Greek Pizza

I have read over and over on money saving blogs that one way of cutting grocery costs is to make favorite meals at home instead of eating them out.  Pizza is one of our favorite meals and it is always a treat when it is on the menu.  This pizza is loaded with chicken, feta and olives.  I have not heard of any other children eating and asking for chunks of feta over and over, so this pizza is a winner in our house.  Now, just to keep the children from stealing  all the olives to put on their fingers before I can cut them for the pizza.

Greek Pizza with Chicken, Feta and Olives

Recipe courtesy Robin Miller, 2007

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh or frozen pizza or bread dough, thawed according to package directions
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic flakes
• 2 cooked chicken breast halves, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 recipe Cherry Tomato Salad, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Roll dough out into a large rectangle and transfer to a large baking sheet. Top dough with mozzarella cheese, to within 1/2-inch of the edges and then sprinkle garlic flakes all over cheese. Top with chicken, mushrooms and olives. Sprinkle feta cheese over top and then sprinkle oregano over everything. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese melts.

I usually use regular olives and no mushrooms but I'm sure it would be yummie if you included those two ingredients.

When we make pizza at our house we make homemade dough, it does require a bit of planning ahead but it is easier than you think, healthy and yummie. I tried a lot of recipes before settling on this one by Tyler Florence.

Pizza Dough

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.
Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.
Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.