Heirloom Tomato Pizza Recipes

HEIRLOOM-TOMATO PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone on floor of gas oven (remove racks) or bottom rack of electric oven. Preheat oven to at least 500 degrees for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, combine tomatoes and oil; season with salt and pepper. Let stand 1 hour.
• Arrange cheese evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with tomatoes, oregano, and guanciale.
• Switch oven to broiler setting. Align edge of peel with edge of stone. Tilt peel, jerking it gently to move pizza. When edge of pizza touches stone, quickly pull back peel to transfer pizza to stone. (Do not move pizza.) Broil until bubbles begin to form in crust, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce temperature to 500 degrees; bake until crust is crisp and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes more. (If not using broiler, bake pizza 10 to 15 minutes total.) Remove pizza from oven using peel. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with basil. Slice and serve.

PESTO-HEIRLOOM TOMATO PIZZA

Steps:

• Combine the first five ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is evenly combined yet still coarse in texture. You may need to add the spinach in batches if your processor has a small or medium-size container.
• Stop the machine and season the mixture gently with salt and pepper; taste to see if you'd like to add more lemon juice, then pulse a few times to mix.
• Bake pizza dough rounds in a preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes, until crust is golden.
• Spread pizza crust with pesto, then load up with sliced heirloom tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with plenty of thinly sliced basil leaves. Some Vegan Parmesan-style cheese and fresh oregano leaves would add a nice touch, too. This can be served at room temperature.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO PIZZA

Steps:

• Position oven rack in bottom third of oven. Place pizza stone in cold oven. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Let stone heat for 1 hour before using.
• In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, semolina flour, kosher salt, yeast, and sugar. Make a well in center; add 1¼ cups (300 grams) warm water and 2 tablespoons (28 grams) oil. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out dough onto a heavily floured surface. Using floured hands, flatten dough until about 1 inch thick. Fold dough in half toward you; using heels of your hands, push dough away. Turn 90 degrees, and repeat flattening, folding, and pushing until smooth and elastic, 5 to 6 minutes, lightly flouring work surface and hands as needed.
• Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Place a rimmed baking sheet upside down, and heavily dust with semolina flour. (Alternatively, use a cookie sheet heavily dusted with semolina flour.)
• In a small bowl, combine minced garlic and remaining 3 tablespoons (42 grams) oil. Set aside.
• Using a serrated knife, slice tomatoes ⅛ to ¼ inch thick, and place in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. (If you run out of space, place a layer of paper towels on top of tomatoes, and top with remaining tomato slices).
• Punch down dough, and let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and using floured hands, press dough out until about 1 inch thick. Using floured hands, stretch dough into a 16x12-inch oval. Place on prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush garlic oil onto dough. Sprinkle with fontina, Parmesan, and 1 cup (113 grams) mozzarella, leaving a ½ -inch border around edges.
• Lightly brush remaining garlic oil onto tomato slices; place on top of cheese, overlapping as needed. Top with remaining 1 cup (113 grams) mozzarella. Slide pizza directly onto pizza stone. (See Note.)
• Bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with basil, red pepper, and sea salt, if desired. Serve hot.

OVEN-DRIED HEIRLOOM TOMATO PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone (available at most kitchen-supply stores) on floor of a gas oven (remove racks) or bottom rack of electric oven. Preheat oven to at least 500 degrees for 1 hour.
• Shape dough into a round. Holding top edge of dough round in both hands, let bottom edge touch work surface. Carefully move hands around edge to form a circle, as if turning a wheel. Hold dough on back of your hand, letting its weight stretch it into a 12-inch round. Transfer dough to a pizza peel (or an inverted baking sheet) lightly dusted with semolina flour. Press out edges using your fingers. Jerk peel; if dough sticks, lift, and dust more flour underneath.
• Drizzle olive oil over pizza dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange cheese evenly over olive oil. Top with tomatoes and basil; season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oven to broil. Align edge of peel with edge of stone. Tilt peel, jerking it gently to move pizza. When edge of pizza touches stone, quickly pull back peel to transfer pizza to stone. (Do not move pizza). Broil until crust begins to bubble, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce temperature to 500 degrees, and bake until crust is crisp and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes more. (If not using broiler, bake pizza for 10 to 15 minutes total.) Remove pizza from oven using peel; drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired. Slice and serve.