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PIZZA TOPPING RECIPES

Everyone is familiar with the traditional pizza toppings of pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, etc. We are providing you with some recipes to expand your pizza recipe file.  We also have several recipes for Pizza Dough and Sauce. All of the pizzas are to be baked in a preheated 500-degree F oven. Go to How to Make Pizza for more detailed information. Carefully monitor your pizza while it is baking since oven temperatures, thickness of crust, and topping ingredients will cause variations in the timing.

Pizza Topping Recipes

Margherita Pizza

White Pizza

Asparagus and Prosciutto Pizza

Gorgonzola Pizza

Four Cheese Pizza

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Clam Pizza

Roasted Garlic Pizza

Sausage, Tomato, and Artichoke Pizza

Pizza: 50 Traditional and Alternative Recipes for the Oven and Grill

Black and White Pizza

Margherita Pizza

This most popular of all toppings is believed to have been created to please Italy's Queen Margherita when she visited Naples in the late 19th century.  The colors, tomato red, mozzarella white, and basil green are said to represent the ones in the Italian flag.  The authentic flavor of Naples' pizza owes much to the very ripe, firm San Marzano tomatoes that go into the topping.

Topping for 2 (12-inch) pizzas

1-1/2 cups canned San Marzano plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

2 TB. extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese

Salt

2 TB. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

14 fresh basil leaves

Spread the chopped tomatoes evenly on the rolled out pizza dough.

Sprinkle with a little salt.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Slide the dough into the oven and bake 10 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven and top with mozzarella and Parmesan.

Return to the oven and bake 5 minutes.

Remove, drizzle with a little more olive oil and spread basil on top.

White Pizza

Topping for 1 (12-inch) pizza

1 TB. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

5 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 TB. grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 cup ricotta cheese

Heat olive oil and garlic.  Cook until garlic is golden.

Brush the oil over the dough leaving outer crust uncovered.

Spread mozzarella evenly over the dough.

Bake for 7 minutes.

Combine the Parmesan, parsley, and oregano.

Remove the pizza from the oven.

Drop mounds of ricotta cheese randomly over the pizza.

Sprinkle with Parmesan mixture.

Return to the oven to bake 8-10 minutes.

Pizza with Asparagus and Prosciutto

1 garlic clove, minced

2 TB. olive oil

8-10 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella

3/4 cup shredded fontina

Salt

2 oz. sliced prosciutto, cut into strips

2 TB. extra-virgin olive oil

Combine garlic and oil and let sit for 30 minutes.

Combine the mozzarella and fontina.

Cook the asparagus for 3-4 minutes, or until tender.

Drain and rinse to cool.

Brush pizza dough with garlic oil.

Spread cheese mixture evenly over dough.

Top with the asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt.

Bake 8-12 minutes until golden and crisp.

Remove from the oven.

Top with prosciutto and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Gorgonzola Pizza

Topping for 1 (10-inch) pizza

3/4 cup Simple Pizza Sauce

4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

2 TB. Parmesan cheese, grated

1 TB. finely minced rosemary

Salt and pepper

Cover the rolled our pizza dough with sauce.

Spread the Gorgonzola evenly over the top.

Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 8 minutes.

Add the Parmesan and rosemary.  Bake another 3-4 minutes.

Remove and season with salt and pepper.

Four Cheese Pizza

Topping for 1 (10-inch) pizza

2 TB. pesto

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese

2 plum tomatoes, sliced

2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 TB. grated Parmesan cheese

Brush rolled out pizza dough with pesto.

Spread the mozzarella and fontina cheeses evenly over the top.

Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese.

Sprinkle with the goat cheese, oregano, and Parmesan.

Bake until the crust is brown and cheese is melted, 10-12 minutes.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Topping for 1 (12-inch) pizza

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 TB. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded fontina cheese

1 cup grilled Portobello mushroom slices (see below)

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

2 TB. grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium skillet, heat 2 TB. oil over medium-low heat.

Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the garlic to the skillet.

Remove skillet from heat and set aside.

Spread the mozzarella and fontina evenly over the pizza dough.

Add the onion and garlic, mushrooms, rosemary, and Parmesan.

Bake until the crust is brown, about 10-12 minutes.

To grill mushrooms:

Combine 1 TB. oil,  1 clove minced garlic, pinch of oregano , salt and pepper.

Coat the mushrooms with the oil mixture.

Place on a grill and cook 4-5 minutes, until tender but not mushy.

Clam Pizza

Topping for 1 (10-12 inch) pizza

4 TB. mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 TB. minced garlic

1 tsp. dried oregano

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 (6-1/2 oz) cans chopped clams, drained

2 TB. grated Parmesan cheese

1 TB. chopped fresh parsley

Combine the mascarpone, ricotta, garlic, oregano, and red pepper.

Spread over the rolled our pizza dough.

Distribute the clams over the cheese.

Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley.

Roasted Garlic Pizza

Topping for 1 (12-inch) pizza

1 head garlic

Olive oil

1 bunch fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

6 oz. feta cheese

8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

To roast garlic:

Cut off top 1/4 -inch of garlic head.

Lightly brush with oil and place on a baking dish.

Bake in a 350-degree F oven for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool a few minutes.

Remove the cloves from their skin.

Slice or break the garlic into pieces.  Set aside.

Heat a wide skillet over medium heat.

Add the spinach and coat until wilted.

Remove the spinach and set aside.

Brush the pizza dough with olive oil.

Distribute the spinach, feta, garlic, and tomatoes over the top.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Sausage, Tomato and Artichoke Pizza

1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed and sausage crumbled

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 (14 oz) can tomatoes, chopped fine and drained

1 (6 oz) jar marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Saute the sausage in a skillet until cooked and lightly golden brown.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a bowl.

Add the onion, garlic, oregano, and basil to the skillet.

Cook over low heat until the onion is soft and starting to brown.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the sausage. Mix well.

Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the sausage mixture evenly over the pizza dough.

Top with the tomatoes, artichokes, both chesses, salt and pepper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Black and White Pizza

4 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

2 TB. grated Parmesan cheese

Olive paste (recipe follows)

Spread the olive paste over the pizza dough.

Distribute the mozzarella evenly over the top.

Bake about 7 minutes.

Add the Parmesan cheese and bake for another 3-5 minutes.

Olive Paste

1 cup pitted black olives, such as Kalamata

1/4 cup capers

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1-2 TB. extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper

Lemon juice

In a food processor, put the olives, capers, garlic, and thyme.

Process to make a smooth paste.

With the machine running, add the olive oil.

Season with pepper and a little lemon juice.

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