Having a small bag of fresh pizza dough in the fridge has been a life saver this summer. It’s an easy supper solution on nights where I don’t feel like whipping out a bunch of pots and ingredients but still want a relatively healthy meal. Pizza loaded with fresh from the garden and farmers market veggies beats delivery every time!

The flour I use for stretching the crust is generally a medium grind corn meal. I love the crunch it adds. We like our pizza crust thin and crisp, with enough toppings so you feel like you’re getting some veggies with each bite.

Lately, I’ve been making pizza with fresh corn and cilantro added during the last 15 minutes of baking. It’s become our favorite!

Right now, the corn and tomatoes are in peak season for anyone to try this one. And I promise that you won’t miss the tomato sauce or meat.

One more tip: I always put some cheese, or a little olive oil if I make vegan pizza, on the dough first. It helps create a moisture barrier and keeps the crust from getting soggy. And I rarely use tomato sauce. Fresh tomatoes in season are tastier I find.

Here’s the recipe:

• pizza dough
• shredded cheese or for vegan pizza a little olive oil
• assorted veggies cut into small pieces
• a little parmesan or national yeast
• hot pepper flakes
• fresh herbs, washed, dried and chopped

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Sprinkle a little corn meal (polenta) onto a large cutting board.
Roll the pizza dough in it and flatten it into a disk.
Let the dough rest and then start to stretch it a little every so often, until it’s the size of your pan and as thin as you like it.
Place the stretched out dough onto your pizza pan.
Top with some shredded cheese, sliced tomatoes, chopped onions, peppers, etc.
Sliced tomatoes get less soggy if they can drain on paper towels before being added.
Bake the pizza on the middle rack for about 18 to 20 minutes.
In the meantime, slice off the corn kernels and combine them with a generous amount of chopped cilantro.
Add those to the pizza along with a little more cheese.
Return to the oven and bake another 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
This helps any moisture to evaporate and makes cutting it easier.
Serve with or without a salad.

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite way of making pizza?