Salad pizza

Are you crazy? Putting salad on a pizza?
The concept of a salad pizza is actually traditional as it originates as a piada or piadina from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. This flatbread would be cooked and then filled with vegetables or cold-cuts, folded and eaten like a sandwich.
The concept of a salad pizza is actually traditional as it originates as a piada or piadina from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. This flatbread would be cooked and then filled with vegetables or cold-cuts, folded and eaten like a sandwich.

There are infinite varieties to salad pizzas whether you prefer greek salad, butter lettuce, caesar style, etc. I'll present my favorite: arugula with walnut and chevré.

Preheat your pizza stone to 500°F or hotter. Stretch a 250 gm. dough ball to 10-12 inches. Top with a very light sprinkle of mozzarella (about 1 oz), 1/4 cup of walnut pieces, a few cherry tomatoes and some olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
With such light toppings, the crust can puff wonderfully.
With such light toppings, the crust can puff wonderfully.

Meanwhile, mix a lemon vinaigrette from 1 Tbs olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, some lemon zest, minced shallot and salt to taste.
Toss 2 cups of fresh arugula with this dressing and 1 oz of fresh chevré cheese such as the one made in my hometown: Cypress Grove Ms. Natural.
Toss 2 cups of fresh arugula with this dressing and 1 oz of fresh chevré cheese such as the one made in my hometown: Cypress Grove Ms. Natural.

When the pizza comes out of the oven, arrange the salad on top and serve. A surprising, healthy and delicious pizza inspired by the traditional cooking near Ravenna, Italy.