Ingredients

for the pesto ::

• 1 small bunch of kale
• a handful of basil leaves
• 3/4 cup of walnuts
• 1 small clove of garlic
• a pinch of red pepper flakes
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 10 turns of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp of salt, adjust to taste
• 1/2 cup of olive oil

for the leeks ::

• 2 leeks
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

for the pizza ::

• pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
• 4 oz of fresh mozzarella
• toppings of choice - olives, artichokes, basil, preserved lemon, roasted garlic, etc. get creative!

Instructions

for the pesto ::

1. Add all of the ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor and pulse to combine, scraping down the sides every couple of pulses.
2. Drizzle in the olive oil and continue to pulse until the desired consistency is reached. I prefer a smooth pesto with a little texture. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Set aside until ready to use.

for the leeks ::

1. Prep and clean the leeks. Slice in half lengthwise, then slice into half moon slivers.
2. In a stovetop pan, add the olive oil and bring to a medium heat. Add the sliced leeks, salt, and pepper, and stir. Saute for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally so the leeks don't stick, and until the leeks have softened and taken on some color. Remove from heat and set aside.

to assemble the pizza ::

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. I use a sheet pan, so I leave the sheet pan in the oven while it preheats to let it heat up similar to how a pizza stone would heat up.
2. Roll out your dough to desired shape on parchment paper, this makes it easier to transfer to the hot sheet pan. I use olive oil on my hands to keep the dough from sticking while I shape it. Place shaped dough on parchment paper. Once the oven has preheated, transfer the dough on the parchment paper to the sheet pan, and parbake for about 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
3. Top the parbaked dough with desired toppings like the pesto, vegetables, and cheese. Return to oven and bake for another 10 - 12 minutes until the cheese has melted and the dough has started to turn golden brown. For extra color, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes, but watch carefully.
4. Remove from oven. Top with any extras like lemon juice tossed greens, enjoy!