Crave Wednesday: Fresh Tomato-Feta Pizza

In the town I grew up in pizza was predominately Pizza Hut, with the occasional Papa Johns or Dominos thrown in.

And then there was Tom's.  Tom's was a little family run place, on the second story of a building off the main street.  It's had the quintessential red and white checked tablecloths to let you know it was authentic.  Not that we ever ate there.  Pizza from Tom's meant picking it up and bringing it home.  Always.  And it also always meant the same pizza - the Greek white pizza - with garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, and olives.  It was my first experience with a non-tomato sauce based pizza.  I think it was Thatmom's idea originally, but one we all latched onto.

It was salty, not sweetened by the tomato sauce, and very cheesy.  And with the fresh tomatoes always tasted like something straight from the garden.  I'm not sure if there's a special nostalgia because it was a first experience, or the pizza was just really that good, but I've never had anything similar since.

I remember as a kid trying to recreate the pizza on sleepover nights, with Boboli and it just wasn't the same.  Tom's was special.

This pizza doesn't classify itself as a Greek pizza, but it has all the same elements - maybe even more!  It brings back memories of that little kitchen and checked tablecloths.  And with summer approaching, it's almost the perfect season for tomatoes to shine.

Fresh Tomato Feta Pizza (From Cooking Light)

1 lb refrigerated fresh pizza dough

cooking spray

4 plum tomatoes, sliced

2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp cornmeal

3 oz feta cheese

1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

1/4 cup basil leaves

1. Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray. Let dough stand, covered, 30 minutes or until dough comes to room temperature.
2.  Arrange tomato slices on a jelly roll pan lined with paper towels; top with more paper towels.  Let stand 30 minutes.
3.  Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet on bottom rack in oven.  Preheat oven to 500.
4. Combine tomatoes, 2 Tbsp oil, and garlic. 
5. Sprinkle cornmeal on a lightly floured baking sheet without raised edges.  Roll dough into a 14 inch circle on prepared baking sheet.  Pierce dough liberally with a fork.  
6. Arrange tomato mixture over dough.  
7. Crumble cheese, sprinkle over pizza.  Slide pizza onto preheated pizza stone or heavy baking sheet, using a spatula as a guide. Bake for 19 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is lightly browned.
8. Remove from oven and top with olives and basil.
9. Brush edges of crust with 1 1/2 tsp oil.  Cut pizza into 6 wedges.