Summer Pizza with Heirloom Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Basil Pesto and Lemony Ricotta

Luscious summer tomatoes, bright herby notes from pesto and lemony ricotta, garlic butter and a light, tender crust. All of it together is the perfect bite!

I don’t love when pizza are super greasy from cheeses and the oil in pesto so I solved that problem with small dollops of pesto and dollops of ricotta rather than shredded mozz all over the top.

This may be my favorite recipe that I’ve made so far this year!

This pizza recipe makes 1 (12 inch) pizza, but the dough makes 2 (12 inch) pizzas. You can easily make the recipe into 2 pizzas by doubling the pizza ingredients and I highly suggest that you do because you will want leftovers!

Ingredients:

Pizza dough (or buy one at the store and skip this step):

1 packet instant yeast

1 c. lukewarm water

1 tsp. honey

1 ½ c. AP flour

1 ½ c. bread flour

1 tsp. salt

*if you only have AP or bread flour on hand, it’s fine to just use that! But if you do have both, this mixture creates a great chew.

** if you only have active dry yeast, just be sure to bloom in the water/sugar mixture for 10 or so minutes or until bubbly before adding the flours and salt.

***This dough recipe makes 2 (12 inch) pizza doughs so you can double the pizza ingredients and make 2 pizzas or you can freeze the extra dough: wrap in plastic wrap and then put in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. To use, thaw for 3-4 hours before using.

Pizza (ingredients for one pizza; double if making two):

2 Tbsp. butter, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

2 large or 3 medium heirloom or slicer tomatoes, sliced thin (if they’re too thick, they may make your dough soggy)

2 medium onions, sliced thin

4-6 oz. ricotta

zest of half a lemon

¼ c. basil pesto (recipe below)

basil, to serve

Basil Pesto (this is going to make more than you need. Divide the remainder up into freeze-safe jars (4 oz mason jars are great) and freeze until your next use):

leaves from one large bunch basil (about 2 cups)

2 cloves garlic

1/3 c. pine nuts (or sub walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc)

1/2 c. shredded parmesan

juice of half of a lemon

a sprinkle of salt and pepper

1/2 c. olive oil

Directions:

Make your dough: Add water, honey and yeast to a medium bowl. Give it a mix. Add in the flours and salt and stir until it resembles a shaggy dough. Knead for a couple minutes until smooth and elastic. Set back in the bowl and cover with a towel. Let rest in a warm place for an hour or two or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If using a pizza stone, make sure it is in the oven while warming up.

Make pesto: Add all ingredients except for olive oil to a small food processor and pulse until all ingredients are pulverized. Slowly add in the olive oil while pulverizing until it is fully incorporated. Set aside until ready to use or put in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. This is going to make more than you need. You can divide the remainder up into freeze-safe jars (4 oz mason jars are great) and freeze until your next use.

Make caramelized onions: Add 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions. Cook for about 5 minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally. Then, lower the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. They are done when the onions are super soft and a medium-dark brown color. You can add a splash of balsamic vinegar and cook for a final minute if you want a deeper brown color. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and the lemon zest.

In a microwave-safe bowl, add the minced garlic and 1 tablespoon butter. Microwave for 30 seconds until melted. You can make this in a saucepan on the stove if you prefer.

Divide your dough into two. If you’re not making 2 pizzas then you can freeze the extra dough: wrap in plastic wrap and then in a freezer ziploc. To use, thaw for 3-4 hours before using.

Roll your dough out into a 12-inch circle if you have a circle pan or pizza stone. If you don’t, then roll out into a rectangle so you can fit it on a cookie sheet. Lay dough on a piece of parchment paper.

Brush the garlic butter all over the crust.

Lay your tomato slices on the the dough in a single layer. Sprinkle on the onions. Add dollops of the lemon ricotta and small dollops of pesto.

Slide the parchment paper with your pizza on it onto whichever pan you are using and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown. Top with basil leaves, a sprinkle of salt (I used some basil salt a sweet customer made me!) and serve hot!

To reheat leftovers, I recommend baking so that the crust stays firm.