Mean Green Pesto Pizza w/ Garlic Crust

This is my favorite pizza hands down.

Pizza night is a great interactive way to entertain friends and family - you can let everyone make their own or you can throw together several different ones. I love this pizza because it uses pesto rather than red sauce so it feels lighter and brighter.

You'll need:

• 1 bag store bought pizza dough

• 1 tablespoon corn flour or cornmeal (optional)

• 1/4 cup pesto

• 1-2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 3-4 slices speck (smoked cured ham) or prosciutto

• 1 jalapeño, cut into thin slices

• herb butter (see below)

• 1 large handful of arugula

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

Herb butter

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• 1/2 teaspoon onion salt (or 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and onion powder)

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon rosemary

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions:

1. Read package instructions for your pizza dough but generally they suggest you leave the dough out for 20 minutes at room temp before trying to roll it out - otherwise it will fight you and you will lose.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

3. Once your dough has had time to relax, sprinkle flour onto a clean surface, add the dough and then dust it with more flour so it doesn't stick. Use your hands to flatten out and stretch the dough - you can do this by pressing and also by picking it up and letting gravity help you stretch it out - careful not to let any part get too thin and rip. Dough thickness is a matter of personal preference - I like to get it down to 1/2 of an inch thick because it will rise a bit!

4. Add the corn flour or corn meal to one side of your dough and spread it out - this will be the bottom side of your pizza! Transfer to a pizza stone or baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

5. Add the pesto and spread out across the dough in an even layer, leaving about 3/4 inch of space as crust. Then sprinkle on the cheese and even it out - it will expand as it melts so you don't need to have it fully covered - sprinkle on the rosemary. Either cut or tear the speck/prosciutto into pieces and lay them out on top of the cheese then add the jalapeño slices.

6. Melt the butter and add in the spices - use a cooking brush or a spoon to spread it around the crust - this is an absolute must!! Next throw your pizza in the oven for 12 minutes until the cheese is melted and the ham is starting to crisp.

7. Once the pizza is in the oven, toss your arugula with lemon juice and avocado or olive oil + a pinch of pepper. Let it sit while the pizza is cooking.

8. Once the pizza is done - take it out and add the arugula on top then place it back in the oven for two minutes. Remove your pizza then slice and serve!