Bruschetta Pizza
In this amazing bruschetta pizza the crispy crust is topped with mozzarella, juicy summer tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and olive oil. Crispy, fresh, juicy, garlicky, AND SO GOOD.
Servings: 2 pizzas
Ingredients
Pizza dough
Bruschetta pizza topping
- 5 oz (150 grams) mozzarella packed in water (or shredded low moisture mozzarella)*
- 1 lb (approx 450 grams) ripe tomatoes at room temperature, diced*
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ½ - 1 teaspoon grated garlic, use more if you wish
- 3 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Pizza dough
- You can use this stand-mixer dough (ready in about 3 hours), this easy no-knead dough (ready in about 1 ½ hours), or your favorite dough. If using my dough recipes, follow the recipe link and method.
Bruschetta topping
- Prepare the cheese: If using fresh mozzarella in water, dice it, and place it on kitchen paper with another piece of paper towel on top and pat it dry to absorb excess moisture.
- Make the bruschetta topping: Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the tomatoes into small neat cubes and place them in a bowl, remove excess water that tomatoes release, then add with basil, garlic, olive oil, toss to combine and season to taste.
- Preheated the oven: Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat at least 230 ℃/450℉ – a hotter oven leads to a better pizza!
- Shape the dough: When the dough is ready and fluffy, dust a pizza peel with semolina flour if using my stand-mixer dough, or place the parchment paper onto a baking tray. Then stretch the dough starting from the center, gently press it out with your fingers until you get a round circle (11 inches/30 cm in diameter). Please note, if you make my no-knead recipe, you'll get approx a 9×13 inch pizza instead, not two round pizzas.
- Bake the pizza: When the oven is hot, use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the mozzarella cheese and crust are nicely browned, approx 8-10 minutes. But each oven is different, keep an eye on it (e.g. in a forced fan oven it will take about 8 minutes).
- Serve: Loosely drain the bruschetta tomato mixture and scatter it evenly over the freshly baked pizza, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and add fresh basil leaves. Slice, serve immediately, enjoy!
Notes
Shredded low moisture mozzarella: use about 2 cups (approx 7oz/200 grams) grated low moisture mozzarella for this recipe, but trust your judgment, add a bit more if you like.
What to use instead of a pizza stone? A rimmed baking sheet or a large cookie sheet that you can invert it and place on the lowest shelf of your oven work fine. When the baking sheet is right-side up, taking the pizza in and out of the oven will be easier and the preheated baking sheet will make a nice and crisp pizza crust.
How to measure flour? I use both US cups and grams. The cups of flour are leveled, which means you have to fill the measuring cup all the way to the top letting the flour flow over a little. Then, use the back of a knife to level the top off. But a digital scale is an excellent kitchen tool and gives a more correct weight.
Bruschetta pizza leftovers: Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 or 2 days. Reheat the pizza leftovers in the preheated the oven (350F/180 C) and bake for about 8 minutes or until warmed through, crispy and the cheese is melted.