Pizza with Kalamata olives and imported provolone

The other night I had a craving for pizza. As I was driving home, I wasn’t sure if I had enough cheese to make one. I knew I was completely out of Mozzarella. I did a mental inventory as I drove. I really didn’t feel like making a stop at the grocery store. When I remembered I had a block of imported Italian Provolone, and a few slices of Colby and Pepper-jack, I knew I was good to go.

I started making the dough when I arrived home. As I did, I remembered I had some imported Kalamata olives as well. The earthy taste of the Kalamata olives along with the extra sharp Italian Provolone really made this pizza tasty. This ended up being one of my favorite pizzas. Here’s how I made it.

2 cups of unbleached bread flour

1/2 tsp. of salt

1/2 tsp. honey

Extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs. yeast

1 cup of lukewarm water

8 oz. can of tomato sauce

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Splash of Tabasco

1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. of oregano

8 Kalamata olives, sliced off the pits

Several slices of Pepper-jack cheese

Several slices of Colby cheese

2 cups of freshly shredded Italian Provolone

White pepper

Corn meal

Preparation

Place the flour, salt, honey, about two tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil, and the yeast in your mixing bowl. Add the water and bring the dough together with your dough hooks. Adjust with extra flour or water if needed. Knead the dough for about a minute or so. Set it aside while you put the sauce together.

Place the tomato sauce in a bowl. Add about a tablespoon of your good olive oil to it. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and the oregano. Give it a splash of Tabasco and a final stir.

Place the dough on a floured surface, and use your fingers to work it into a sixteen inch circle. Don’t measure, just guess. It really doesn’t matter, right ladies?  Slide the dough into t a pizza pan that has been sprinkled with corn meal. Roll the edges up to form a crust.

Pour the sauce on to the pizza dough, and spread it out evenly, with a spoon. Add some sliced Pepper-jack and Colby slices around the pizza. If you don’t have those, other types of cheese, Swiss, Cheddar or whatever you have, will work. Add the sliced Kalamata olives evenly. Now, add the shredded Provolone. Sprinkle the top of the pizza with some fresh ground white pepper, and bake the pizza in the oven at 410º for about twenty minutes or so. 

When the pizza is golden brown and bubbling, it is ready. Remove it to a cutting pan, and top it with a splash of your very best extra virgin olive oil and a little more white pepper. Wait five minutes before slicing.

Serving

With pizza, you should probably have a big tossed salad. I didn’t bother that night. I just served this pizza as a single serving portion. What can I say? I was tired and hungry. Any light bodied red wine will work.