Tomato Basil and Ricotta Pizza

After creating our Sausage Grape and Ricotta pizza, Mike and I were in the mood for something a little more savory.  Already having most of the ingredients we needed, it was easy to prepare.  We decided to make a Tomato Basil and Ricotta Pizza.

We checked to make sure the oven was still preheated to 400 degrees after our last pizza.  To get all of our ingredients in order for assembly we grated the second half of our block of lactose free cheddarcheese and set it aside.  I also thinly sliced one tomato and, most importantly, coarsely chopped the fresh basil. No need to go crazy with the chopping – it will wilt while in the oven.  I love fresh basil on pizza because it offers a nice clean flavor and reminds me of the summertime (even in the depths of the long Boston winter)!   My Mom has always grown fresh basil in the warmer months. I used to love going outside and picking some to add to our dinner.  In the past I have tried to grow fresh basil in my apartment but I can’t say I have much of a green thumb.  I am going to try again in the spring, and hopefully I will have more success this time!  

We started again by rolling out the dough.  If you let the dough set to room temperature, the dough will be more pliable and much easier to roll out.  If you are having a hard time stretching the dough, kneading it might also help.  Give it a quick knead by folding the dough over towards you and then pushing it away.  Do this a few times and you should be good to go.  Nothing is more frustrating than rolling out pizza dough and having it bounce right back! 

We started off by spreading our sauces.  Again splitting our pizza in half with the red sauce I had prepared earlier and the 365 pesto from Whole Foods.   

 

Next we sprinkled the cheddar cheese, creating an even cheesier coat!  We then spread dollops of my DIY Ricotta throughout the pizza.  For this pizza, we upped our ricotta game substantially.  Since there were not going to be as many bold flavors on this pizza, it was important to optimize the cheesy flavors.  I like this pizza because it is simple yet elegant - very flavorful and fresh with only a few ingredients, not boring in the least! 

To finish it off we covered the pizza with the thinly sliced tomatoes and basil.  I used freshly ground black pepper and sea salt for some added flavor.  Although we have made pizza many, many times before, we made a rookie mistake with our last one by assembling it on the board and then trying to transfer it to a sheet pan.  This time we were a little smarter and put it on tin foil to transfer.   You can transfer it this way or even just prepare it on the sheet pan.  Either way, sprinkle a little more flour and corn meal on the tin foil or sheet pan to make sure the pizza doesn’t stick to the pan.  Place it in the oven at 400 degrees and cook for about 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. 

Once the pizza is fully cooked take it out and let it cool before slicing.  As soon as it has cooled enough to cut, it is ready to serve!  I love the fresh tastes of this pizza with the basil and ricotta.  In addition, pesto is one of my favorite sauces, probably because it’s made primarily of basil!  I feel it complements the richness of the ricotta and the saltiness of the cheddar.   These pizza toppings are so delicious on both red sauce and pesto, and really made for a successful pizza night!  As much as Mike and I love dining out, it is just as nice to sit home and enjoy homemade pizza on a Friday night.  I hope you enjoy this savory pizza as much as we have!

Recipe Details:

Ingredients

1/2 batch pizza dough (store bought or homemade)  
1/4 cup pizza sauce (to taste)
3 tablespoons pesto (to taste)
1 tomato
1/2 block cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup DIY Ricotta
6-8 basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grate 1/2 a block of cheese (about 1 cup) and set aside.  Cut tomato in half and then into thin slices.  Coarsely chop 6-8 leaves of basil, more to taste.  Using half a batch of dough, roll out to desired thickness.  Top the dough with 1/4 cup sauce on one side and 3 tablespoons of pesto on the other.  Double the amount of red sauce or pesto if you will be using only one sauce.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese coating evenly on top.  Add clumps of ricotta on pizza as desired.  Add the tomato slices and basil, distributing throughout.  Finish with salt and pepper to taste.

Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until crust is cooked and golden brown.  Allow to cool.  Once cooled it is ready to serve!