Apricot Goat Cheese Thin Crust Pizza

Sometimes I think I'm un-American.  I don't like grilled cheese, pizza, or chicken pot pie.  I don't drink beer, and I think Coke tastes like battery acid.  Then, an eclectic little pizza like this comes along to prove me wrong: thin crispy crust, rich aromatic roasted garlic, tangy apricot preserves, and salty pungent goat cheese all harmonize wonderfully.  So maybe I can call myself at least partially American, after all I really dig this pizza.


Crust

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast 
• 1 Tbs sugar or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup warm water 
• tablespoon olive oil 
• cornmeal, for sprinkling
• olive oil

 Toppings

• 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup apricot preserves
• 1 head roasted garlic*
• 2-4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• handful spinach (precise... I know..)
• Salt & pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, mix sugar into the warm water.  Sprinkle yeast on top. Wait for 10 minutes or until it gets all foamy. 
2. Add flour, salt, olive oil.  Combine.
3. Knead for 6-8 minutes until you have a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic, you will probably have to add a bit more flour. 
4. Cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes. 
5. Lightly grease two 12-inch pizza pans. Sprinkle with a little bit of cornmeal. Divide dough in half.  Place each half on a pizza pan and roll out until it stretches over the whole pan. Pierce with a fork to keep large bubbles from forming.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 425°F for 8-10 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, combine roasted garlic and apricot preserves.  Spread over pizza crust.  Top with Parmesan cheese, goat cheese, spinach, and salt and pepper.  Bake an additional 8-12 minutes at 425°F, until crust is golden and crunchy.

Notes:

• To roast garlic:  cut the top off a head of garlic, then wrap a head in aluminum foil and bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes.  Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and you will be able to squeeze out the garlic with a knife, or remove with a fork.  Here is a great picture tutorial.
• Fig preserves are a good substitute for apricot preserves.
• If you only want to make one pizza, you can freeze it.  Take a portion of dough, form into a ball, rub olive oil over it and place it in a freezer bag (the oil makes it easier to take out of the bag).  When you want to make a pizza, take dough out of freezer and allow to thaw before using.
• Also, forgive my instagram photos.  Life has been crazy busy, so actually taking time to photograph my food when I made it is no longer existent.

Yields 2 12" pizzas.

 

Pizza dough recipe adapted from Food.Com