Green Garlic Pesto

& Margherita Pizzas

Chef Luke Miller, The Greenwich

Chef Luke Miller’s signature sourdough pizzas are beloved across Denver for their balance of classic New York–style comfort and artisanal craft.

While The Greenwich menu evolves with the seasons to showcase local sourcing, the pizzas remain a defining staple.

In this episode, Chef Luke Miller shares the recipes for two favorites from the restaurant — a timeless Margherita Pizza and a seasonal Green Garlic Pesto Pizza. Designed with home cooks in mind, he adapts his dough replacing his sourdough starter with yeast and reduced hydration, making the process more approachable without sacrificing flavor. From home-stretched mozzarella and tomato sauce to a vibrant green garlic pesto made with pepitas to be nut-allergen safe, Chef Luke breaks down each component scientifically, bringing restaurant-quality pizza into the home kitchen.

Learn more about Chef Luke Miller.

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Notes: 

  • Chef Luke is an experienced baker who measures many of his recipes by weight; approximate volume measurements are provided for those without a scale

  • Watch the episode for help with shaping the dough

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Pizza Dough

Yields: Four 12” Crusts

Active Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 4-6 Hours

Ingredients:

  • 22g (~1½ tbsp) Olive Oil

  • 434g (~1¾ cups) Water

  • 590g (~5 cups) Bread Flour

  • 39g (~¼ cup) Spelt Flour

  • 3g (~1 tsp) Instant Yeast

  • 15g (~1 tbsp) Salt

  • Semolina Flour or All-Purpose Flour, for dusting

Instructions:

Measure the temperature of flour and water and average together to get an approximate dough temperature. The desired dough temperature is roughly 75F.

  1. In a stand mixer bowl add water and olive oil. Then add bread flour, spelt flour, and yeast on top, do not add salt. With the dough hook mix all ingredients on speed 2 for 3-5 minutes, until dry ingredients are hydrated. 

  2. Cover and rest dough for 30 minutes.

  3. Add salt and mix on speed 2 for 5 minutes, or until dough is fully developed. 

  4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rest for 45-60 minutes.

  5. Portion dough into four equal (250g) pieces. Shape into balls and allow to proof at room temperature for 2-4 hours until soft, airy, and ready to bake (See episode for shaping tips). You can also store shaped dough covered in a refrigerator overnight or freeze until ready to use.

  6. When ready to bake, shape crusts by sprinkling fine semolina or all-purpose flour over top of dough. Punch down dough then shape your crusts by gently pulling from the edges and rotating the dough in a circle until it reaches desired size, about 12” (See episode for shaping tips).

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Margherita Pizza

Yields: Two 12” Pies

Active Time: 40m

Total Time: 1h 30m

Ingredients:

2 pizza dough balls (recipe above)

Mozzarella:

  • 500g (~2 cups) Mozzarella Curd

  • 18g (~1 tbsp) Kosher Salt

Tomato Sauce:

  • 750g (28oz can) Crushed Tomatoes

  • 1-2 small cloves Garlic

  • ¼ medium Red Onion

  • Kosher Salt

  • Sugar

Toppings: 

  • 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Provolone Blend

  • ½ cup Grana Padano or Parmesan Cheese

  • Fresh Basil Leaves

  • Pizza Seasoning

  • Kosher Salt

Instructions: 

Make the Mozzarella

  1. In a heat-proof container, crumble mozzarella curd and salt together.

  2. Fill another container half-full of ice.

  3. Boil enough water to cover mozzarella curd four times over. Pour enough hot water over the seasoned curd to cover it and allow the curd to sit for 1 minute. Reserve the remaining hot water. 

  4. With a large spoon, gather softened curd to one side of the container and pour enough of the whey/water mixture into the bowl of ice to create an ice bath for the mozzarella later.

  5. Lift curd out of water with a wood spoon and allow it to stretch out, then gather back together in the hot water. Repeat until mozzarella is glossy and smooth but not dried out. Add additional hot water as necessary.

  6. Form into balls, pinch seam closed and transfer shaped mozzarella into the ice bath. Fresh mozzarella can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

  7. When ready to use, cut into ¼ inch cubes.

Make the Tomato Sauce

  1. Grate garlic and red onion.

  2. Combine with crushed canned tomatoes.

  3. Adjust seasoning with sugar and salt to taste.


Make the Pizza

  1. About 1 hour before the dough is ready to bake, place the pizza stone on the center rack of the oven, and preheat to 500F. 

  2. Shape dough balls into crusts (see pizza dough recipe above).

  3. Place crusts on either a pizza peel or parchment paper. Top with grana padano, shredded mozzarella/provolone, tomato sauce, and fresh cubed mozzarella.

  4. Transfer pizza to baking stone in the oven. Bake until browned and crispy, around 10-12 minutes. Bake time may vary by oven, look for a well-browned (but not burnt) crust that is crisped on the outside but gives when squeezed, like the texture of a baguette.

  5. Sprinkle salt and pizza seasoning over pizza, add fresh basil leaves. Cut into 6 slices and serve!

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Green Garlic Pesto Pizza

Yields: Two 12” Pies

Active Time: 25m

Total Time: 1h

Ingredients:

2 pizza dough balls (recipe above)

Green Garlic Pesto:

  • 150g (~1 cup) Pepitas, lightly toasted

  • 13g (~1¾ tsp) Agave Nectar

  • 38g (~½ cup) Basil, finely chopped

  • 38g (~½ cup) Parsley, finely chopped

  • 100g (~⅓ cup) Green Garlic Puree OR substitute 8g (~1-2 cloves) Garlic*

  • 225g (~1 cup) Olive Oil

  • 75g (~¾ cup) Grana Padano or Parmesan Cheese

  • 1 Lemon, juiced

  • ½ Lemon, zested

  • 8g (~1½ tsp) Distilled Vinegar

  • 13g (~3 tsp) Kosher Salt

Toppings:

  • 2 large [Heirloom] Tomatoes, sliced

  • 1 cup Shredded Havarti Cheese

  • 1 Lemon

  • Fennel Pollen

  • Kosher Salt

    *Substitution notes: reduce Salt by 1.5g (~¼ tsp), reduce Olive Oil by 25g (~⅛ cup)

Instructions: 

Make the Pesto

  1. About 1 hour before the dough is ready to bake, place the pizza stone on the center rack of the oven, and preheat to 500F. 

  2. Shape dough balls into crusts (see pizza dough recipe above).

  3. Place crusts on either a pizza peel or parchment paper. Top with pesto, shredded havarti, heirloom tomato slices, and grana padano.

  4. Transfer pizza to baking stone in the oven. Bake until browned and crispy, around 10-12 minutes. Bake time may vary by oven, look for a well-browned (but not burnt) crust that is crisped on the outside but gives when squeezed, like the texture ofr a well-browned (but not burnt) crust that is crisped on the outside but gives when squeezed, like the texture of a baguette.

  5. Sprinkle salt and pizza seasoning over pizza, add fresh basil leaves. Cut into 6 slices and serve!

Make the Pizza

  1. About 1 hour before the dough is ready to bake, place the pizza stone on the center rack of the oven, and preheat to 500F. 

  2. Shape dough balls into crusts (see pizza dough recipe above).

  3. Place crusts on either a pizza peel or parchment paper. Top with pesto, shredded havarti, heirloom tomato slices, and grana padano.

  4. Transfer pizza to baking stone in the oven. Bake until browned and crispy, around 10-12 minutes. Bake time may vary by oven, look for a well-browned (but not burnt) crust that is crisped on the outside but gives when squeezed, like the texture of a baguette.

  5. Sprinkle fennel pollen, salt, and lemon juice over pizza. Cut into 6 slices and serve!