I made this last night and it was soooo yummy! You can add whatever toppings you love! Chris recommends mushrooms. I think some baby spinach beneath the tomatoes would be great!
1 Store-bought Pizza Dough - at room temperature
Flour for Dusting
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 - 15oz. Can of Cannellini Beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 C Vegetable Broth
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
4-5 Ripe Plum Tomatoes, 1/4 in slices
1/2 C Fresh Basil, finely chopped
Thinly sliced Red Onion
Kalamatta Olives, finely chopped
Drizzle of Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar
Preheat Oven to 450F. Use a pizza stone if available and place it in the oven on lower rack. If using a pan, sprinkle with cornmeal or lightly oil and set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil over med-low heat. Add garlic and cook 2 min. stirring. Add the beans, broth, salt & pepper. Bring to a simmer over med-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occassionally - 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes creamy. Using a fork, mash some of the beans to create a thicker mixture. Stir in half of the basil and set aside.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll and stretch into a 12-14 inch circle. (This can take a while if the dough is cold!) Prick the dough lightly with a wet fork and brush with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and tranfer to pizza stone - bake for 4 minutes. (if using a pan, put pan on middle rack and bake for 4 minutes, remove and prick with dry fork and bake an additional 4 minutes).
Remove the crust or pan from the oven. Spread the bean mixture evenly to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the crust. Distribute all toppings evenly and sprinkle lightly with additional salt & pepper. Lightly drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil evenly over the top.
Bake for 10 -15 minutes longer, or until the bottom on the crust is crisp and the edges are browned. Sprinkle with the remaining basil, cut into wedges and serve at once.
