Roast Tomato and Olive Pizza

For the Oven-Roasted Tomatoes:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180ºC. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Finely chop four sprigs of thyme. Toss the sliced tomatoes with the garlic, olive oil, chopped thyme, bay leaf, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Roast for 1 hour, checking midway through the roasting process to make sure the tomatoes are not burning. If the tomatoes are getting overly dark on the bottom, turn them gently with a spatula.

Turn off the oven and leave the tomatoes in the oven until the oven cools completely. Roasting time will vary depending on the size of tomatoes; roast them until they have rendered their juices. (Tomatoes can be roasted up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen in freezer bags for several months. )

For the Pizza:

Preheat the oven to 450ºF / 235ºC. Place a heavy baking sheet on the rack on the lower third of the oven.

On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch the pizza dough into a 13 x 9-inch / 33 x 23 cm rectangle. Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper.

Brush the dough with a thin layer of olive oil. Drain the tomatoes well and arrange the tomatoes and garlic over the dough. Put the mozzarella slices over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with half of the grated Parmesan cheese, kalamata olives, and place the remaining sprig of thyme in the center.

Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Slide the pizza including the parchment paper onto the hot baking sheet. Return the pizza to the oven and bake for 12 to 18 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and the top is lightly browned and bubbling.