Bloomsdale Spinach and Purple Kale Pizza

Photo: Stella Barra Pizza Bar

From: Chef Jeff Mahin, Stella Barra, Santa Monica and Hollywood, CA and Chicago. Yield: 1 pizza.

1 unbaked pizza dough
1 cup Bloomsdale heirloom spinach
2 Tbsp. grated pecorino Romano cheese
1 bunch purple kale
1 bunch parsley
one bunch green onions
1 Tbsp. garlic
2 cups olive oil
to taste, sea salt
to taste, black pepper
2 cups nonfat milk
3 cups whole milk
4 oz. mozzarella, shredded
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 oz. unsalted butter
1 oz. flour
as needed, Parmesan cheese, grated

For garlic confit: In medium saucepot, add one cup garlic cloves and 2 cups olive oil. Place pan on low heat; do not boil the garlic. Cook until garlic is soft, about 30 minutes. Strain garlic through a fine strainer; reserve garlic oil.  Place garlic in food processor with blade attachment and puree until smooth. Spread garlic puree on sheet tray lined with parchment paper and allow to cool.

For Parmesan cream: Place medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add 2 oz. butter and 1 oz. flour to pan. Stir, using a rubber spatula, and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Slowly add 2 cups nonfat milk, whisking continuously. Continue whisking and turn heat up to medium-high. Mixture should begin to thicken.  Add 3cups whole milk and continue to whisk. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat. Add mozzarella and Parmesan cheese; whisk. Strain and cool.

For purple kale: Fill sink with cold water. Using a knife, remove leaves from stems of 1 head purple kale. Cut kale leaves into 2” strips. Wash leaves in cold water. Using salad spinner, dry the kale and set aside for pizza.

For flat leaf parsley: Fill sink with cold water, and wash one bunch of parsley by moving it around.  Remove parsley from water and shake off excess water. Using a chef’s knife, rough-chop parsley into small pieces.

For green onion: Using a chef’s knife, cut one bunch of green onions into small rings.

Per pizza: One hour prior to baking, set a pizza stone in oven set to 500°F. On unbaked pizza crust, layer 2 oz. parmesan cream sauce with 1 Tbsp. confit garlic. Layer 1 oz. grated pecorino Romano cheese over bottom of pizza, and sprinkle 2 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley and 2 Tbsp. finely sliced green onions over crust. Place 1 cup Bloomsdale spinach, followed by 2 cups purple kale. Drizzle pizza with 1 Tbsp. extra virgin oilive oil. Bake pizza in 500°F oven for 10 minutes.  Cut immediately and finish with grated Parmesan, extra virgin olive oil, ground black pepper and sea salt.