Summer Veggie Pizza

The funny thing is, on Saturday over a very yummy Mediterranean Focaccia from CPK, Ben and I talked about how silly recipes for pizza can be.  Don't get me wrong here, there are a myriad of good and different pizza dough recipes, 3 alone on my own recipes to try list.  And there are pizza sauce recipes in all colors: red, white and a black bean pizza sauce I hope to find soon.  But once you get past the crust and the sauce, if even any at all, you can't make a recipe for a pizza.  A pizza is whatever you want it to be.  A pizza is whatever food you have lying around in your fridge.  A pizza is a blank canvas, to use an overused expression.  And this one ain't any different.

Of course, that being said, this pizza did come from a recipe.  A recipe I am going to cut out and paste into my big green cookbook, none the less.  But it's not like I'm going back on my whole pizza philosophy.  Because, and here is my bottom line here kiddos, a pizza recipe can inspire.  And 2 ears of sweet corn on a pizza is most definitely inspiration. 

The only measuring cup or spoon I used was for the olive oil, which called for 4 teaspoons to make a very yummy garlic infused oil base for the pizza.  After that, it was anyone's game.  I had bell pepper rings left over in my freezer from my bell pepper salad.  I cut slices from a yellow onion until the pile looked just about right.  I grated the mozzarella until that pile looked just right too.  I did a free sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.  I skipped the asparagus and looking back now, wish I had doubled the amount of corn.  The thing that drew me into this recipe in the first place was definitely the show stealer.  The corn kernels stayed crisp in the oven, so that when you bite into the pizza they are fresh and these great little pops of juicy, sweet corniness. 

So here is my take away.  This pizza is good.  And it doesn't need a recipe (and when I say recipe I guess I should clarify here and say measurements and stuff)  Take whatever summer veggies you have hanging around in your vegetable crisper and slice them up.  But if I were you, I wouldn't forget the corn.

Summer Veggie Pizza

Inspired by the August 2011 Cooking Light

8 oz. store-bought pizza dough
     (why not fresh though?)

4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Yellow Onion, sliced

Bell Peppers, sliced

Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob
     (please, please don't used canned!)

Cornmeal

Mozzarella Cheese

Salt

Crushed Red Pepper

Basil leaves to garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 500.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil and garlic to pan.  Cook 2 minutes or until fragrant, be careful not to brown.  Remove oil from pan and discard garlic.  Add a swirl of oil to pan and add onions and bell peppers.  Saute till soft, about 5 minutes.  Set aside.  Cut corn from cob and add to vegetables.

Lightly flour surface.  Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of cornmeal.  Roll out pizza dough into a 13 inch circle.  Transfer to a baking sheet.  Brush dough with garlic oil.  Top with vegetable mixture.  Cover with shredded cheese, salt, and red pepper. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Top with basil, if desired.  Slice and serve!