I love making pizza at home. It’s really simple to make the dough yourself. The recipe below is my favorite for pizza crust & flatbread (rolled extra thin) and it turns out perfect every time. However, you always have the option to buy a ready made pizza crust, and there’s lots of great options in the grocery store. Anyway, I think the best part of making pizza at home is topping it with all your favorites… and lots of cheese!

The recipe I’m sharing today has become our new family favorite. The toppings are simple, but the flavor is anything but simple!!

Makes one 12” pizza

INGREDIENTS
For Dough:
1 cup warm water
2 ½ tsp dry active Yeast
1 Tbsp Honey
2 ½ to 3 cups all-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Pizza Sauce:
1/2 cup Cilantro
1/4 cup picked Jalapeños
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Cumin

Toppings:
2 to 3 cups of shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 cup fresh Corn
½ red Onion, thinly sliced
½ cup Black Olives, halved
2 Tbsp Capers
More picked jalapeños, optional (but nice if you like it spicy)

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix the honey and warm water together in a small bowl.
Add the yeast to the water and let it sit for 15 minutes until a nice foam forms from the yeast growing.
Place flour and salt in a mixing bowl with the dough hook attachment and slowly add the yeast mixture.
Mix on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the dough becomes elastic and firm.
Remove dough from bowl and rub lightly with olive oil.
Place in a bowl and cover with a clean dry towel.
Let sit in a warm place to rise for 20 minutes (it should double in size).

While the dough is rising you can make the sauce for the pizza.
Blend the cilantro, pickled jalapeños, olive oil, lime juice and cumin together in the food processor until a smooth paste is formed.
Set aside until you have your pizza crust ready to top.

After the dough has risen, place it on a floured surface.
If you want to make smaller individual pizzas cut dough into portions, or use for one large pizza.
Roll out to desired thickness and size, or shape using your hands, gently stretching the dough into the shape you desire.
Place dough onto a lightly greased pizza baking pan.
Spoon the cilantro sauce onto the pizza crust and spread evenly.
Evenly distribute the cheese and toppings on the crust.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of the crust.
Remove, cut into slices and serve.

For a crispier crust, cook your pizza crust for about 7 minutes before topping it with anything! That’s always an option.

I LOVE Pizza! I’m half Italian, so that could be part of the reason… but I think pizza is just perfection. Who can resist a soft sweet crispy crust topped with cheese and basically whatever you like?

I have a few other pizza recipes on my site, and I have to say that this is at the top. Well, it might be right behind Philly Cheesesteak Pizza (which was so frickin’ good)… oh, and then there’s the BBQ Chicken Pizza. Hmmmm. Not sure what my favorite is, probably just a good old classic Marguerita Pizza with fresh tomato, basil, garlic and mozzarella.

It’s fun to make pizza at home and experiment with different flavors, topping it with whatever you’d like or whatever you have on hand at the time. That’s basically how this pizza came to be. I didn’t want to make a red sauce, but I had a small tomato on hand. Also, had pesto on hand, so that made it’s way to the pizza, too. Within a few minutes, I had an incredible pizza that was ready to pop into the oven.

Prosciutto Pesto Pizza ready for the oven

INGREDIENTS
Pizza Dough, or storebought
Drizzle of Olive Oil
1 small Tomato, diced
6 large Mushrooms, diced
1/4 Red Onion, diced
1/4 Yellow Bell Pepper, diced
1/4 cup Prosciutto, diced (you can buy it pre-diced)
1/2 cup Fresh Mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup Mozzarella, shredded
1/3 cup Pesto
1/2 tsp Salt
a few grinds of Fresh Ground Black Pepper or Crushed Red Pepper

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Shape the pizza dough and place on pizza round or baking sheet.
Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Sprinkle tomato, mushrooms, red onion, bell pepper, prosciutto and mozzarella evenly over the crust.
Drop pesto evenly on the crust by the half teaspoonful.
Salt and pepper.
Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Enjoy!

Figs are in season and they’re one of my favorite fruits. They were on sale at the grocery store… buy one container and get one free. So, of course I had to get two containers.

Although I love them just one their own, I decided to make a flatbread. I’m glad I did, because this was delicious. I honestly could have eaten the whole thing myself. It has a mild flavor, not too sweet. I hope you give this recipe a try!

INGREDIENTS
1 Pizza Dough
10 Fresh Figs, thinly sliced
11 oz. of Goat Cheese
2 Tbsp Honey
1/3 cup Slivered Almonds
Good Balsamic Vinegar, optional

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll the pizza dough thin.
Bake crust in the oven until done, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Place the goat cheese in a microwaveable bowl and heat for about 30 seconds, just to soften.
Mix honey into the goat cheese.
Spread an even layer of the goat cheese mixture onto the pizza crust.
Place figs evenly on top of the goat cheese.
Sprinkle almonds on top.
Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
I liked putting a little Balsamic Vinegar on top of mine.  

INGREDIENTS
1 Pizza Crust
For Roux:
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
pinch of Sea Salt

Toppings:
8 oz. fresh Mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced thin and sauteed
1/2 red onion, sliced thin and sauteed
1/2 cup spinach (I used frozen – be sure to squeeze out all the water)
1 to 2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, if desired

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place pizza crust on a lightly greased baking sheet or pizza pan.
Bake pizza crust in oven for about 8 minutes, to crisp.
While pizza crust is in the oven you can prepare the Roux.

To prepare the Roux:
In a medium saucepan add the butter and olive oil over medium low heat.
Whisk in the flour and blend completely.
Next add in the milk, whisking the entire time until smooth.
Turn off heat and add in a pinch of salt.

Remove pizza crust from oven and top with an even layer of the Roux.

Top with mozzarella cubes, mushrooms, spinach and onions (in that order).

Put back in the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.
Remove from oven and top with Parmesan Cheese and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.

Enjoy!

Slice of Caramelized Onion Tart

This onion tart on whole wheat crust was so delicious! It’s super easy to make. You can make it with regular pizza crust, but I hope you’ll give my Whole Wheat Pizza Crust recipe a try!

I love the aroma of onions frying. I used 2 large Vidalia onions for the recipe. They do cook down a lot. The mild sweet flavor of the Vidalia onions really complimented the nutty flavor of the crust and the mild Ricotta cheese.  You can use any type of onions that you like, or a combination of different types of onions.

Next comes a layer of Ricotta Cheese. I used the low fat variety and it did not lack any flavor. I think Goat Cheese would work beautifully with this recipe, as well!

After you’ve spread the cheese evenly over the crust, top with the onions. Halved cherry tomatoes add the finishing touch to this tart.

This recipe serves 4.

INGREDIENTS
1 Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 large Vidalia onions, sliced thin
1/2 tsp Thyme
2 to 3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
2 tsp Granulated Garlic
1 tsp Kosher Salt
10 or more Cherry Tomatoes, halved

METHOD
Prepare your whole wheat pizza crust, or use a store bought crust.
Cook the pizza dough (with nothing but a little salt on it) for about 10 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven.
Set aside when done.

For Onions:
Place a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat.
Add the olive oil.
Slice onions thin and place them into the frying pan.
Sprinkle a little salt on them.
Caramelize the onions by frying them for about 20 minutes, stirring often.
Once the onions are soft and starting to turn light golden add in the Thyme and Balsamic Vinegar.
Stir and continue to cook on low for another few minutes.
Turn off heat and set aside.
Put the ricotta cheese into a bowl and mix in 2 teaspoons of granulated garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Spread ricotta cheese evenly over the pizza crust.
Sprinkle the onions over the layer of cheese.
Top with halved cherry tomatoes.
Pop into the 400 degree oven for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is finished cooking and the tomatoes are soft.
Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

I love to make pizza at home! This whole wheat crust recipe is so delicious and easy.
I love the nutty taste and rich texture. You do need to plan ahead since the dough needs to rise for about 45 minutes, but you can easily double this recipe and freeze half of it for next time.

This recipe serves 4.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup warm Water
1 packet Active Dry Yeast
1/8 cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup All-Purpose Flour

METHOD
Place warm water in a large bowl and sprinkle in the yeast.
Let it stand for about 5 minutes, until it gets foamy on top.
Whisk in the oil, sugar and salt.
Add the flours and mix with a wooden spoon until it is all combined.
Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl.
Put a little olive oil on your hands to put some oil on the top of the bread, as well.
Cover and place in a warm spot.
Once it has doubled in size (about 45 minutes), remove it from the bowl and stretch it out, working it into a circle to fit your pizza pan.
I sprinkle it with a little Kosher salt.
I precook the pizza dough for about 12 minutes with no sauce or toppings, in a preheated 400 degree oven.
Then take it out and put whatever sauce and toppings you like.
Pop it back into the oven and continue to cook for another 12 to 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

While the flatbread is cooking prepare your toppings…

The toppings are really a matter of what is on hand. Two items you will always find in my fridge are fresh pesto sauce and my homemade garlic sauce (I will share that recipe next). They each worked perfectly on the base of the flatbreads.

If I had some smokey cheese I would have definitely used that on one of the flatbreads, but I will have to do that next time!  

Enjoy!

Portabello Mushroom Flatbread with Truffle Cream Sauce drizzle.