Josephina's Pizza

This innovative pizza was created by Chef Ray Berman for Josephina's Italian Restaurant in Denver, Colorado.

Recipe Ingredients:

Dough:
1 (0.25-ounce) package active dry yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup warm water

Topping:
1 ounce garlic, whole, peeled cloves
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 3/4 cups shredded Wisconsin mozzarella cheese
1 3/4 cups shredded Wisconsin fontina cheese
2 ounces pepperoni slices
6 ounces sweet Italian sausage, cooked, cooled, sliced into thin strips
1 cup pizza sauce
3/4 cup julienne of red bell pepper
3/4 cup julienne of yellow bell pepper
3/4 cup julienne of red onion
1/2 cup julienne of fresh basil
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Wisconsin Parmesan cheese

Cooking Directions:

1. To Make Dough: Combine dry yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir and proof. After proofing, add olive oil to yeast mixture. Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Add remaining warm water and yeast/oil blend to flour mixture to form dough. Knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a compact ball. Turn the dough out onto a work surface (flour the work surface if the dough is a bit sticky) and knead vigorously for 5 to 6 minutes. This dough needs strong kneading. If using a stand mixer, knead the dough at medium-high speed for 5 to 6 minutes. Dough will be very soft and pliable. Dough yield will be about 28 ounces.
2. Put one teaspoon of olive oil in a bowl. Place the kneaded dough in the bowl and turn it twice to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours).
3. Punch down dough, turn it out of bowl onto work surface and knead for about 2 minutes. Press dough into a 14 inch diameter by 2 inch high deep-dish pizza pan. Smooth dough across the middle of the pan and push it up the sides to form a border about 1 inch high.
4. To Roast Garlic: Toss garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes or until garlic begins to caramelized and its soft. Dice coarsely.
5. To Assemble Pizza: Sprinkle 1 cup Mozzarella and 1 cup of Fontina across bottom of pizza crust. Spread on sausage. Spread on the pizza sauce. Top the sauce with the remaining cheese. Toss vegetables, pepperoni, basil, and garlic in the 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle on grated Parmesan.
6. Bake the pizza in a preheated 550°F (285°C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the crust is brown and has pulled away from the sides of the pan.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.