White Pizza with Corn, Cilantro and Lime

I am seldom impressed with my own food. It's not that I'm overly critical but I think the cook rarely enjoys her food as much as others. My personal theory is that you smell the food as you're cooking it and half of tasting food is in smelling it. So your olfactory sense is already "tasting" the meal before you actually put it in your mouth. So it's less than spectacular when you finally do.

But this was different.

I was craving pizza so I pulled some pre-made dough out of the freezer and seeing as I had an ear of fresh corn decided to replicate my favorite pizza from Berkley's Cheeseboard. It sounds ridiculous - corn and lime juice on a pizza? But it is unbelievably amazing food. I don't know if it can rightly call itself pizza (I'm sure true Neapolitans shudder at the idea) but it is phenomenal. AND mostly importantly, I was able to recreate it in my kitchen. How could I not share the wealth!

A note on making pizza easy for yourself. You CAN make your own dough and then freeze it in baggies which is something my former roommate and I did often; it makes life so easy and satisfying to defrost dough in about an hour and have great pizza. I also buy pre-made dough (today's recipe is grace a Trader Joe's). When you buy pre-made dough, I suggest dividing it into 2-4 portions and freezing in baggies so that they defrost quickly when you're craving pizza. Another helpful hint is not to overload your pizza; three toppings maximum and spread them out. If there are too many toppings, the crust will be soggy in the middle and that's so unappetizing!

While I am a relative newcomer to white pizzas other than clam pizza, I am happily converted. The thin crust allows for the flavor of the cheeses and toppings to really sing and these savory combinations are a revelation.

White Pizza with Corn Cilantro and Lime

pizza dough (about 8 oz)
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup (4 oz) goat cheese, crumbled
2-3 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 cob corn or 1/2 cup frozen
2 wedges lime

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven to preheat. Cook corn cob in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Dust baking sheet with flour or cornmeal and stretching dough as thinly as possible, place on baking sheet. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese thinly over crust. Sprinkle goat cheese over crust. Sprinkle scallions, cilantro and corn lastly (cut it off the cob if using fresh). Bake for 10-15 minutes until crust is lightly browned and bottom of crust is browned. Remove and slice. Squeeze lime juice over all and serve.

Do not fear the lime juice. It is vital to bringing out the goat cheese and corn flavor. Trust in the food gods!

Hugs!