Cheesy Greeky Pizza

Can we just eat pizza every day? If we throw enough vegetables on, won't it count as a balanced meal? Ok, maybe this one isn't heavy enough on veggies to count in that category, but it's delicious and we're going to eat it anyway.

We also drizzled our slices with a balsamic vinegar glaze. Not necessary for this to be super yummy, but you won't regret taking the extra steps to make the glaze. And you can do that while your pizza dough is rising! Multitasking for the win!

Also, obviously, you can make this many times easier and faster if you just buy a tasty premade pizza dough from the store. There are some really good ones to replace homemade if you're short on time and/or energy. You can even buy balsamic glaze and shredded mozzarella and turn this into a 30-minute dinner if you feel like it. See, isn't pizza the perfect meal? So adaptable!

Triple Cheese Greek Pizza with Homemade Crust

time: 2 hrs. (mostly dough rising time)
servings: 8

Ingredients:
Pizza dough:

• 2 1/2 tsp yeast
• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• cornmeal, for dusting

Toppings:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, sliced thin
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/4 cup sliced greek olives
• large handful of fresh spinach
• 1/8 cup water
• herbs to taste: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes
• pizza sauce (we recommend Newman's Own Marinara sauce - SO GOOD)
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded or torn
• 3 oz feta
• sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese
• garlic powder to sprinkle on outside edge of crust

Balsamic glaze:

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp honey

Directions:

1. In the bowl of your mixing bowl, mix yeast with warm water and let sit for 5 minutes to proof.
2. Add flour, olive oil, salt, sugar, and garlic.
3. Using dough hook attachment, knead dough for 10 minutes or so on low-medium speed. If the dough is not forming a ball, add up to 1/4 cup more flour.
4. Shape dough into a ball, place in a greased mixing bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm location to rise for about an hour, until dough is doubled in size.
5. Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan and heat to boiling over medium heat.
6. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to thicken. Set aside to cool.
7. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
8. When dough has finished rising, punch it down, divide into 2 balls, and place each ball in a greased bowl to rise for another 15 minutes. If you are only making one pizza, at this point you can freeze one of the dough balls to use later. We made our delicious pizza and then used the other dough ball to make a simple cheese pizza for our kiddos to eat without griping about unwanted vegetables.
9. Grease your pizza pan and dust lightly with cornmeal
10. Heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat in large skillet.
11. Add onion and cook until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
12. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
13. Add olives, spinach, and 1/8 cup water to help wilt the spinach. Cook for about 2 minutes or until water has evaporated and spinach is wilted.
14. Sprinkle on herbs as desired and cook for 1 more minute. Set aside.
15. Assemble pizza - stretch dough and place on pizza pan; top with sauce, mozzarella cheese, vegetables, feta, and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the edge of the dough with garlic powder.
16. Bake for 12 minutes.
17. EAT IT.

 Just give us ALL THE CHEESE

If your mouth isn't watering for pizza while looking at this, your imagination taste buds are broken. 

The balsamic glaze topping is optional, but you won't regret it if you go that route. 

Impulse shirt purchase we had to show off.

Yum