Beckon Desire Pizza Copycat - Gorgonzola and Artichoke Pizza with Spinach Pesto

For dinner tonight, I am using the SuperFood artichokes. I had this pizza from Avers a few months ago, and loved it. For some reason, I was craving it last weekend. It's not a complex pizza to make, but the flavors are complex and delicious. It's an interesting combo when you look at the ingredients list, but they're amazing together.

I made my own pizza crust, and I think it's the best I've ever made. I'm guessing because I used no whole wheat flour... which always makes it a bit gummy and off tasting. Instead, I used organic unbleached flour. I made up the crust recipe based on the average recipe.

Overall, a delicious, and pretty healthy pizza!

Beckon Desire Pizza

or Gorgonzola and Artichoke Pizza with Spinach Pesto

1 recipe pizza crust, recipe below

1 recipe spinach pesto, recipe below

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 can artichoke hearts, sliced

4 oz. creamy gorgonzola wedge, crumbled

(don't use pre crumbled, go for a soft, melty gorgonzola)

1 tsp. Penzey's pizza seasoning

crust:

1 c. warm water

1 packet dry active yeast

1 tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. organic unbleached flour

spinach pesto:

3 c. packed spinach leaves

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp EVOO

salt and pepper

Add water, yeast and honey to a stand mixer bowl. Proof yeast 10 minutes.

Add flour and salt, turn mixer on low (with dough hook).

Mix for 5 minutes.

Pick up dough ball, it should be slightly sticky.

Spray the bowl with nonstick spray, place dough ball back in, cover with saran wrap.

Proof for 1 hour, punch down, proof for another hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Press dough into a pizza pan.

Bake for 7 minutes.

While crusts bakes, prepare other ingredients.

Add all pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulse until it becomes a paste.

Slice onion and artichokes.

Take pizza crust out, slather with pesto, top with artichokes, onions, and crumbled gorgonzola.

Sprinkle with pizza seasoning.

Bake for another 10 minutes.

If the pesto is a bit soupy and the cheese isn't completely melted, broil for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool for 5 minutes, then slice.

A Year Ago: Spinach, Mushroom and Cheddar Quesadillas & Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup