Sun-Dried Tomato and Arugula Pizza

 

The key to this crispy pizza is giving the dough plenty of time to rise so it's pliant enough to stretch very thin. This is great for movie night when you want a quick dinner, or entertaining.

 

Dough

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

 

Toppings

32 sun-dried tomato halves

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups packed baby arugula

 

Mix the flour, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer equipped with the dough hook on medium speed. Mix half the warm water, the olive oil, and the salt on low speed, then add the remaining water and mix till a ball forms. Mix the dough for two minutes on low, Two minutes on medium, then Two minutes on low again. Move the dough to a lightly oiled basin, cover with plastic wrap, and let aside in a warm area for an hour and a half to double in size.

Place a pizza stone in the bottom of the oven and warm it to 500° for around forty-five minutes.

 

Press the dough down and place it on a floured surface to work on. Make a ball out of the dough. Cut the ball into eight pieces of similar size. Knead each piece into a ball before flattening it into disks. Wrapping the dough in plastic wrap and set it aside for twenty minutes.

In a small saucepan, cover the sun-dried tomatoes with water. Cover and allow to cook over low heat for five minutes at a time until it's very soft. The tomatoes should be drained and finely chopped. Process the chopped garlic and olive oil in a tiny food processor.

Flour a pizza peel generously. Roll out a disk of dough to an 8-inch circle, approximately 1/8 inch thick, with a rolling pin. Alternatively, extend and pull the disk into a 8-centimeter circular. Spread the round with the garlic purée and place it on the peel. Top with a eighth of the sun-dried tomatoes & one-eighth of the sliced cheese. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with some of the garlic puree. Bake for four minutes per side on the hot stone, till the crust is crisp & the cheese is sizzling. Sprinkle with some baby arugula on top. Repeat with the rest of the dough & toppings.