Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

The thing I was most excited about break was 1. having nothing to do 2. trying recipes that have been bookmarked for forever. I've had an appointment of some sort every day this week, including today but yesterday I was appointment free so naturally I went to the mall. Again. I just so happened to find myself at the mall Tuesday after my car appointment. Hate when that happens.

Then I came home and made pizza dough. Yeast freaks me out a little. I was a bit nervous I was going to have to call my mom and say what's your thoughts on going out to dinner? But it was a success! We made pizza dough a few weeks ago when I was home but deemed it too sweet so I used a different recipe and I could have kept eating slice after slice if I wasn't so full.


Crusty Pizza Dough
source: Kitchen Aide

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal


Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add salt, olive oil, and 2 1/2 cups of flour. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to speed 2 about 1 minute.
2. Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead on speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.
3. Place dough in greased bowl, turn to grease top. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down.
4. Sprinkle pizza stone with cornmeal and press dough across bottom of pan.


Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza
adapted from: My Recipes


Ingredients:
1 pizza dough recipe (above)
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow pepper, sliced
1 medium red onion, cut into thick slices
1 handful cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
1/3 cup ricotta cheese


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500
2. Combine mushrooms, zucchini, yellow pepper, red onion and tomatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 500 for 15 minutes.
3. Combine remaining olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Brush on to pizza dough. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over garlic-olive oil mixture. Sprinkle crushed red pepper, if using. Top cheese with vegetable mixture. Dollop pizza with ricotta. Cook pizza for 11-15 minutes until crust is golden.