Ramp (Wild Leek) Pesto Pizza

So this is the last of it. Since I was too lazy this year to pickle my ramps, the last of them went into this crispy, gooey, cheesey ramp pizza. I wasn't planning on sharing another ramp recipe this season, but the pie came out so amazingly delicious that I just had to share it with everyone so you could make it at home.  With the heat from my spicy Asian ramp pesto, charred smoky fresh ramps, mozzarella, tangy goat cheese with a sprinkling of flaky Maldon salt, it was blow your mind good.

Don't worry if you don't have ramps as you can replace it with scallions, wild leeks, spinach, or arugula. Use any pesto you have on hand to replace my ramp pesto.

I used a pre-made whole wheat pizza dough, but again feel free to experiment and use any dough of your liking; if you're ambitious, make your own pizza dough. To achieve the crispness in my crust, I rolled the dough to about 1/2" thick and used a pizza crisper for the first time that my local Sur La Table recommended. I will never bake a pizza without it again. It achieved the extra crunchy, wood fire oven effect that I can never get at home. It would probably work great as a smoker that I plan on trying for my next pie. Ymmmm...I can't wait!!!

RAMP (WILD LEEK) PESTO PIZZA

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS
1 pre-made whole wheat pizza dough
4 tbsp white flour
5 tbsp ramp pesto or any homemade pesto
8 slices fresh unsalted mozzarella
10 ramp leaves, green part only
1/2 piece goat cheese or chèvre
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
Maldon salt or any flaky sea salt to top

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove dough from fridge a half hour before using to let it come to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to highest it can go. Mine was 495 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. On a large wooden board, cover lightly with 2 tbsp flour. Make sure dough is a round ball shape and dust with balance of flour.

4. Using a rolling pin, work from the center out using the ball of your hand. Slowly roll the dough into a circular shape until it is flattened to 1/2" thickness and covers a 14" pie crisper. Add more flour as needed if dough is sticky. It should be very easy to work with.

5. Move rolled out dough to the pan and using your hand stretch out dough to cover pan if needed.

6. Using a spoon, spread pesto out from middle to cover dough evenly. Leave about 1" uncovered from the edge for the crust.

7. Add mozzarella slices on top evenly. Lay ramp leaves one at a time next to each other. Add small tbsp of goat cheese, one at a time, evenly on pie. Using a pastry brush, lightly cover the crust with oil so that it turns a nice golden color.

8. Sprinkle Maldon salt or any flaky salt on top. Put into oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes until bubbly with golden brown crust. Don't worry if the ramp leaves are slightly charred. It will taste delicious!

9. Remove from oven and using a pizza cutter cut into 8 slices, moving quickly to avoid too much sticking. Serve immediately with your favorite glass of white wine.

Ramp pesto pizza porn.