Beet, Blue Cheese & Arugula Pizza

Has anyone else been watching the Olympic trials? I caught synchronized diving the other night when it was a bit slow at work. It is some crazy cool stuff. I'm especially excited to watch the swimming Olympic trials. I even know someone who will be swimming, crazy! It was also just brought to my attention that the Tour de France starts Saturday. 

That is right, I like to watch the kind of sports where people just truck along, alone. Wind through the hills of France. Swim back and forth, back and forth, in a pool. It is thrilling stuff, seriously. 

If the Olympic trials and Tour de France don't thrill you, pizza will. Pizzas are such a great treat in the summer time. There are so many fresh veggies and even fruits available to top you pizzas with. That is right, savory fruit pizza. Its going to happen this summer, just wait for it. 

Homemade pizza is a great way to get outside the box in the kitchen. Like this beet pizza. The ingredients are a classic flavor combination. Think beet salad, on a pizza. My new unofficial mission is to get people to like beets. At least to give them a chance. Good thing these beets are on a pizza, because everyone likes pizza.

The beets add a little sweetness, contrasted by the tangy, creamy and sweat blue cheese. I used a Hook's Danish Blue. Using a variety of colored beets, makes this pizza very pretty too. The only difference in red and orange beets is their sweetness.

Walnuts add a unexpected crunch to the pizza. Lets be real, who expects nuts on a pizza? Probably no one. The addition of arugula adds a peppery spiciness to offset the sweetness of the beets. I added some before I cooked the pizza and then more after it came out of the oven. Either or both ways work.

Just have fun with this pizza. It is super easy to throw together, using your favorite pizza dough. I used this one from Smitten Kitchen. You can always do store bought dough. Try adding goat cheese, if blue cheese isn't your thing. Enjoy!

xo

April

Ingredients:

10 ounces pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)

4 small to medium beets, thinly sliced

4 ounces of blue cheese, such as Hook's Danish Blue, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups arugula

Olive oil

Salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 500F. Gently roll your pizza dough out to a 10 to 12 inch diameter (don't worry if it isn't perfect, that is what we call rustic!). Place the pizza on a sheet pan, or heat a pizza stone in the oven. Cover the surface of the pizza with the beet slices, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle with salt and olive oil, to keep the beets moist. Sprinkle the blue cheese, walnuts and half of the arugula evenly over the beets.
2. Bake until the dough is golden and crisp, about 10-15 minutes, popping any bubbles with a fork that might form. Remove from the oven, topping it with the remaining arugula, allowing it to wilt slightly. Serve and enjoy!