Greek Pizza

At every university I have attended or visited, there is always one pizza parlour that stands out above the rest. At the University of British Columbia, Pie R Squared, (the pizza parlour in the Student Union Building) is amazing. For $2.75, you get a generous slice of pizza that will fill your belly. The selection was always quite good as it offered vegetarian pizzas as well as the tried and true (looking at you Pepperoni pizza!). Usually about an hour after eating my slice of pizza, I'm ready for a nap.

One of my personal favorites is the Greek pizza loaded with feta cheese, tomato, bell peppers, red onions and olives. What I love about the Greek pizza is that I feel like it's a balanced meal: protein, vegetables and carbohydrates all in one neat package.

Today, I decided to try out a new pizza dough recipe. This recipe is not great but not bad either. It is a little chewier than other pizza doughs I have made but I still prefer my other pizza dough recipe over this one. Try both recipes and let me know which one you prefer!

Makes: Two 10 inch pizzas

Ingredients
1-1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour (plus an extra 1/8 cup of flour as needed)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano

3 - 4 tbsp vegetable oil

Toppings (for 2 pizzas)
2 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 bell pepper, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 red onion, sliced (optional)
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced

Directions
1. Mix yeast and sugar in warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer until it dissolves. Allow the yeast to bloom.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add in oil, flour, salt, garlic powder and dried oregano. Turn the stand mixer to low and once all the flour has been incorporated, turn the mixer to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes until a dough ball forms. The dough should be slightly tacky but does not stick to your hands.

3. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the oven with the oven light turned on and allow the pizza dough to rise for 15 minutes.

4. Dump the dough onto a counter lightly dusted with flour and knead a few times. Divide the dough into 2 balls of equal size. Stretch, toss or roll out the dough to approximately 10 inches.

5. Place a cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

6. Take the cast iron skillet out of the oven once the oven is preheated. Drizzle with a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil to coat the skillet.

7. Add the pizza dough to the cast iron skillet and drizzle the pizza dough with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. With your hands or a brush, spread the olive oil all over the pizza dough.

8. Sprinkle feta cheese, bell pepper, tomato, red onion and Kalamata olives on top.

9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the middle rack until the pizza crust is golden brown.

Source: (Dough) slightly adapted from Food; (Toppings) Frugal Allergy Mom