After posting the Napoletana Pizza Dough recipe, I just had to follow up with my favorite way to use it. Our basil and tomatoes are coming in like crazy, and this is certainly a tasty and easy way to enjoy our garden bounty. You just layer on sliced tomatoes and chopped basil, sprinkle on some olive oil, and then top with sliced fresh mozzarella. If you want to get adventurous, throw on some minced garlic. The idea is to keep it simple and allow the flavors of the fresh ingredients to shine.
I like the cheese to melt a bit in the oven, so I put it on before baking, but you can also reserve the cheese until the pizza is out of the oven and then lay it on top, which will soften it just a bit before slicing.
Pizza Caprese
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Andrea Meyers
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- thin crust pizza dough
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 15 basil leaves, chopped
- 8 ounces (227 g) fresh mozzarella
- extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 500° F/260° C.
- Cut tomatoes into thin slices and lay them on a paper towel to soak up excess liquid.
- Cut the mozzarella into 1/4-inch slices and lay them on a paper towel to soak up excess liquid.
- Chop the basil leaves.
- Press the dough into a 12-inch circle. Lay the tomatoes on in concentric circles around the dough, about 1/2-inch away from the edge. Sprinkle on the chopped basil and some olive oil. Lay the sliced mozzarella around the top.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crust is browned and cheese is just starting to bubble. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Allow to sit 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
More Information
Equipment
12-inch or larger pizza stone or pan
paper towels
Recipe Notes
Make the dough a day ahead.
Variations
Add 1 clove of minced garlic to the tomato and basil layer.
Reserve the cheese until the pizza is out of the oven. Lay the sliced mozzarella around the hot pizza and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
12-inch or larger pizza stone or pan
paper towels
Recipe Notes
Make the dough a day ahead.
Variations
Add 1 clove of minced garlic to the tomato and basil layer.
Reserve the cheese until the pizza is out of the oven. Lay the sliced mozzarella around the hot pizza and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
Duane says
August 15, 2006 at 12:14 pmSounds and looks great. I would have to include the garlic myself. Garlic makes almost anything taste better.
marge ingersol says
August 17, 2006 at 5:09 pmWow, I am pretty well known for my pizza but I like the looks of this. It looks like a pizza two could enjoy on romantic summer evening! I look forward to trying this (and the homemeade napolean dough).
Kathy says
March 16, 2009 at 6:27 pmI do something very similar, though I soak the tomatoes in balsamic vinegar for a few minutes, and I brush garlic olive oil on the crust before I put down the tomatoes.
YUM
Ceasar Darasin says
October 31, 2010 at 4:31 amIts yummmy!. I love the name caprese, but i would like to ask, an italian name caprese what do you mean the word caprese?. Thank you so very much…its so great…