Four Cheese White Pizza

My mouth is watering just thinking about this delicious pizza. Yum, yum, yum! If you are a cheese lover (like us!), this pizza is for you. Go heavy on the goat cheese (it's the best part in my opinion) and basil. Also, the directions say "crumble ricotta on pizza." I sort of plopped small blobs around the pizza because I'm pretty sure if your ricotta is crumbling, something is wrong! But I guess "crumble" sounds better than "plop blobs" baha. Anyways...
This pizza has a great fresh taste, and really it is not too difficult or time consuming to make. The dough bakes great on a pizza stone if you have one. Just remember to preheat the stone for about ten minutes before you use it, for best results! 


In other news, I got a new swim suit a few days ago and it has me itching for summer! Just a little over 2 months until we will be relaxing on Florida's sunny shores! I just have to make it through my last torturous semester of class. Then I'm free, free, free at last! Well at least until rotations start :) Over and out!


Four Cheese White Pizza
Servings: 1 pizza, approximately 6-8 slices

Ingredients

For the dough (This recipe makes enough for two pizzas.):

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoon (or one packet) of instant yeast
• 4 cups (22 ounces) bread flour, plus more for rolling out your dough
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 and 1/4 cup water, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the pizza:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing the pan
• 3 teaspoons garlic, chopped (about 3 cloves)
• 8 ounces mozzarella, sliced and coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces herbed goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Directions

For the dough:  
In a 2-cup measuring cup, add your 1/2 cup of warm water.

Add the yeast to the warm water mixture and let sit at room temperature until the mixture is bubbly and creamy, about 5 minutes.

In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt.

Add the 1 and 1/4 cup of room temperature water to the water/yeast mixture.

With the mixer running at low speed, slowly pour the water/yeast mixture and olive oil into the bread/salt mixture, and mix until the dough forms a cohesive mass.

Switch to the dough hook and continue to knead the dough at low speed until elastic and soft, about 5 minutes.

Divide the dough into two equal portions. If you are freezing one portion of dough, tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag.  If using the dough immediately, let it rest for at least 10 minutes at room temperature (but no more than 30 minutes).

For the pizza: 
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Brush a rimmed baking sheet/stone with olive oil and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic, set aside.

On a clean and lightly floured flat work surface, roll out the dough to your desired shape.  

Transfer the dough to the baking sheet or stone and brush lightly with part of your prepared olive oil/garlic mixture.

Layer the mozzarella and goat cheeses, making sure to leave at least a 1/2-inch border of exposed crust.

Crumble the ricotta cheese over the pizza, followed by the Parmesan cheese.

Bake the pizza until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown, about 18 minutes or so.

Once out of the oven, lightly drizzle the pizza with the remaining olive oil/garlic mixture.

Sprinkle the pizza with the fresh basil, and serve immediately.

Adapted from: http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2011/07/06/four-cheese-white-pizza-and-a-blog-anniversary/