Zesty Pesto Pizza

This isn't your ordinary pizza--instead of a red sauce, the homemade or purchased crust is spread with a melted Gorgonzola cheese sauce, then topped with chunks of canned tomato and homemade parsley pesto.

Ingredients:

• Topping:
• 8 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 bunch Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 28 oz. can chunky crushed tomatoes with garlic and Italian seasonings
• 1 purchased pizza crust or Homemade (recipe follows):
• 2 cups white flour
• 1 cup very warm water (not hot)
• 1 package dry yeast
• 1 tsp. onion salt
• 1 tsp. garlic pepper blend
• 2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Topping: Melt gorgonzola cheese in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring in milk gradually to make a sauce. Leave sauce on lowest heat while preparing the rest of the pizza. Prepare pesto in a food processor, pulsing parsley, walnuts and garlic until minced, and then streaming in olive oil to achieve a smooth, medium consistency. Smooth gorgonzola cheese sauce over top of prepared pizza crust (for homemade crust, see instructions below.) Arrange tomatoes from a drained 28-oz. can of chunky crushed tomatoes with garlic and Italian seasoning over top of cheese. Drop pesto by spoonfuls between the tomato chunks and spread on crust. Bake in a pizza pan at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Pizza crust: Combine all ingredients in food processor or beat with beaters until dough leaves side of bowl. Turn out onto floured surface and knead in more flour until ball turns satiny and elastic. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Spread on greased pizza pan or cookie sheet.

Number of Servings: 6