Spinach & Fresh Mozzarella Pizza

Remove the dough from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Pick the oregano leaves off the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs and seeds of the bell pepper; cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Using the flat side of your knife, smash the olives; remove and discard the pits, then roughly chop. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Tear the mozzarella cheese into small pieces.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add 3/4 of the garlic, up to half the oregano and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Working in batches, add the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes per batch, or until wilted. Transfer to a strainer; hold or rest the strainer over a bowl. Using a spoon, press down on the cooked spinach to release as much liquid as possible; discard the liquid. Wipe out the pan.

Lightly oil a sheet pan. On a dry work surface, using your hands and a rolling pin (or a wine bottle), gently stretch and roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. (If the dough is resistant, let rest for 5 minutes.) Carefully transfer to the prepared sheet pan; rub the dough into the pan to coat the bottom in oil. Spread the drained spinach onto the prepared dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Evenly top with the pepper, olives, shallot and mozzarella cheese; season with salt and pepper.

Bake the pizza 16 to 18 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and the crust is crispy. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 2 minutes.

While the pizza bakes, in the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the remaining garlic; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Set aside in a warm place.

Drizzle the baked pizza with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the ricotta salata cheese (crumbling before adding) and as much of the remaining oregano as you'd like. Divide 2/3 of the finished pizza between 2 dishes (you will have extra). Garnish the sauce with the parmesan cheese. Serve the pizza with the sauce on the side. Enjoy!