I love walking around the Dane County Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings to enjoy the crisp fall air, take in the smell of fresh baked bread and of course relish the beautiful colors of the flowers and vegetables lining the streets of Capitol Square. Simply wandering around the market last Saturday inspired me to take advantage of as much local food as possible before winter comes. Tomato and Kale, two of the main components of this savory pizza, are both in the peak of their season during the fall, and they can be found around every corner at the farmer’s market.
This pizza is basically everything perfect about fall on top of a crust. It has fresh simple flavors, and it’s a perfect comfort food for a chilly night in. I hope this recipe inspires you to go out to a farmers market next weekend to find your favorite fresh produce for your fridge, and of course inspire you to create something wonderful with it.
Tomato, Kale and Feta Pizza
Yield: one 12-inch pizza
For the roasted tomatoes:
4-5 medium tomatoes
Olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and ground pepper
For the pizza:
2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 cups kale leaves, stemmed and roughly chopped
1 ball pizza dough
2 ounces mozzarella, shredded
3-4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Directions
To roast the tomatoes, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Slice the tomatoes into about one-half-inch thick slices. Lay the slices in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of sugar and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 50-60 minutes, carefully flipping the slices halfway through baking, until roasted and slightly browned. Transfer the tomatoes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess liquid.
In a small skillet, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic. Warm over low heat for about 10-15 minutes to infuse the oil with the flavors of the garlic. Set aside; you’ll use this to season your crust later.
In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the kale to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the leaves are wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside. Kale is a tough green, so be sure to saute it long enough so it softens up.
To make the pizza, heat the oven to 500 degrees F and preheat a pizza stone for at least 30 minutes. Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14-inch round. Lightly brush the dough with the garlic oil. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the dough. Layer with the wilted kale, roasted tomato slices and feta.
Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 11-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
