garden hijinks and pesto pizza recipe

Pesto Pizza
1 store bought refrigerated pizza dough or make your own
About a cup of pesto (recipe follows) you will have extra
3 tomatoes of your choice sliced into thin "wheels"
8oz fresh milk mozzarella, cut into thin medallions
Grilled, thinly sliced chicken breast
4 or 5 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade style for sprinkling over


Pesto (my original recipe!)
4 cups fresh basil leaves, not packed
1 garlic clove (you might like more garlic or less, if you want a hint of garlic, just remove garlic clove from oil and discard)
1/4 cup parm cheese
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4 toasted pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste
splash or two or balsamic vinegar (optional)

In a food processor chop basil with parm cheese and freshly toasted pine nuts. Put olive oil in glass measuring cup along with garlic clove and microwave for 20 seconds.
Pour oil and garlic slowly into spout of food processor or blender to blend with basil mixture.
Add salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasonings.

Pat out pizza dough in whatever pan you use whether it is a stone, cookie sheet or round pizza pan.
Slick the pizza dough with a very light layer of olive oil.
Slather on the pesto.
Layer with mozz cheese and tomatoes and then add chicken.
Sprinkle with basil chiffonade and a pinch of salt especially on the crust.

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.