Garlicky Ghost Pizza

Given that it's November 8th, it's probably too late to post this Garlicky Ghost Pizza.  However, it made for such a cute (and tasty!) dinner that I just couldn't resist.  

A few weeks ago, I mentioned an idea to my husband: perhaps I would make a ghost pizza for Halloween.  It would be a simple pizza with white sauce and a mixture of our favorite cheeses.  But Halloween came and went, and I never got around to making a ghost pizza.  I just couldn't get home in time to make the pizza dough, let it rise for 1.5-2 hours, and still have dinner done at a reasonable hour.  And once the calendar flipped to November, I figured my husband wouldn't be interested in the ghost pizza any longer.  

But yesterday, I came home to find this request posted on the fridge: “This is G.H. Öst, (he is German).  He would be tastey in pizza.  Thank you.”  

Admittedly, my husband is not the world's best speller.  Nor is he an expert grammarian (seriously, what's with that extra comma?).  And this is completely fine with me.  I didn't marry him because he could win a spelling bee or parse a sentence.  But he's pretty clever and he certainly knows how to ask for what he wants.  

So last night, we finally enjoyed the long-awaited ghost pizza.  It was just a simple pizza dough covered with a creamy garlic-ricotta sauce and topped with a blend of Gruyère,  Monterey Jack, and Asiago cheeses.  Nonetheless, it was scary-good and well worth the wait.  

(click here for printable recipe)

Garlicky Ghost Pizza

(pizza crust adapted from this recipe by Smitten Kitchen)

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. yeast
• 2/3 cup lukewarm water (may need a few extra teaspoons)
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 small onion, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup ricotta (fat-free is fine)
• 1 Tbsp. half-and-half (heavy cream or milk would also be fine)
• 1/3 cup shredded Gruyère
• 1/3 cup Monterey Jack or Mozzarella
• 1 Tbsp. grated sharp cheese, such as Parmesan or Asiago
• Olives (optional, for decoration)

Instructions

1. To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, salt, and yeast.  Add in water and olive oil, and stir until the dough forms a ball.  If dough is not forming a ball, you can add a little more water, as needed.  Knead the dough 5 or 6 times on a lightly floured work surface.  Spray the same bowl with cooking spray and return the dough to the bowl (it's fine if there are bits of dough stuck to the sides).  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour, 30 minutes.  Remove dough from bowl and punch down to release air.  Knead another 5 or 6 times.  Return to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for another 15-20 minutes.  
2. To make the white sauce (do this while the dough is rising for the last 20 minutes): In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium-low heat.  Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent and soft.  Add minced garlic, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking for two more minutes.  Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Stir in ricotta and half-and-half.  
3. To assemble the pizzas: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide the dough in half.  Roll each half into an oblong shape and place on a cookie sheet. Spread half of garlic-ricotta mixture on each pizza, almost to the edge of the dough.  Cover with shredded Gruyère and Monterey Jack cheeses.  Sprinkle with Parmesan or Asiago.  If desired, use olives to form the ghosts' mouth and eyes.  Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and crust browns at the edges.  

Yield: 2 substantial personal pizzas