Italian Recipe for Walnut Pesto and Zucchini Pizza

Walnut Pesto and Zucchini Pizza
(Pizza Noci e Zucchini)


Ingredients:

For the Pizza Dough:
2 tbsp sugar (7/8 oz)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more (1/2 oz)
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
5 and 1/2 cups "00" flour (1 lb 12 oz)
2 tbsp kosher salt (3/4 oz)

For the Pizza Topping:
1 and 1/2 cups walnut halves
3 tbsp grated Parmigiano cheese
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more
1/3 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt, to taste
1/2 tsp crushed red chile flakes
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 lb smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced
16 fresh basil leaves
Fine semolina, for dusting

Directions:
Prepare the Pizza Dough:
Combine sugar, olive oil, yeast, and 2 cups cold water in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Let sit until foamy, about 8-10 minutes.

Mix flour and salt in a bowl.

With motor running, slowly add flour mixture.

Mix until a smooth dough forms, about 8-10 minutes.

Transfer dough to a greased baking sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap.

Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

Divide dough into 4 balls.

Transfer to a greased 9 inch by 13 inch dish.

Brush tops with olive oil.

Cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for 48 hours. Makes four 12 oz balls.

Prepare the Pizza Topping:
Puree the walnuts, Parmigiano cheese, 1/3 cup olive oil, cream, and salt in a food processor until smooth.

Heat remaining olive oil, plus chile flakes in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Add zucchini and salt.

Cook until golden, 8-10 minutes.

Place a pizza stone under the broiler.

Heat for 30 minutes.

Working in 4 batches, dust 1 ball dough with semolina.

Using your fingertips, press dough into a 10-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick, leaving a 1-inch crust around the edges.

Hold dough straight up, and with fingertips circling crust, slide fingers around crust in a circular motion as you would turn a steering wheel until dough in the center is stretched to about 1/3-inch thick.

Transfer to a semolina-dusted pizza peel.

Spread 1/2 cup walnut sauce over dough and distribute a quarter each of the zucchini, cheese and basil leaves.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Slide pizza onto stone.

Bake until cheese melts and crust is puffed and charred in spots, 3-4 minutes.

Serve hot. Makes four 10-inch pizzas.