When I think of summer, I think of a beautiful, lavish garden. When I was a child my parents always grew tomatoes, cucumbers and squash and we would enjoy it all season long.
I channeled those memories by making this pizza, a variety of seasonal fresh produce and some pretty bright flowers. I know many of you are probably thinking, “I would never put flowers on a pizza.” Well, I love it! They add so much to the experience.
Chris Decker, Founding Pizzaiolo & Partner Truly Pizza
We have a saying here at Truly Pizza that we want our pizza to look as good as it tastes and taste as good as it looks. The flowers add a bit of color, of course, but on this pizza they also add a bit of tartness. That flavor tends to go well with the sweet squash, the creaminess of the goat cheese ricotta mixture, and the salty freshness of the herb salsa verde. So do yourself a favor and unplug. Enjoy what the seasons have to offer and make some wonderful pizzas.
Chris Decker is the founder of Pizzaiolo & Partner at Truly Pizza, in Dana Point, California. @everythingbutanchovies on Instagram.
On deck: Summer’s Bounty Pizza
Author: Pizza today
Type of recipe: pizza
- 50 percent goat cheese and 50 percent ricotta
- 2 cups (packaged) fresh parsley leaves and tender stalks
- 1 cup (packaged) fresh spinach
- 1 roasted yellow squash
- 5 roasted garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons of champagne vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ounces shredded whole milk mozzarella
- 2 ounces fresh mozzarella
- Roasted and salted Marcona almonds
- Begonia
- For the ricotta/goat cheese mixture, beat 50 percent goat cheese and 50 percent ricotta until smooth.
- Add to a piping bag with a fluted tip.
- For the Salsa Verde, blend together until smooth fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, fresh spinach, roasted garlic cloves, champagne vinegar, extra virgin olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Coarsely chopped roasted and salted Marcona almonds
- Edible flowers, I used Begonia. I just love how the pink pops next to all the other ingredients.
- For the pizza, stretch your pizza dough to the desired size and place it on a floured pizza shell.
- Top with 2 ounces shredded whole milk mozzarella and 2 ounces fresh mozzarella, pinched off and spread around pizza.
- Next, arrange your roasted yellow squash and place your pizza in a preheated 550 F oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or desired doneness.
- When your pizza is finished baking, take the pizza out of the oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Apply your salsa verde. I used a squeeze bottle and dotted around the pizza.
- Then apply your ricotta mixture, crushed Marcona almonds and place your flower petals over the top.
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