Greek Chicken and Hummus Pizza

My love story with pizza continues.  I created another winner, winner chicken dinner.  This time I used hummus with garlic as my sauce.

Then added a bunch of Greek inspired ingredients.  Black olives, rotisserie chicken, onions, sweet yellow and red peppers and pickled Greek peperoncini peppers.  There's a little mozzarella cheese underneath.

After it was baked I added cracked black pepper, oregano and feta cheese.

Oh my God.  Another winner.  It has been a long time since I posted the crust recipe.  I usually just refer my blog followers back to my original, "Meal On Death Row" post.  That still makes me laugh!  But today I've added the crust recipe below.  Try it!

I'll even start this post in the prehistoric dough stage.  You'll need:

2 pkgs. dry yeast

1 1/2 cup lukewarm water

4 cups flour  (I use 3 1/2 cups white flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp olive oil

In a large measuring cup mix the lukewarm water and the yeast.  Let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes.  Now mix all of the dry ingredients and the oil in a large mixing bowl.  Push the flour mixture to the side and pour in the yeast/water mixture.  Now be ready to knead.  I knead with my right hand and keep my left hand clean in case I (knead) to add more flour. (If it is too sticky) 

 It will be a big wet mess at first.  But soon it will come together.  To knead you just fold the dough over and on itself over and over.  Of course you won't be able to really knead until the dough comes together.   

It should look like this after a few minutes. When you are done kneading and it feels like a springy dough ball, cover the dough with a damp towel.  I always prepare the damp towel in advance because your hands will be a mess.  Now let the dough rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes.  It should double in size.  When that happens you'll need to punch it down to release some of that air.  Now pull the dough from the sides of the bowl and kind of loosely form it into a ball again.  Pour a little olive oil over the dough and cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until dinner.  

O.K.  so now it is hours later right? The dough will have risen and should be enough for 3 pizzas.  I take the dough out of the bowl and cut it into 3rds.  I take 1 3rd and roll it out as shown. I freeze the other balls for later.  And boy, is it nice to have those in the freezer! I like a thin crisp crust so I roll it thin.  I transfer it to my large oiled pizza pan.  And this is an important part.  Take a fork and poke it all over your crust.  Then bake it at 450 for 5-10 minutes. (My metal pan has holes in it) This  pre-baking will give you a crisper crust.  You don't need any pizza stone or special pizza oven.  Trust me. 

Now add your favorite ingredients.  Bake for another 10 minutes and share this post with a friend!