Pizza With Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts

Eat Your Vegetables!'s Note:

This recipe is from the vegetarian cookbook Mediterranean Harvest. According to the author, it's very popular among Roman pizza parlors. I like to use a blend of wild mushrooms on this. You can use frozen, canned, or fresh artichoke hearts on this. The author also suggested substituting fennel for the artichokes.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 pizza

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ lb mushroom , sliced
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 5 -6 baby artichoke hearts , quartered
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leave
• pizza crust , ready for the oven (12-14-inch )
• 6 ounces mozzarella cheese , thinly sliced
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese , freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

1. Set a baking stone on the center rack and heat the oven to 450.
2. Heat 1 T of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, artichoke hearts, salt, pepper, and thyme, and continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are fragrant and very lightly browned, about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust seasonings.
4. Line the pizza dough with slices of mozzarella and top with the mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Sprinkle on the Parmesan and oregano. Drizzle on the remaining 2 T olive oil.
5. Place the pizza pan on the stone. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the crust.
6. Pull out the lower rack of the oven and carefully slide the pizza from the pan onto the lower rack. Return to the oven for 1 minute to get a nice crisp brown bottom on the crust.
7. Slide the pizza back onto the pan, or onto a paddle, and serve.