Without a doubt, pizza is one of my favorite foods in the whole wide world! I am a fan of all kinds of pizza but I have a special love for homemade pizza. There is just something about the process of making it then eating that is just better than store-bought. My Pesto Pizza recipe is a favorite in my house, not only because it is delicious but beautiful. Seriously, this pizza is like a work of art! You have the thick crust, bright green pesto, gooey cheese, and beautiful heirloom tomatoes…yum! It all comes together into a pie that is sure to make you ask for more!
Pesto Pizza
Ingredients
Pesto Pizza
- 1 lb pizza dough, at room temperature
- ½ cup basil pesto (Recipe Below)
- ½ cup fresh mozzarella cheese, torn
- ¼ cup heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Basil Pesto
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese cheese
Instructions
Pesto Pizza
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with your pizza stone on the middle rack.
- Meanwhile, stretch out the pizza dough with your hands into an 8 inch disk. If you have a pizza peel, sprinkle some flour on it and place the stretched out dough on the peel. Pour about ½ cup of the pesto onto the pizza and spread it all around the dough, leaving the edges bare for the crust. Top with the mozzarella and halved cherry tomatoes and pop your pizza peel in the oven and slide it over the stone for 12-15 minutes.
- Once the pizza is done, remove and top with basil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cut it into 6-8 slices and serve immediately.
Basil Pesto
- Place the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add in the olive oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Taste then season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.
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