Vegan Pizza

For this pizza I needed a little help as you well know, yeast hates me and Samantha is still in Europe and unable to help. I went to Breadsmith where they will sell you unbaked pizza dough in a ball from the refrigerator. They sell white and whole wheat and I have used both and both work well in this recipe but the picture is of the white.

The first recipe I need to give you is for the pesto...you can make it vegan or you can make it traditionally but then you don't have a vegan pizza! The pesto will keep in the freezer for longer than you can leave it in there because it is so good you will be using it a lot of other dishes.

Pesto:
2 C packed basil leaves
1/4 C toasted pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2/3 C olive oil
2-3 T nutritional yeast to taste or if you are not vegan you can use 1/2 C parmigiano reggiano

Blend the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor then through the top drizzle the olive oil in slowly until smooth. Stir in the nutritional yeast or for non-vegan 1/2 C grated parmigiano reggiano. Pour into ziplock container and freeze or use.

Roasted Tomatoes:
2 or 3 pounds roma tomatoes
olive oil
kosher salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil and garlic powder

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Slice tomatoes and place in a shallow metal baking dish (like a jelly roll pan) slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with olive oil then shake on the salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Place the pan in the oven uncovered for 5 or 6 hours. They will shrivel up but don't let them burn. Let them cool and place in a ziplock container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Now for the pizza:

Pizza dough
Pesto
Roasted Tomatoes
1/4 C toasted pine nuts
1 small can black olives sliced
2 t  fresh chopped rosemary
5 large basil leaves sliced or chopped

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with pizza brick in the oven.
Roll out the rested pizza dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 of an inch. Place the dough on the pizza brick in the oven and poke holes with a fork and cook for about 5 min. It should be slightly browned on top of some of the bubbles and the edges.Take it out and evenly spread on the pesto on the dough then add some chopped fresh rosemary. Place the roasted tomatoes on top and then sprinkle on some black olives and toasted pine nuts. Add the fresh basil on top and put back in the oven for about 5 more minutes until edges are well browned. Remove and cool slightly to serve.