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1
Preheat the oven to 500F.
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2
Put a pizza stone or a baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat it along with the oven for at least 20 minutes.
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3
Put a large skillet over high heat and coat it with the oil.
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4
When the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for only 10 to 20 seconds, until it just begins to lightly brown.
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5
You have to keep moving the garlic around the pan so it doesnt burn; if it does, start over because nothing is worse than the flavor of burnt garlic.
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6
Quickly add the escarole and season with salt and pepper.
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7
Cook, turning the escarole over with the spoon, until it wilts, about 1 minute.
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8
Remove from the heat, turn out onto a large plate or baking sheet, and allow to cool.
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9
If the escarole looks too wet, transfer to a colander and drain in the sink.
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10
To prepare the pizza, dip the ball of dough into a little flour, shake off the excess, and set on a clean, lightly floured surface.
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11
Stretch the dough with your hands, turning the ball as you press down the center.
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12
Continue spreading the dough into a 10-inch circle with either your hands or a rolling pin.
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13
Leave the dough slightly thick so the topping does not seep through.
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14
Dust a pizza paddle with flour (if you dont have a paddle you can use a rimless cookie sheet as a substitute) and slide it under the dough.
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15
Lightly brush the outer edge of the dough with oil to create a sheen on the surface of the crust.
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16
An important tip: take care not to get any oil on the pizza paddle or pan, or else when you try to slide the dough off , it will stick.
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17
Spread the cheese evenly on the pizza, leaving about a 1/4-inch border.
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18
Distribute the shrimp and chorizo evenly over the cheese.
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19
Spread the escarole evenly over the top.
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20
Slide the prepared pizza onto the hot baking stone and bake until the crust is nicely browned, roughly 10 minutes.
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21
Transfer to a cutting board and slice with a pizza cutter.
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22
Escarole
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23
A wonderfully versatile green, escarole remains one of those vegetables that people arent sure how to prepare.
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24
You can eat escarole raw in a salad, and I love it that way, especially with Creamy Parsley Dressing (page 87), but its at its best cooked.
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25
Its less bitter than its cousins radicchio and chicory, and sauteing it mellows out the flavor, making it sweet and vibrant.
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26
Escarole can be pretty sandy when you take it home from the market; luckily it is easy to clean.
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27
Cut the escarole crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips and put it in a large bowl of water.
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28
Swish the water around; the sand will fall to the bottom of the bowl.
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29
Lift the escarole out with your hands and put on a kitchen towel to dry.
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30
Thats it!
