Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

History of Pizza

Pizza is one of the most well-known and most beloved comfort foods you’ll find anywhere. No matter where you go or what’s happening, if you suggest getting pizza, everyone will say yes. This delicious food came from humble beginnings to become one of the most popular foods you’ll find anywhere in the world. These days, you’ll find all sorts of variations, but in the beginning pizza was quite plain and had a reputation as a poor man’s food. Let’s take a brief look at how we came to the pizza we know and love today.

When Was Pizza Invented

Pizza can trace its origins back thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks all ate flatbreads with toppings, which is really all pizza is. Although pizza’s origins began long, long ago, the equivalent to what we know as pizza today was born around the 1700s in Naples.

Naples was known as a city of the working poor. These people were packed into the city and lived in homes that were sometimes nothing more than a room. With such a meager existence, Neapolitans had to find ways of making inexpensive food.

That’s where pizza came in. Flatbreads with various toppings were the answer to the Neapolitans’ need for inexpensive food. These flatbreads were very similar to our modern-day pizzas, topped with classics like tomatoes, cheese, oil, anchovies, and garlic.

After Italy unified in 1861, the story goes that King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples and, while there, asked for an assortment of pizzas. The pizza that the queen enjoyed the most was topped with mozzarella cheese, red tomatoes, and green basil.

As the legend goes, this is where the Margherita pizza, the most classic of all pizzas, was born.

Fast forward over 150 years later, and we put almost anything on pizza, from classic ingredients to pineapple and ham. Whatever the toppings, one thing’s for sure. Pizza is delicious.

Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

Thanks to the working class of Naples and the king and queen of Italy, we now have one of the most delicious food creations ever invented – the pizza. With so many shapes, sizes, and types out there, it’s a pizza lover’s dream when it comes to variety. With this recipe, I decided to give pizza a little twist while simultaneously getting back to basics.

This spinach artichoke alfredo pizza uses a simple, rustic pizza dough with no bells and whistles. It cooks up just like traditional pizza dough should, giving you that great authentic Italian pizza feel when you make it. The toppings are where things get a little different.

This is a white pizza. There’s no red sauce here. A rich, creamy sauce makes the base for the toppings. After that, mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, and spinach are the stars of the show. It’s the perfect combination of the rustic style pizza that we all love so much combined with a white pizza topping that is absolutely to die for.

Tips

Although there’s a bit of work involved, this is a very straightforward pizza recipe. You’re simply making dough and sauce and then layering it all up with the other ingredients. Because of that, there aren’t a ton of tips to keep in mind. In fact, there are only a handful. These are important tips, however, so be sure to read them over before jumping into the recipe.

Poke the Dough Before Baking

There are pizzas out there that get a lovely, lumpy top because of the air bubbles that get trapped in the dough during baking. However, this pizza isn’t designed for that so be sure to poke holes in the pizza dough before baking so the air can escape.

Check Your Yeast

Be sure you are using yeast that is still fresh. Outdated yeast can be much less effective or not effective at all. Remember, yeast is a living thing, and it can die.

Water Temperature for Yeast

When adding warm water to the yeast, it’s important to ensure that it’s the right temperature. About 110 degrees is the optimum temperature. It’s not too cool so the yeast won’t activate, and it’s not too hot which would kill the yeast.

No Need to Proof

This crust uses active dry yeast, so there’s no need to proof it. Just mix all of the ingredients called for in your warm water, and everything will go well.

Stir Your Alfredo Sauce Frequently

Be sure to stir your alfredo sauce often while making it. This helps keep it from sticking and also ensures that all the flavors are well incorporated and super tasty.

Storing Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

This pizza will last for up to four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. For longer storage, you can freeze this pizza for up to three months. Cut the pizza into individual slices and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container or in heavy-duty freezer bags.

Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza is a Winner

So give it a try. This spinach artichoke alfredo pizza has a tasty crust topped with alfredo sauce, mozzarella cheese, and diced artichokes and will quickly become one of your favorite white pizzas to make. Whether you’re cooking it up for a special occasion or a weeknight dinner, this pizza has everything we love in a rustic slice of pie with a little twist. Give it a try today!

Ingredients Needed to Make Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

For the Pizza Crust

• Active Dry Yeast
• Sugar
• Warm Water
• Bread Flour
• Olive Oil
• Salt

For the Alfredo Sauce

• Butter
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Milk
• Garlic
• Salt
• Pepper
• Onion Powder
• Parmesan Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese

For the Pizza

• Mozzarella Cheese
• Artichoke Hearts
• Spinach

How to Make Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

For the Pizza Crust

• Preheat oven to 450°
• In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Mix well and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Stir in flour, oil, and salt and mix until fully combined. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Roll dough into a tight ball and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Flour a flat surface and stretch out the dough into a large circle.
• Lightly brush olive oil over the pizza crust and use a fork to poke holes in the dough.
• Lightly flour a pizza pan and place dough on top.
• Bake for 10 minutes.

For the Alfredo Sauce

• Melt butter in a large skillet. Add heavy whipping cream and milk.
• Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Add in garlic, salt, pepper, and onion powder and whisk together.
• Add in parmesan and mozzarella cheese and stir until melted.

For the Pizza

• Dice artichokes into bite sized pieces.
• Spread alfredo sauce over pizza crust, top with mozzarella cheese, artichokes, and spinach.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese has melted and edges of pizza crust are golden brown.