Hazelnut Pizza Dough & Hazelnut Spinach Pesto

So my friend Ro had a baby girl! (See the pizza I made for her baby shower here.) I signed up to bring them dinner, my turn came, and I thought, "Ooo i should try one of my hazelnut recipes!" My parents and I have been craving roasted vegetable pizza and I had a recipe for hazelnut dough I could use! I've never cooked with hazelnuts. I've had them in mouth-watering Godiva Chocolates...sounded so interesting to me to use them in a pesto and especially a pizza dough! Intrigued and excited to begin this adventure, I grabbed my recipes and headed to the kitchen. I made the pesto, the pizza dough, and then began roasting whatever veggies I had on hand. I threw together a salad with this vinaigrette and made a dipping oil with some herbs and evoo to serve with bread. I brought the pesto along with some al dente pasta and roasted vegetables, bread and dipping oil, the salad and some sweetened iced tea to their door. They loved it! 

 Chris, Ro's husband, doesn't like pizza so I made them pesto pasta. My parents and I ate the pizza. And it was deeee-licious!! You can find the recipe for the hazelnut pizza dough here. I topped the pizza with lots of sauce, piles of roasted veggies and sprinkled the top with nutritional yeast. Didn't even miss the cheese. Here's the pesto recipe from Rachel Ray:

Hazelnut-Spinach Pesto

1/3 C. EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

1-3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 sprig rosemary

1/4 C. peeled hazelnuts, toasted

12 oz. spinach, woody stems discarded

pepper

freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

In a small sauce pan, heat the EVOO, garlic, and rosemary sprig over medium-low heat and steep for 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then discard the rosemary and pour the oil and garlic into the food processor. Add the nuts and spinach and process into a thick paste. Season with salt, pepper, and the nutmeg, if using. 

I had some pesto left over and used it to make roasted veggie sandwiches with spinach leaves. It was amazing. Soo easy but only quick if you have the veggies handy. I like to roast a large amount and keep them in the fridge for the week. 

How's your Christmas plans coming along? I got all my shopping done. Just anxiously awaiting to hand these gifts out!! I love it. 

Chef Teebs