White rustic pizza with lemon & rosemary

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We Italians take our pizza extremely seriously. Homemade pie is served up in our household at least once per week and while the kids have their usual favorite, I prefer to vary it up and try new combinations. This recent recipe, inspired by my first lemon harvest from my own tree, is a definite keeper. And note that the term “white pizza” doesn’t imply white sauce. A white pizza means there simply is no sauce so we rely on the flavors of rosemary and fresh lemon in this recipe to give our tastebuds the burst of flavor.

Ingredients

For the cracker crust (makes two crusts)
1 cup all purpose flour plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
​6 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
parchment paper

For the toppings
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
One container of mozzarella cheese balls (small size)
1 Meyer lemon, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper
A handful of arugula for sprinkling on top (about 1/2 cup) - optional

Directions
Start by preparing the crust. Add all crust ingredients to the bowl of an electric mixer equipped with a dough hook. Mix until all ingredients are well combined. While mixing place a baking stone inside the oven if desired and preheat the oven to 500°F.

Divide the dough into two equal parts. On a sheet of parchment paper dusted with flour, roll out one of the two balls of dough into a circular shape until it is thin. The crust will measure about 1/8” thick and the pizza crust size should form roughly a 10” circle. Poke holes throughout the center of the pizza with a fork to prevent air bubbles. With a pizza peel or a cookie sheet, slide the crust into the fully heated oven (onto the baking stone if using, or place the parchment paper directly on the oven rack). Close the door and bake for 2 minutes. This allows for a crispier crust.

Remove the crust and parchment paper and leave on pizza peel or cookie sheet while assembling toppings. Add garlic and shallots. Top with cheese. Next add thinly sliced lemon and seasonings. Slide the pizza back into the oven and cook for about 5 minutes or until the pizza has browned to your liking. Pull from the oven and immediately drizzle with olive oil, and a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for about 2 minutes. When ready to serve, cut into slices. Eat as is or top with fresh arugula.