Day 26: New Potato and Grilled Pepper Pizza

I'm always looking for new ideas for pizza toppings, and this recipe caught my eye.  I used my favorite pizza dough recipe (found here) instead of the recipe listed in  The Greens Cook Book.  Next time I make pizza I'll have to give it a try.  

I didn't see any need to fire up the oven (or the electric grill for that matter) just to roast one bell pepper, and since we have a gas stove I roasting it over the flame and that worked really well.

I'm not a fan of smoked cheeses, but I'm glad I didn't leave it out.  I used smoked Mozzerella.  I didn't have any Provolone so I used up some leftover Fontina instead.   This pizza is really delicious!

New Potato and Grilled Pepper Pizza
The Greens Cook Book
Yield:  One 10" pizza

1 recipe pizza dough
1 red bell pepper
3 to 4 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
8 ounces small new potatoes or red potatoes, very thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 to 6 tsp fresh herbs: parsley with lemon thyme, marjoram, or lovage, coarsely chopped
4 to 6 Kalamata or 12 Nicoise olives, pitted and chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 ounces smoked cheese; smoked mozzarella, Bruder Basil, or smoked Gruyere, grated
2 ounces Provolone cheese, grated
Parmesan

Prepare the pizza dough and set it in a warm place to rise.
     Roast the pepper over a flam or under the broiler until it is evenly charred.  Put the pepper in a covered bowl to steam for 5 to 10 minutes so that the skin loosens; then scrape off the skin and remove the seeds and stem.  Cut it into narrow strips, and season it with 1 tsp of the olive oil, the vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.  Set aside.
     Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet, then add the potatoes, the garlic, 1 tsp of the herbs, and salt to taste.  Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently, and then add 2 to 3 tbsp of water.  Cover, reduce the heat, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 5 to 6 minutes.  remove the lid and raise the heat to reduce any excess liquid.  Combine the potatoes with the pepper and add the olives.  Season to taste with pepper, and additional salt if necessary.
     Preheat the oven to 500 and if using a pizza stone, warm it for 20 minutes.
     Shape the dough, and place it on a well floured pizza peel or on a pizza pan.  Brush the surface with olive oil and cover with the red onion.  Distribute about two thirds of the smoked cheese and Provolone, then the potatoes and pepper, and the remaining smoked cheese and Provolone.
     Slide the pizza onto the stone or bake it on its pan in the upper third of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the edges and bottom are nicely browned.  After removing the pizza from the oven, sprinkle it with the remaining herbs and freshly grated Parmesan.