Pizza of a Southwestern Persuasion

This is a Southwestern variation on the pizza theme, with a cumin-infused sauce and Monterey Jack cheese, paired with Ricotta and caramelized onions and sweet peppers.  The dough is made with a bit of coarse cornmeal, further underscoring the Southwestern feel, and imparting a wonderful aroma.
Pizza dough:
4 cups white flour
1/2 cup coarse cornmeal
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp yeast
1-1/2 cups water, heated to 105F
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 large onion, sliced
12 mini sweet peppers, red, yellow and orange, sliced in half and seeded
2 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic, minced

2 10-oz cans Rotelle diced tomatoes and chilies, drained

1/2-3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced into matchsticks
1/2-3/4 lb Monterrey Jack cheese, sliced into matchsticks
15-oz ricotta cheese
Large palmful cilantro leaves
1 avocado, peeled, halved, seeded and sliced

Blend the dry ingredients of the pizza dough together in a bowl.  I use a Kitchen Aid blender with a dough hook.  Heat the water in a microwave for about a minute; it should get to 105F - an instant read thermometer is really good for making sure.  Heat in the microwave until you achieve 105F.  With the machine running on slow, add the water slowly as the dough mixes together.  Add only enough water to make an elastic dough.

Knead the dough for 5-8 minutes on low, or by hand.  Lightly oil a bowl with olive oil.  Gather the dough in a ball and tip into the bowl, and swirl to coat the ball with oil.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a relatively warm place for 2 hours. It should about double in size.

During the second hour of rising, sauté the onions in a skillet with a bit of olive oil.  Cook, stirring often, for at least 10-15 minutes.  Then add the peppers and continue cooking over low heat for at least another 10 minutes.  You want the onions and peppers to be very nicely caramelized, and slightly browned, but not burnt.  Add the cumin seeds and garlic and cook another 5 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 500F. 

Meanwhile, pulse the drained tomatoes in a small food processor to make a smooth sauce. Reserve the tomato liquid for another use.

Divide the dough in half and form each half into a large pizza dough round, about 14-inches in diameter.  Place each round on a pizza pan or prepare for a pizza stone.  I use pizza pans with 1/4-inch holes, to brown the bottom well.  This works very well.  Divide the sauce evenly about the two pizza crusts.  Top with half the cheese, the onions and peppers, and then dot the ricotta evenly about the pizzas.  Top with the other half of the cheese, and sprinkle the cilantro leaves evenly about both pizzas.

Bake pies for about 12-15 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and the crust browns to your liking.  Top the pizzas evenly with the sliced avocados.

Cook's Note: Some people simply swear by Rotelle diced tomatoes.  They're great but not the only thing that can work.  You can use regular diced or canned tomatoes (15-oz can) and it will work just fine.  You may want to augment, however, with a dash of red pepper flakes and/or a small can of green chilies.

And if you want a meat-eater's pizza, just add 5-8 inches raw chorizo sausage, sliced into the skillet with the onions and peppers. Saute with the veggies until well browned.