Fry

Breakfast Pizza with Greens, Feta, Pine-nuts, and Eggs

by:
March  7, 2013
5
1 Ratings
  • Makes two 11 x 17 pizzas (can be halved)
Author Notes

Kale, spinach, and the winter greens: not exactly a kid magnet. I thought, why not experiment with baby greens and see if I can sneak them in? After all, the young seem to be drawn to that which is young and tender. So I sautéed infant leaves with garlic and plenty of olive oil. Now when the Offspring crash through the front door, tired from a long hard school day, if garlic and baby greens are sizzling gently on the stove and pizza dough is resting on a baking sheet, they sniff, burst forth with an enthusiastic "Hooray!" and ask, "when do we eat?" Score!
Sometimes we put the topping over olive oil- brushed flour tortillas and bake them, sometimes we go all out and make pizza dough Either way, it is loved--by young and old. —creamtea

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the crust
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1-3/4 cups warm water (80º F.)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided (you may need less)
  • 1/2 cup bread flour, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • cornmeal and/or flour for dusting
  • For the topping (makes extra--have some the next day for lunch with a fried egg, or over pasta)
  • 10 fat cloves garlic, smashed, five of them minced with a pinch of salt
  • olive oil
  • 20 ounces mixed baby greens (kale, chard, and spinach)
  • 3 tablespoons un-toasted pine nuts
  • rinsed mild feta cheese, crumbled
  • olive oil or a combination of olive and safflower oils for frying
  • 8-12 eggs or as desired
Directions
  1. Combine yeast, water and milk in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then set aside for about 5 minutes
  2. Whisk in the olive oil, then 1/4 cup of the bread flour and 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Cover with plastic wrap, then set aside to rise in a warm place for about 1-1/2 hours. (I sometimes warm the oven very briefly on low, then switch it off and put on the pilot light before putting in the yeast- flour mixture to rise). At the end of this time, a bubbly soft sponge of about twice the volume of the original mixture will have formed. With a rubber spatula, stir and fold the sponge to deflate.
  3. Gradually add the salt, the last 1/4 cup of bread flour, and some of the remaining all-purpose flour, stirring with a wooden spoon and adding just enough until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl forms itself into a cohesive mass. You probably will not need all of the flour. The dough should be soft.
  4. Put the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, turn on mixer to low speed. Gradually increase speed to medium high and beat about 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic. Turn it out onto a lightly floured board, add a little extra flour if necessary to create a workable dough, and knead for several turns--less than a minute. Oil a large bowl with a thin film of olive oil, form the dough into a smooth ball, and turn it into the bowl. Turn it over to oil the other side, then cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise for about another 1-1/2 hours. After this second rise, you should have a bubbly dough. After deflating and dividing in half, you can wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest overnight in the refrigerator for improved texture, or you can use it now.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 500º and place a rack on the lowest rung of oven.
  6. Make the topping: Over medium high heat, in a saute pan, warm olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add half the lightly crushed garlic cloves. Simmer and toss until lightly browned, then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
  7. Add the remaining garlic cloves to the oil and saute until just starting to turn transparent. (You may wish to use two large skillets to accomodate all of the greens). Add the greens by handfuls, turning and stirring as they cook down making sure to scrape up the garlic as well so it doesn't burn under all those leaves, until all have been added. Saute until limp and the color of dark jade. Remove from heat.
  8. Take the dough for the crust, divide in half, and stretch each thinly on a floured board to roughly fit each of two 11 x 17 rimmed baking sheets. Don't worry if holes develop or the shape is not perfect--just call it rustic. Grease each sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal using a mesh tea strainer, and place a crust on each. With fingertips, press to form a 1/2 " border, and brush crust, including edges, lightly with olive oil.
  9. Spread a tangle of greens lightly over each crust, crumble feta cheese and scatter cheese and the reserved garlic cloves over. Keep it light. Place on rack and bake until crust is firm and beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes, depending on your oven. You may need to reduce heat to 400º or 450º to prevent burning,-- keep an eye on things. Scatter pine nuts over each and bake an additional 3-5 minutes or until crust is crisp and browned. Remove from oven, and cut into squares.
  10. While pizza is baking, wipe out pan. Heat some olive oil or a blend of olive and canola oils over medium heat. When hot, break eggs into skillet. Fry until desired degree of doneness is achieved.
  11. To serve, top each pizza square with an egg and a sprinkle of salt. Serve.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • AntoniaJames
    AntoniaJames
  • creamtea
    creamtea

2 Reviews

AntoniaJames March 8, 2013
Mouthwatering! Great recipe, creamtea. ;o)
 
creamtea March 10, 2013
Thanks, AJ!