Pizza Today - July 2020 - 40

KITCHEN

Summer Greens
Incorporate fresh seasonal greens on your next pizza
By Audrey Kelly

T

Photo Josh Keown

hat glorious summer
dough. It rarely fails
to be extra fluffy and
beautiful. So many fun
ideas to explore when you just
know your starter will explode in
the summer heat.
Summer is a very conflicting
season for me these days. On
the one hand, there are bushels
of beautiful fresh fruits and
vegetables to play around with,
long, lazy nights and the perfect
weather to tackle a few fourteeners. On the other hand, working
an oven in 100-degree weather
is brutal. Now, in this new Post
world we find ourselves in, adding a mask to the equation is a
whole new level of hot.
Like most pizza makers, I
always get the question, "what's
your favorite style of pizza?" The
response for me is a complicated
one. Pizza is a lot like music.
My mood is what dictates the
style I crave. So, for me, summer
pizza is an all-encompassing
thing. It is not only the bounty
of produce to put on the pie, the
season also entices me to create
different styles, such as boards
of airy Roman and grilled pies
drizzled with hearty portions of
extra virgin olive oil. Whereas in
the winter months, I like to bury
myself in the comfort of sauce
heavy Sicilians and Grandmas.
Every region has certain
crops that thrive. In Colorado,
we don't have the same range
of year-round produce as some
places, but we have our things.
And beautiful greens are one of
them. Fresh greens also happen
to be one of my favorite pizza
toppings because they are so
versatile and require little prep
other than a good washing. I like
to add them raw in a heaping

pile under the cheese. They cook
down perfectly by the time the
pie is pulled from the oven. The
Green Mountain is one of our
most popular pies. It is called
that because we put a mountain
of spinach on with mozzarella,
ricotta, garlic and extra virgin
olive oil. Greens are so diverse
as they are all different in flavors
and textures. To soften some
of the more bitter greens like
dandelion, beet, kale or stinging
nettles, simply round them out
with creamy, nutty cheeses and
salty meats.
Another great way to incorporate greens on a pie is with pesto.
While I always like to use a
handful of basil in almost every
variation, as long as you have the
basic proportions down, you can
make an unlimited number of
combinations and flavors of pesto with different greens and nuts.
Making a vegan version is also
simple by excluding the Parmesan and adding in a hit of lemon
and salt. In addition to garlic, it's
fun to add those elusive varietals
of allium in the short windows
that they are available, like garlic
scapes and spring onions. A few
fun ones other than the classic
basil and pine nut pesto to play
around with:
* Beet green and walnut pesto
* Rainbow chard and almond
pesto
* Kale and pumpkin seed pesto
* Herb (add whatever you want:
parsley, cilantro) and pistachio
pesto
And then there is fruit. Now,
I am not much of a desert pizza
person. Don't get me wrong, I
love dessert. I don't really feel
a meal, or even a snack really,
is complete without something

sweet at the end. Dessert pizza
just isn't my thing. And, while I
am not the girl to reach for the
bacon doughnut, I do love the
sweet and savory fruit combinations. Peaches in Colorado are
outstanding. It can easily be
paired with some salty prosciutto
or guanciale and a few spicy
sprigs of arugula. Fruit also goes
really well with all of that pesto.
You can use any other variety of
stone fruits or if you have access
to a plethora of berries, indulge
in those.
Another great crop in Colorado is corn. The sweet kernels
are perfect for pizza. I, of course,
love to combine it with the
beautiful chilies that pop up here
in summer, such as Anaheim. It's
perfect with a younger cheese
like Cotija or a raw goat or
sheep's milk cheese.
I have been lucky enough to
visit a few tomato canning facilities. Both outstanding products.
While they were in different
parts of the world, they shared a
few common things. The biggest
one is that they have a short
canning period, only around
90 days. This is because they can
and process the fruit at their
peak. At least in my opinion,
fresh tomatoes are not good
year-round, which is why we
don't offer them on our menu.
But, at their juicy peak in the
summer, tomatoes are one of the
greatest gems in the world.

Summer also means one of
my favorite cooking styles,
grilling. Until last year I hadn't

really delved into grilled pizzas
and it was really by accident that
I realized just how great they
truly are. I had stupidly signed
up to compete in the Neapolitan

N E 22002200	 	
4 0 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / J U LY

040_PIZ_0720_IKsummer.indd 40

6/9/20 10:12 AM



Pizza Today - July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - July 2020

Pizza Today - July 2020
Commentary
Digital
Conversation
Mike’s Monthly Tip
Man on the Street
Building Blocks
Tony’s Trending Recipe
Knead to Know
Destinations
Upselling Carryout
COVID-19
Reducing Costs
Summer Tomatoes
Summer Greens
Summer Salads
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Product showcase
Pizza Today Yellow Pages
The Marketplace
Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - July 2020 - CT1
Pizza Today - July 2020 - CT2
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Pizza Today - July 2020
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Cover2
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Commentary
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 4
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 5
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 6
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 7
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Digital
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 9
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Conversation
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 11
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Mike’s Monthly Tip
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 13
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Man on the Street
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 15
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Building Blocks
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 17
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Tony’s Trending Recipe
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 19
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Knead to Know
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 21
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 22
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 23
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Destinations
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 25
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Upselling Carryout
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 27
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 28
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 29
Pizza Today - July 2020 - COVID-19
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 31
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 32
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 33
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Reducing Costs
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 35
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Summer Tomatoes
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 37
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 38
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 39
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Summer Greens
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 41
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Summer Salads
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 43
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 45
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 46
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 47
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 48
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 49
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Product showcase
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 51
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Pizza Today Yellow Pages
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 53
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 54
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 55
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 56
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 57
Pizza Today - July 2020 - The Marketplace
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 59
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 60
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 61
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 62
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 63
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 64
Pizza Today - July 2020 - 65
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Cover3
Pizza Today - July 2020 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/expo_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201507
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com