I’ve always said that my Dad should open a pizza shop because I truly believe the world would be a better place. He is a talented, fabulous pizza maker.

And I’m a talented, fabulous pizza eater so it all works out!

Ahem.

Anyway! Recently we met up for a family get together and my Dad handed me a slice of leftover pizza he had so thoughtfully wrapped up for me. He had made it for supper the night before and he and my Mom had discussed how much I would love it. They were right. I savored every bite and once that perfect slice was gone, I needed more. I pressured Dad for all of his secrets so I could make that pizza pie myself.

In great detail, he explained every ingredient, especially the unique sauce. I couldn’t seem to figure it out and when he told me what was in it, I was a bit flabbergasted. It has mayonnaise! It makes for a creamy, savory base, perfect for when you just don’t feel like red sauce.

I also opted to try a new pizza dough recipe that I ended up loving for both its simplicity and the resulting thin, crisp, chewy crust. Make sure to throw the dough together AT LEAST 24 hours before you need it and store it in the fridge. It’s the perfect crust for this pizza.

Salty olives and feta, sweet red onion and roasted cherry tomatoes and a heavenly sauce that tastes a little like Caesar dressing…this one has everything you want in a veggie pizza. My Dad may never open his own shop but at least now you can get an idea of why I brag about his pizza all the time. Do it!

The Best Veggie Pizza

Makes one pizza, serves 4

Ingredients:

Dough:

• ½ tsp. rapid rise yeast
• ¾ cup warm water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil

Sauce:

• 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch crushed red pepper

Pizza:

• 1 ½ cups shredded marble cheese
• ¼ cup sliced red onion
• 3 tbsp. sliced black olives
• ½ batch roasted cherry tomatoes (or a cup of halved cherry tomatoes)
• Small handful fresh spinach, torn into small pieces
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

Dough:

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let sit for a few minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the flour, salt and olive oil. Then add the water/yeast mixture and mix until a ball of dough forms. Coat the ball of dough in olive oil and place in a freezer bag in the fridge for at least 24 hours, up to three days.

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat and brush with olive oil. Roll the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet. Stir together the sauce ingredients and brush onto the prepared pizza dough. Sprinkle on the shredded marble cheese, followed by the sliced onion, olives, cherry tomatoes, spinach and then the feta last. Bake for 10-12 minutes, broiling for a minute or two at the end, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly. Let cool for a few minutes, the slice and serve.

 Dough recipe from the Pioneer Woman