Tomato Pizza–An easy homemade pizza dough is topped with vine-ripened tomatoes, sharp arugula, olive oil, garlic and fresh mozzarella for a delicious take on margherita pizza.
I love pizza.
You may have caught onto that with the numerous of pizza recipes I have on my site. From Taco Pizza, to Pineapple Chipotle Chicken Pizza, to Buffalo Chicken Pizza, I can’t get enough pizza recipes in my life.
And my most favorite way to eat pizza, other than sitting in NYC at a Pizza parlor, is to make a simple Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Pizza–with a garlic infused olive oil base.
Fresh Tomato Pizza
Traditionally, a Margherita pizza is made with the colors of the Italian Flag–Red, White and Green.
- Red from the pizza sauce.
- White from the fresh mozzarella.
- Green from Basil.
And while incredibly delicious, I believe my spin on this Italian Classic is better than the classic.
How to make Mozzarella and Tomato Pizza
Step One: Make the Pizza Dough.
I personally chose to use my favorite homemade whole wheat pizza dough, but you can use any recipe for pizza dough or store bought dough you like.
Step Two: Roll dough out very thinly.
I lightly grease a 16 inch pizza pan with olive oil and roll the dough out to 1/4 inch. You can also use a pizza stone if you like.
Step Three: Top with olive oil and garlic.
Brush olive oil over surface of pizza dough and then season with oregano and garlic.
Step Four: Top Pizza with tomatoes and arugula.
Lay out the tomatoes evenly over the pizza dough and top with arugula. Season with salt and pepper.
Step Five: Lay fresh mozzarella slices over the tomatoes and arugula over the pizza.
I prefer to use fresh mozzarella, but you can use shredded mozzarella if desired.
I have a love affair with arugula. From Arugula Blueberry Watermelon Salad, to Arugula Strawberry Pizza, the peppery sharp bite arugula provides is something I simple adore. However, if arugula is not your thing, feel free to use spinach, basil or omit altogether.
Step Six: Bake the tomato pizza.
Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is nicely melted.
How to Remove Seeds from Tomatoes
One of the secrets to this delicious fresh summer tomato pizza is of course the fresh tomatoes. However, vine-ripened tomatoes are full of seeds and if the seeds are not removed, your pizza can easily become soggy. And no one wants a soggy pizza.
To avoid that disaster, simply de-seed the tomatoes first.
To remove the seeds from tomatoes, slice open and use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out the seeds gently. You can also give the tomato a gentle squeeze over the sink and most of the seeds will come out on their own.
Tips for Margherita Pizza
- Be sure to either grease your pizza pan or use cornmeal to dust the bottom of the pan, so you pizza will not stick.
- Fresh tomatoes are key, but be sure to deseed the tomatoes before placing on the crust.
- I love fresh mozzarella cheese for this tomato pizza, but you can use pre-shredded or shred block mozzarella if desired.
- If you don’t like arugula, you can omit or replace with spinach.
- Be sure to season the tomatoes with salt and pepper to bring out their flavors of the tomatoes.
- If you like heat, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes added to the pizza is a great addition.
Fresh Mozzarella Pizza with Tomatoes
Fresh Tomato Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 2 vine-ripened tomatoes sliced and seeded
- 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup arugula
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Prepare the homemade pizza dough OR store bought dough.
- Brush a pizza pan or cookie sheet with olive oil or non-stick spray. Roll the pizza dough out in a thin 1/4 inch circle.
- Spread the dough with the oil and then spread the garlic over the oil. Sprinkle the oregano and salt and pepper evenly over the crust.
- Arrange the tomatoes and arugula evenly over the crust. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper as well. Then spread out the mozzarella evenly.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned.
TO MAKE EASY TOMATO PIZZA , YOU MAY NEED
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Kristen Chidsey
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