Linguiça Potato Pesto Pizza

Mention potatoes on pizza and you’ll get one of two responses. From the folks who’ve tried it, you can expect an enthusiastic thumbs up. From everyone else: a resounding “huh?” That’s the thing about pizza with potato – it sounds strange, until you try it, and then you just get it.

A die-hard Linguiça fan on pizza, I was blown away by the idea of putting a potato on a pizza. Tender yet toothsome potatoes and Linguiça come together in a one of a kind pesto pizza experience.

Add this unbeatable flavor combination to your pizza-making repertoire now. Then when someone mentions potatoes on a pizza, you’ll know.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pizza dough (divided)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for dusting)
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 2 cups grated mozzarella/provolone cheese
• 1 red skinned potatoes (very thinly sliced)
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 pound ground Linguiça

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 480° – 500°.
2. Allow the pizza dough to come to room temperature. On a lightly-floured work surface, form the dough into one large balls, collecting the sides and tucking them under to create a smooth outer surface. Cover the dough with a damp towel and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, blanch the potato slices in boiling water until just cooked through, anywhere between 1 – 2 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly before drying the slices with paper towels and coating them with a touch of olive oil, a pinch of Italian seasoning and kosher salt.
4. Generously dust a wooden peel or the back of a sheet pan with flour or cornmeal. With lightly-floured hands, press the dough with your fingertips to form a flattened disk. Lift the dough up and use the back of your knuckles to stretch and thin-out the dough into a circle with a diameter of 12-inches. Be careful to preserve the edge of the dough if you want a light, chewy crust. Carefully position the stretched dough onto the prepared peel or baking sheet.
5. Using a large spoon, spread an even layer of the pesto onto the dough and carefully spread it to within 1/2-inch of the edge, being careful to leave a pesto free edge. Top with an even layer of the grated mozzarella/provolone cheese followed by Linguiça, and slices of parboiled potatoes. Top with a light sprinkling of a bit more mozzarella, season with salt to taste and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Lightly brush the exposed crust with a bit of olive oil to promote browning.
6. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated stone and bake until the crust is crisped and golden and the cheese is bubbling and just beginning to brown, about 6-7 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Garnish with green onion.