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Mediterranean Pizza with Easy Homemade Crust

This delicious Mediterranean Pizza with Easy Homemade Crust recipe is topped with pesto, roasted peppers, and fresh mozzarella! So delicious!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword Mediterranean Pizza
Prep Time 14 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Servings 6 slices
Author Amanda @ Old House to New Home

Ingredients

  • 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 envelope Fleischmann's® RapidRise® Yeast
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup very warm water heated to 120° to 130°F*
  • 3 tablespoons corn oil
  • 4 tbsp pesto
  • 6 oz sliced fresh mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup roasted red peppers diced
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese add 1/2 tsp garlic powder to ricotta
  • fresh b asil

Instructions

  1. Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead** on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. (If using RapidRise Yeast, let dough rest at this point for 10 minutes.)

  2. Pat dough with floured hands to fill greased pizza pan or baking sheet. OR roll dough on a floured counter to 12-inch circle; place in greased pizza pan or baking sheet. Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.
  3. Spread with pesto sauce Top with ricotta, fresh mozzarella, peppers, and finally the grated parmesan.

  4. Bake on lowest oven rack for 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil.

  5. *If you don't have a thermometer, water should feel very warm to the touch.
  6. **To knead the dough, add just enough flour to the dough and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Flatten dough and fold it toward you.Using the heels of your hands, push the dough away with a rolling motion. Rotate dough a quarter turn and repeat the "fold, push and turn" steps. Keep kneading dough until it is smooth and elastic. Use a little more flour if dough becomes too sticky, always working the flour into the ball of dough.