Green olive & artichoke

I''m always told that we don't need to pay a high price for excellent extra-virgin olive oil (aka evoo... thanks Rachael!) , at least most housewives in Italy don't, we do need to pay to taste and find out though. I've tried quite a few different evoo imported from Italy, their prices are fairy high, but taste? really so so, except being assertive nothing else distinguishable. Weeks ago in an Italian grocery store I saw this Spectrum cold pressed NOVELLO evoo, something it said on the label caught my eye: "early harvest, limited release ... crafted by the experienced artisan hands of the Pons family ... hand picked olives ... ", and it's organic, and it's from Spain. I thought since I love their wine and olive, might give it a try, and heck, only USD 4.99 for 500ml (16.9oz), I usually paid more than double for that size! I bought it, tried it, very impressed. It's floral, buttery but clean in taste, and inexpensive! The day when I made this pizza, there were two young kids (I do baby-sitting occasionally, that's how I got my little model to hold that heart candy) totally crazy for the crust that dizzled with this oil allover. If this product isn't available in your area, hopefully my message here gives to you is, we really don't need to pay a lot for good evoo.

The simpler the pizza, the higher quality of the basic ingredients you need (as no sauce or cheese as camouflage). Use the olive oil with superb flavor! And if the pizza crust you used to make isn't spectacular, it's time to change another flour, or another recipe. Recipe:

• basic dough recipe
• some green olives
• some capers
• some sliced artichokes
• some rosemary leaves
• some iodized coarse salt
• extra-virgin olive oil
• aged pecorino

Place a baking stone in oven and preheat to 475F for half an hour at least. Stretch the dough to your desired thickness, drizzle evoo, spread green olives, artichokes, capers, rosemary leaves and coarse salt. Baked until gold brown, shave some pecorino to serve.