Sun-Dried Tomato and Arugula White Pizza

First, make the dough the day before so that it has time to really rise and develop flavor. Set up a stand mixer with a dough hook and combine the warm water and yeast in its bowl. Let it sit for the yeast to activate for a couple of minutes, then add the olive oil, salt and sugar. Turn the mixer on low to start to stir those ingredients together. While it is still mixing, slowly add in the flour until you have a soft dough. Turn the speed to medium and let the dough work for 3–5 more minutes, until it starts to pull away from the sides of bowl. Bring the dough together into a ball and drizzle it generously with olive oil to coat it. Cover the bowl and set it in the refrigerator to work its magic overnight.

The next day, set a rack on the lowest rung of the oven you have and pre-heat it to 450ºF. Then start on the pesto bechamel. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat and add the flour in with it. Whisk it together until the flour cooks off and it becomes thick and golden. While you keep whisking, slowly pour in the milk to make the white sauce. Season it with the nutmeg and salt, then let it gently bubble and cook for about 8 minutes. Whisk it occasionally to keep it smooth. Once it is thick and rich, take it off of the heat and whisk in the pesto sauce. Set it aside.

Now it’s time to assemble the pizza. Take out the dough and punch it down to deflate it. Get out a pizza stone (preferably) or large round baking tray and press the dough out into an even layer on it. It should almost fill the size of the stone completely and be about an inch thick. Spread the pesto béchamel in an even layer on the dough, leaving a 1 inch border to have a crust to grab. Lay out the sun-dried tomatoes evenly on the sauce, then season it all with the garlic powder and dried parsley. Finally, sprinkle the mozzarella evenly on the very top.

Bake the pizza for 20–25 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven. The cheese should almost get brown and the crust should get crisp and golden around the edges. Take it out and evenly distribute the arugula on top. It will wilt right into the hot pizza. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut it into 8 equal pieces and serve it immediately! Enjoy!