BLT Pizza
Pizza shows up regularly on our weekly menus. It’s versatile, fun to make, and we almost always have a ball of homemade pizza dough in the freezer. Clara loves helping us in the kitchen, and pizza is most definitely her favorite meal to make. Sure, we end up with flour and/or cheese all over the floor and whatever chair she’s standing in, but having her help us cook is one of our greatest joys. When she’s not sneaking handfuls of cheese from the cutting board, she loves to pat the dough and layer on the toppings.
With summer in full swing and a garden full of tomatoes, this BLT pizza got added to my must-make list as soon as I saw it. While this isn’t a sauceless pizza, it’s close. The sauce is made with (gasp!) mayonnaise, but please don’t let that deter you. It’s mixed with garlic and herbs, so call it an aioli if it makes you feel better about spreading it onto a pizza. The reason I say the pizza is basically sauceless is because the dough absorbs most of the mayonnaise mixture, leaving behind just a hint of the creaminess of it but with all the flavors of the garlic and herbs.
I’m obsessed with roasted tomatoes, and they are certainly the star of this pizza. Though, if you were to ask Clara, she would say it’s the bacon. A small sprinkling of cheese and a generous sprinkling of greens make this pizza feel relatively light, especially in terms of pizza, and it’s the perfect meal for dining al fresco, which is what we did both times we’ve made this. With our Sungold tomato plant producing tomatoes like crazy, this pizza will be making many more appearances before summer is over.
- YIELD: 4 servings
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
3 slices bacon
¼ cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing the dough
1 tablespoon minced green onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound fresh pizza dough
1 tablespoon cornmeal
2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
1 cup greens of your choice (recommend mache, baby spinach, or arugula)
- 1
Heat the oven to 400º. Place a pizza stone in the oven to heat up. Place the tomatoes in a single layer on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with oregano and pepper. Place the bacon around the edges of the pan, with the tomatoes in the center. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring the tomatoes halfway through. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, then break into bite-size pieces.
- 2
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, olive oil, green onions, parsley and garlic.
- 3
Sprinkle the cornmeal over a large piece of parchment paper, then roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with olive oil.
- 4
Scatter the tomatoes and bacon across the dough, then sprinkle with cheese. Transfer to the heated pizza stone and bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is browned and cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Sprinkle the greens over the top, then cut and serve immediately.
Pizza is pretty much like a giant open face sandwich these days. So much more fun than the whole line of merely pepperoni and sausage and the like. I love them myself. This is an excellent example of what I am talking about.
Pizza is pretty much like a giant open face sandwich these days. So much more fun than the whole line of merely pepperoni and sausage and the like. I love them myself. This is an excellent example of what I am talking about.
I might just have to make this as LT pizza, but I’m sure with fresh summer tomatoes I won’t even miss the bacon!
I love bacon, but I would actually be okay with just tomatoes and lettuce on this pizza. Given my obsession with roasted tomatoes, I would never say no to more of them!
I might just have to make this as LT pizza, but I’m sure with fresh summer tomatoes I won’t even miss the bacon!
I love bacon, but I would actually be okay with just tomatoes and lettuce on this pizza. Given my obsession with roasted tomatoes, I would never say no to more of them!
Yay! This pizza is the best. So glad you liked it!
Yay! This pizza is the best. So glad you liked it!