Ric and I were lucky enough to sneak in a quick trip to Athens just before the Covid-19 virus really hit. We started to hear about it while we were on the trip, and I must admit, we were a little nervous about getting sick on the trip home since there were so many sick people on our flights. Fortunately, we made it home safe and sound.
 

 
We absolutely loved Athens and found it to be such and interesting and vibrant city. The food there was colorful, fresh and incredibly good.
 

Eva and Athena 1000athens_
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Athens acropolis 1000feb2020
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This pizza is loaded with the flavors of Greece – organic veggies, olives, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes. Of course you can be creative and add your own ingredients to the mix by using this as a basic pizza recipe from which you can build your own favorite creation.
 
Big Greek Pizza
Author: 
Cuisine: Italian
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup pesto
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 5 mushrooms, sliced thin
  • ½ medium red onion, sliced into thin crescents
  • 5 ounces fresh organic spinach
  • 2 cups mozzarella shredded
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • ¼ cup feta or goat cheese crumbled
  • ¼ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, diced
  • ½ cup semolina
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Optional: red pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. If you are using a pizza stone, heat it in your oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes; otherwise, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
  2. Sauté the garlic, sliced mushrooms and red peppers until just tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Using approximately two-thirds of the pizza dough, stretch the dough carefully until it is 14” in diameter.
  4. Place the dough on pizza peel or baking sheet that has been sprinkled heavily with semolina.
  5. Spread the pesto across the dough, and then spread the tomato sauce over the pesto.
  6. Pile the spinach over the sauce.
  7. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella over the spinach.
  8. Layer the mushrooms and red peppers on top of the mozzarella, then the rest of the mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, sliced onions.
  9. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and crumbled goat cheese over the top.
  10. Season with a bit of salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes if you’d like it a little spicier.
  11. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone or place the baking sheet in the hot oven and bake for 8-12 minutes (if you are using a baking sheet, it will probably take longer to bake).
  12. Remove from oven, slice and enjoy!

Dough 1
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Pizza Dough
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1½ cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried herbs (oregano, rosemary or herbs du Provence)
Instructions
  1. Dissolve the honey in the warm water. Add the oil to the mixture.
  2. In a bowl, combine the flour, yeast, herbs and the salt. Add the water mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball. (The pizza dough can also be made in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until the mixture comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook).
  3. Knead the dough by hand for 3-5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  4. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, coat with some olive oil, cover with a clean, damp towel and let it rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

 
Enjoy!