Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Pizza with Corn, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella


 

This pizza.  You guys.  It's pretty amazing. Admittedly, it's a little out there.  And you might be wrinkling your nose.  But stay with me.  Here's the breakdown:  fresh pizza dough - please, no canned dough (ever)!  Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, corn, and basil.  And here's the crazy part:  instead of traditional red sauce, you use a puree of fresh corn, garlic, and Parmesan.  And it is ridiculously good.  It's basically creamed corn on a pizza.

As I've mentioned before, pizza night is one of my favorites because Caroline always helps me roll out the dough, spread the sauce, and add the toppings.  And of course sneak a few samples in the process.  When we made this pizza, she thought it was so funny that we were using corn instead of sauce.  "Corn  pizza sauce?!  Get out of town!"  But she ended up loving it just as much as I did.

This pizza is definitely a celebration of summer - there truly is nothing like summer produce.  Fresh sweet corn, heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil... it doesn't get any better than this.  Branch out and get crazy with your next pizza night - you definitely will not be disappointed.

Pizza with Corn, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2012
makes 1 12-14 inch pizza

If you are opposed to turning on your oven during the summer, this can easily be made on the grill.  Just have all of your toppings at the ready when you start, because it will cook quickly.

Since tomatoes, corn, and mozzarella all have high water contents, I like to lightly salt the tomatoes and then blot them with paper towels before adding them to the pizza.  I also gently remove some of the seeds and pulp from the slices.  But since the pizza cooks at such a high temperature, most of the water will evaporate anyway.  If there are any visible "puddles" when you take it out of the oven, just blot them with a a paper towel before serving.

  • 1 lb pizza dough
  • cornmeal, for sprinkling
  • 2 large ears of fresh corn
  • 1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 2 Tbs olive oil, plus more for brushing the dough
  • kosher salt
  • 1 large or 2 small heirloom tomatoes (a mixture of red and yellow tomatoes is the most visually appealing)
  • 6 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbs shredded fresh basil
Preheat the oven (with a pizza stone in it)  to 500 degrees Farenheit for at least 30 minutes.

Sprinkle a large square (about 14-16 inches) of parchment paper with cornmeal, and pull and stretch the dough into a large circle, oval, or rectangle.  Brush the outer edge with olive oil and set aside.

In a food processor, combine 1 1/2 cups of the corn, the parmesan cheese, garlic, olive oil, and 1/2 tsp of kosher salt.  Puree until mostly smooth, but leaving a few smaller chunks of corn.  Reserve any remaining corn for adding to the pizza.

Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch rounds.  If the tomatoes are large, cut each slice in half.  Arrange in a single layer over a kitchen towel or paper towel, and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Allow to sit 5 minutes, then gently blot with another towel.  Gently "poke out" as many of the seeds and pulp as you can from each slice.

Spread the corn puree over the dough, then top with the sliced tomatoes.  Arrange the mozzarella evenly over the top, then sprinkle the reserved corn over the mozzarella.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the pizza and parchment to the oven and cook 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, and the crust is browned.   Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes.  Scatter the basil over the top, slice, and serve.


8 comments:

Warm Vanilla Sugar said...

This pizza sounds absolutely fabulous! Lovely recipe!

Fletcher, Rohrbaugh, & Chahine said...

Sounds delicious, what is it about corn in the summer? Seems to make any dish shall we say 'summery'. I love it

cupcakekalechip said...

This sounds amazing, and perfect for NJ corn and tomato season. I eat mostly gluten free, so I'd love to try this out on a chickpea crust I've wanted to try. I bet the flavors would pair nicely!

Joanne (eats well with others) said...

This may be a little bit out there, but it's making my stomach growl. So it's happening.

Melissa L said...

Hmmm, can't wait to try this when our corn is finally ready. But more importantly, it's been awhile since you've shared pictures of those sweet little twins :)

American Roofing said...

Looks like a great twist on this pizza, will definitely be trying this weekend. Hope it turns out as great as your picture looks!

Courtney said...

I love corn on pizza. Love it. So why haven't I tried it as the sauce?! That needs to change asap.

Josie said...

Yum! Who knew corn pesto would be so fab?! I used more cheese than the recipe calls for, but I’ll squeeze an extra serving out so I don’t feel guilty. ;)

I used two ears of corn that yielded a scant cup and a half, so I’d recommend using three small ears!

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