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Homemade Pesto Pizza

DIRECTIONS

To make the dough: Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large bowl and let stand 2 minutes. Stir with a fork to blend. Let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Whisk in olive oil and salt. Add 1-1/2 cups flour, stirring with a wooden spoon. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes, using as much of the remaining 1/4 cup flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to the board or your hands. Shape into a ball, transfer to an oiled bowl, turn dough to coat with oil, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Punch dough down, reshape into a ball, re-cover the bowl and let dough rise again for 4 hours.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and line with baking tiles or a baking stone. Preheat to 550 degrees F or highest setting for at least 45 minutes. Punch dough down and turn it out onto a work surface. Shape into a ball. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rest 30 minutes.
To make the pesto: Toast pine nuts on a baking sheet in a 325 degree F oven until they are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool. In a food processor, combine pine nuts, basil and garlic. Pulse, scraping down sides occasionally, until well chopped. With motor running, add oil through feed tube. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in cheese and salt to taste. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface to prevent discoloring.
To assemble the pizza: On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 13- to 14-inch round. Transfer to a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet well dusted with cornmeal. Working quickly, spread cheese evenly over dough round, leaving a 3/4-inch rim. (If you don't work quickly, the dough may stick to the peel or sheet.) Brush the rim with olive oil.
Immediately slide pizza from peel onto oven tiles or stone and bake until crust is crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately brush surface of pizza with pesto, using about half the mixture (see recipe introduction). Brush the rim with olive oil. Serve immediately.