Heirloom Tomato Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella
When women entrepreneurs who work in Northern California’s wine and food industries get together, you know the meal will be fantastic. And that was the case at a gathering organized by Williams Sonoma, where garden-fresh salads and pizzas were served. This summery version calls for just a handful of ingredients, so use the best-quality ones you can find to allow the flavors to shine. And if you can find heirloom tomatoes in a variety of colors, by all means use them for the prettiest pizza possible. If you have an outdoor wood-burning oven, it will give you stellar results. Otherwise, follow the instructions here for baking it on a pizza stone in an indoor oven, which will produce a wonderfully crispy crust that’s the hallmark of a well-made pizza.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. (250 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade- All-purpose flour for dusting
- 2 oz. (60 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 heirloom tomato, cut into slices 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup (1/4 oz./7 g) fresh basil leaves
- Fresh oregano leaves for garnish
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Directions
Place a pizza stone in the bottom third of an oven and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
Shape the pizza dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-inch (25-cm) round. Top the dough with the mozzarella, followed by the tomato slices, leaving a 1/2-inch (12-mm border) uncovered. Season with salt and pepper.
Using a pizza peel or a rimless baking sheet, transfer the pizza to the preheated stone. Bake until the crust is crisp and well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, top with the basil and oregano, and drizzle with olive oil. Cut into slices and serve immediately. Makes one 10-inch (25-cm) pizza.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen