9.22.2018
I feel like I blinked and suddenly it’s the last weekend of summer.
In all honesty, this summer has been a whirlwind. While yes, it has felt like a steady 96 degrees {all humidity} in New York, it’s also been a crazy few months jam packed with weddings, travel and overall life change. In the midst of all of that, I’ve been sitting on this heirloom tomato pizza recipe for a minute, and finally decided to get my act together because tomats are too good right now not to share.
Before I get into the cheesy, earthy, savory-sweetness of this pizza, I have to preface by saying that I somehow someway fudged the cheese portion of this recipe. I know, don’t ask how. If you were to see the notebook I use to write my recipes, you’d agree that it looks like a cross between chicken scratch and manic doodles. As I was reading this recipe back I was like, “ok, ok dough, got it, tomatoes, of course, oven, oil, wait a minute..” I was so excited in the moment that I ended the recipe with, “last 3 minutes add more burrata for topping”. -_- That being said, there is no specific measurement for the cheese, however add based on your desired cheesiness. Personally, as a Chicagoan and deep dish lover, I love cheese, maybe even a lil too much. {if that’s possible?} So rest assured that I added l o t s to this recipe and what’s below is a good approximation of what went into this.
Well, now that that’s out of the way it’s time to get to the good stuff.
Top reason’s I’m in love with this pizza:
- It’s seasonal { hello, heirloom tomatoes} and v late-summer friendly
- It’s easy, breezy {and cheesy} to throw together
- It incorporates fresh basil, which for some, can be picked right out of your backyard. Or if you’re me, right out of your fire escape. This is considered farm to table, right?
There you have it – a late-summer pizza that’s got your cheese, your fresh tomats, your crispy, doughy carbs and your oh-so-easy-and-apartment-friendly cast iron cooking method. *And pro tip: take your slices to the next level with a super simple and super delicious balsamic glaze, also included below.
Bon Appétit! x
- 1 tbsp peanut oil; or any oil with a high smoke point
- 8 oz pizza dough
- 3-5 heirloom tomatoes; sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves; for topping
- 8 oz ricotta and/or mozzarella cheese
- 8 oz burrata
- olive oil / salt & pepper; to drizzle & to taste
- 1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
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Preheat oven to °475
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Prep pizza toppings and set aside; tomatoes should be sliced into 1/4 inch slices and cheese should be shredded or sliced as desired
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Sprinkle some flour on a flat surface and begin rolling out your dough; create a crust all the way around and roughly shape the size of your pizza to your cast-iron skillet
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While oven preheats, heat peanut oil in cast-iron skillet over medium heat
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Add your pizza dough to the hot skillet, drizzle dough with olive oil + salt/pepper and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes; the crust should be golden brown
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Remove from heat and add toppings; layer of ricotta, sliced tomatoes and top with burrata cheese + mozz (+ a lil more evoo, salt & pepper)
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Cook in oven on top rack for approximately 20-25 minutes; check on it every few minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted
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Drizzle with balsamic glaze, top with fresh basil and serve
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Combine balsamic and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil
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Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes
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After about 20 minutes, mixture should be reduced by half and will coat the back of a spoon
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Transfer into a glass bowl and cool in the fridge for approximately 15-30 minutes; glaze should have a syrupy consistency
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