Pesto Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Recipe GLPR9156eba8452896
A classic Italian pizza featuring a vibrant homemade pesto sauce spread on crispy pizza dough, topped with melted fontina and fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. Fresh basil and red pepper flakes finish this restaurant-quality pizza at home.
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Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and stemmed
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for garlic
1 cup extra virgin olive oil for pesto
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt to taste
Pizza dough (prepared and risen overnight)
2 cups grated fontina or provolone cheese
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
½ pound small or cherry tomatoes, sliced
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Red pepper flakes to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 500°F with a pizza stone inside for at least 30 minutes. Prepare your pizza dough according to your preferred recipe; if using the suggested overnight rise method, remove dough from refrigerator 30 minutes before shaping.
Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the coarsely chopped garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring constantly for about 15 seconds just until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic. Remove from heat immediately and let cool slightly.
Combine the 2 cups of fresh basil leaves, grated Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, and the cooled garlic-oil mixture into a food processor. Pulse until the basil is broken down and the mixture is well combined, creating a bright green sauce with a pebbly texture.
While pulsing, slowly drizzle in the 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil until the pesto reaches a spreadable consistency—it should be thin enough to spread on dough but not runny. Taste and adjust seasoning with kosher salt as desired.
Divide pizza dough into 4 equal portions and stretch or shape each into a round crust. Dust a baker's peel with flour and transfer one round to the peel. Lightly spread a thin layer of pesto sauce over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with a portion of the grated fontina cheese and 2 slices of fresh mozzarella. Arrange tomato slices over the cheese and optionally sprinkle additional Parmesan. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Transfer the baked pizza to a cutting board using the baker's peel. Slice into portions and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
