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This delicious Mediterranean Pizza with Easy Homemade Crust starts with a super easy crust recipe and then is topped with pesto, fresh mozzarella, ricotta cheese, roasted red peppers, and freshly shredded parmesan cheese. This unique pizza recipe is bursting with flavor and will become a pizza that you crave again and again!
Mediterranean Pizza with Easy Homemade Crust is a one of those pizza recipes that you just can’t get in any ol’ pizza joint. Sure, I love a traditional delivery pizza, but there is something really satisfying about being able to create a pizza that has exactly what you want on it. This pizza recipe has all my favorite foods, pesto, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and roasted red peppers, it is absolutely my dream pizza!
In my prekid days, I used to make homemade pizza dough. I had all the time in the world then and was willing to spend it on homemade dough. Well with a full time job and two hungry kiddos, I’ve resorted to store bought dough more often than not, until I discovered Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast. You guys, it seriously takes 15 minutes to make this dough, and that includes the rest time!! Nothing beats homemade pizza crust and I can’t wait to tell you how easy this is!
Love Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast? Try my Easy Nutella and Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls!
We all know that from scratch cooking tastes the best, and baking with yeast is no exception. Homemade doughs always taste best and it is so satisfying to know you made it yourself! All families love family pizza night but I don’t like to serve the traditional red sauce and cheese pizza every time! This is a great way to mix it up and incorporate some fun mediterranean flavors into your pizza! And get your whole family involved in pizza night! Have your kids help knead the dough or place the toppings! They will love knowing they had a part in dinner!
How to Use Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast for your Mediterranean Pizza with Easy Homemade Crust
This yeast is so easy to work with. You put your dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, sugar, salt, yeast) and then add hot water that is between 120-130 degrees and corn oil. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your water. You do not want to kill it. Also double check that your yeast is not expired. Old, expired yeast won’t rise!
Mix until it all combines and then knead your dough by hand for 4 minutes.
Kneading the dough into a smooth elastic ball is so fun and I love this step!
Let rest for 10 minutes, and that’s it! Your ready to roll out and bake!
Once I rolled my dough out in a circle, I used my favorite pizza stone to build my pizza on. I used my dream pizza ingredients and the flavors are just amazing!
Recipe Note: since pesto is oily and fresh mozzarella is water based, you may need to open up your oven and blot the excess moisture that comes to the top of your pizza or runs off the sides. You may want to use a cookie sheet under your pizza to catch any drips!
How to make Mediterranean Pizza with Easy Homemade Crust
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!
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
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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.)
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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.
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Spread with pesto sauce Top with ricotta, fresh mozzarella, peppers, and finally the grated parmesan.
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Bake on lowest oven rack for 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil.
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*If you don't have a thermometer, water should feel very warm to the touch.
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**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.
