Pizza Recipe

Preheat and prepare surface

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet placed on the middle rack. Lightly flour a work surface with the all-purpose flour.

If using store-bought dough, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before stretching so it's easier to work with. If homemade, bring to room temperature and have it rested and slightly risen.

On the floured surface, gently stretch or roll the dough into a roughly 12-inch (30 cm) round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Transfer the stretched dough to a piece of parchment paper or a lightly oiled pizza peel. Brush the dough lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil, focusing on the outer crust edge.

Make the black bean puree

Combine the drained and rinsed black beans, minced garlic, lime juice, ground cumin, salt, black pepper and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a food processor or blender. Pulse until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice.

If the puree is too thick to spread easily, add water 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 2 tablespoons) until the consistency is spreadable but not watery. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or cumin as needed.

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the puree for drizzling after baking if you like a stronger bean flavor on top; otherwise plan to use all as the base.

Assemble pizza

Spread a thin, even layer (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) of the black bean puree over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border for the crust. Do not overload; the puree should act as the sauce.

Evenly distribute the shredded pepper jack cheese (about 2 cups) over the bean layer so it melts through the puree. Scatter the halved olives over the cheese, concentrating some near the center for balanced flavor. Add thinly sliced red onion if using, and sprinkle red pepper flakes if you want extra heat.

For a more roasted olive flavor, place the olives on a small baking tray, toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil and roast in the preheated oven for 6–8 minutes until warmed and slightly wrinkled before adding to the pizza. Otherwise use olives straight from the bowl.

Bake

Slide the pizza on its parchment onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Baking times will vary with oven and stone—watch for a nicely browned crust and melted cheese.

Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. If you reserved 2 tablespoons of black bean puree, dot or drizzle it over the hot pizza now in small spoonfuls for extra flavor contrast.

Brush the crust lightly with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle the crust edge with coarse sea salt. Scatter chopped cilantro or parsley over the top and let the pizza rest 2–3 minutes before slicing.

Slice into 6–8 pieces and serve immediately.