Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese Pizza

Makes one 14-inch pizza

You probably know that there is an endless variety of pizza other than the usual tomato sauce and cheese. This recipe is a delicious example. It calls for frozen spinach. You do not need to defrost and squeeze out the liquid if you heat it very fast. The pizza is great served as a main dish or cut into small pieces for a finger food buffet. You can also serve as appetizers, using toasted bruschetta for the crust (see the similar and related recipes) and baking just long enough to heat the topping. The spinach mixture is good by itself as a dip with toasted pita triangles. For a Greek variation, substitute feta for the mozzarella cheese. This recipe can easily be doubled.

Ingredients

• One batch pizza dough (see the similar and related recipes) or 14-inch prebaked pizza crust
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces Cremini or white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups frozen cut leaf spinach, not thawed
• 4 cloves garlic, roasted or caramelized, finely chopped
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese (can use reduced fat)
• 1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, diced small
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 450° F. (If using a prebaked crust, follow the package instructions for baking.) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned on both sides, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; remove from pan. Reheat skillet over high heat; add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the spinach and sauté until defrosted, tossing often to keep moisture out. Season with salt and pepper, the chopped garlic and pinch of nutmeg. Sauté another 7 minutes or until cooked through. Keep over high or medium-high heat so the moisture from the spinach evaporates while cooking. Remove from heat and cool.

To prepare pizza, spread the cream cheese on the dough. Top with the cooled spinach, mushrooms, mozzarella and Romano cheeses, in that order. Season with additional pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden and topping is hot. Remove from oven and place on cutting board. This pizza is best if left to rest approximately 10 minutes before serving. It is also very good at room temperature.