Pizza of Bitter Greens, Prosciutto, and Feta Cheese

For the pizza assembly:
In a large pan heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sliced garlic and sauté for one minute. Add the greens and sauté until very soft and wilted. Transfer the greens mixture to a colander or sieve and allow to drain well, pressing on the greens to help release the liquid. Set cooked greens aside to cool while making the pizza crust.

Follow directions below for pizza crust. Remove the partially baked crust from the oven as directed and spread the ricotta cheese evenly over the crust. Top with the mozzarella cheese, the greens, the prosciutto and the feta. Liberally sprinkle the pizza with fresh ground black pepper.

Return the pizza to the oven and cook an additional 8-12 minutes or until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Pour a small amount of olive oil over the pizza before serving. Cut into 8 slices.

For the Pizza Crust:
Combine all the ingredients including the yeast in a large mixing bowl. (The amount of water you use is dependent on your environment. Use less water if you live in a humid environment; use more water if you live in a dry climate. The same holds true for seasons. Use more water in winter and less in summer).

Mix and knead everything together until you have a soft, smooth, elastic, dough. It should take 4 to 5 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow it to rise until doubled in volume. This will take about an hour to 90 minutes.
Divide the dough in half, for two pizzas; or leave it whole for one large pizza.

Shape the dough into roughly the same shape and size as the pan you are baking the pizza in. Don’t pat it flat; just coax it into shape. Allow the dough to rest covered for 15 minutes.

Lightly grease the baking pan and then drizzle olive oil into the bottom of the pan. Place the dough in the pan. Press it over the bottom of the pan, stretching it towards the edges. You’ll probably get about two-thirds of the way there before the dough starts shrinking back; allow the dough to relax again covered, for 15 minutes.

After the dough rests you should be able to pat it closer to the corners of the pan. Allow the dough to rise, covered, till it’s noticeably puffy, about 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F.

Bake the pizza on the lowest oven rack till it looks and feels set on top, is just beginning to brown around the edge of the crust, and is still pale on top. This will take about 8 minutes for thinner crust pizza; about 10 to 12 minutes for a thicker crust.

Remove the pizza crust from the oven, and arrange the toppings evenly on top as directed above. Return to the oven, and bake on the upper oven rack for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, the crust should be nicely browned, both top and bottom, and the cheese melted. Check it midway through, and move it to the bottom rack if the top is browning too much, or the bottom not enough.

Remove the pizza from the oven, and transfer it from the pan to a rack to cool slightly before serving.