Florentine Pizza Recipes

FLORENTINE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• For the alfredo sauce.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Add the minced garlic and saute for a minute.
• Add in flour and stir until it is evenly incorporated with the butter making a loose paste.
• Add in the half and half cream. Bring to a simmer over low heat, whisking constantly until thickened. Do not allow the sauce to boil.
• Simmer for minute or so over low heat stirring continuously until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• Mix in the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses stirring constantly to melt them evenly. Be sure to reserve the remaining mozzarella for the topping.
• Season with white pepper to taste.
• For the spinach topping.
• Squeeze as much of the water from the spinach as possible.
• Puree the pesto sauce and spinach together in a food processor until the pesto and spinach are combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the food processor with a rubber spatula to ensure all the pesto is incorporated. The final product should be a paste that will hold a shape.
• Place the prepared pizza dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet or pizza stone.
• Spread the alfredo sauce evenly over the pizza dough.
• Spread the spinach/pesto mixture over the alfredo sauce.
• Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is brown and cheese is bubbly.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Mix salt and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
• Combine spinach and water in a microwave steamer. Microwave on high for 60 seconds. Drain spinach, then squeeze out any excess water.
• Roll pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to a 14-inch circle.
• Pour oil into a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle 1/2 of the garlic salt over the bottom of the skillet. Place dough into the skillet and shape crust so edges come up the sides of the skillet. Prick holes in the bottom of the dough with a fork.
• Spread pizza sauce over the dough. Sprinkle 1/2 of the Italian cheese over the sauce. Add spinach, chicken, then sun-dried tomatoes. Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven. Run butter along the edges of the crust, then sprinkle the remaining garlic salt over the melted butter. Bake for 5 more minutes.
• Transfer pizza to a pizza peel and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

DEEP-DISH FLORENTINE PIZZA

Steps:

• For crust:
• Grease a 14-inch deep dish pizza pan. (or 2 9-inch square baking pans).
• Sprinkle with 4 teaspoons cornmeal.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water & sugar in mixing bowl.
• Add 1/2 cup cornmeal, oil, salt and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour.
• Mix well.
• Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
• Knead for about 5 minutes.
• Shape to form ball; place in greased bowl, turning once to coat surface. Cover, let rise in warm place about 45 minutes until double.
• Punch dough down.
• Cover.
• Let rest 10 minutes.
• Roll out or stretch dough to fit pan and come up sides forming a 1 inch rim. Let rise from 5 minutes - 20 minutes depending on how you chewy you want the crust.
• For topping:
• While dough is rising, thaw spinach in microwave.
• Squeeze moisture from spinach.
• Remove meat from casing if necessary.
• Brown in a 12-inch skillet with onion & garlic.
• Drain the fat off.
• Add spinach, cook about 10 minutes more.
• Spread cheese evenly over crust.
• Arrange meat mixture over cheese.
• Top with mushrooms.
• Combine pizza sauce & water.
• Spread over toppings.
• Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 - 18 minutes.
• Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over pizza.
• Bake an additional 5 - 10 minutes.
• Let rest 5 - 10 minutes before cutting.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Stir together Italian seasoning and garlic powder; toss with chicken. Spread ricotta cheese on pizza crust. Top with chicken, spinach and tomatoes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes.

TRADITIONAL FLORENTINE PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the water with the sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes until dissolved and the yeast starts to bubble.
• Add the salt, olive oil and 1 cup of the flour and mix well.
• Add 2 more cups of flour, dough should be still a little sticky but should be able to form a ball.
• Turn out onto floured surface and start to knead, adding a little bit of flour as needed, until your dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Form a fall, place into an oiled bowl and cover with a cloth napkin. Let dough rise for 45 minutes. Punch down and divide in half.
• Preheat oven to 400°F If using a pizza stone, be sure to put the stone in the oven while it heats up.
• If using a baking pizza pan, lightly oil your baking pizza pan. Otherwise, shape pizza on a lightly floured surface. With your hands, press on the dough to spread it out to about 1/2 cm high (very thin). Top pizza with toppings of your choice. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. If using a pizza stone, transfer to pizza stone.
• Drizzle olive oil over the top of the pizza before placing into the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes if using a pizza pan, 8-5 minutes if using a pizza stone, or until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden.