This is a spicy pesto and cheesy margarita pizza. In my house, one loves tomato-based red ragu sauce in pizza. Personally, I love pesto in my pizza and pasta sauce. Pesto is a basil-based green sauce that has garlic, pine nuts, cheese, and olive oil in it, and then to make it spicy I added a jalapeno in it.
Margarita pizza is named to honor a famous queen of Italy (I have hard). Also, the basic ingredients of this pizza especially the toppings tomato, mozzarella cheese, and basil represent the colors of Italy's national flag.
This is simple yet flavorful and delicious pizza. I'm making pizza with this recipe for a long time and every time I get perfect bready in the middle but crunchy crusted pizza. This pizza is spicy. Jalapeno is in the pesto sauce and also is in the topping. If you don't like that spicy you may eliminate the topping jalapenos.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Baking Time: 20 Mins
Serving: 2 pizzas (12-inch diameter each)
Let's make the homemade pesto sauce first.
Spicy Pesto :
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cup fresh Basil chopped
1 and 1/2 cup Baby Spinach chopped
2 large cloves of garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 chopped jalapeno
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Methods :
Take everything in a blender except oil and grind to a coarse paste.
Then slowly add olive oil to it and make a smooth paste.
Spicy Pesto is ready to use.
Put it in a sterilized jar and keep it in the refrigerator for a month.
Now Let's make the Garlic Basil flavored Pizza dough!
Garlic and Basil Flavored Pizza Dough for two 12 inch pizzas:
Ingredients:
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1/8 cup of olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons of dry basil leaves (store-bought)
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 package of instant yeast
1 cup of lukewarm water
Topping for 2 pizzas:
6 tablespoons of spicy pesto
2 large Tomatoes sliced
15 to 16 slices of Fresh Mozzarella cheese
20 basil leaves
1jalapenos sliced
1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese
Methods:
Combine lukewarm water, instant yeast, sugar in a large cup. Let it sit for 5 mins for yeast to rise.
Add flour to a stand mixer mixing bowl.
Add garlic powder, dried basil, and salt and mix lightly.
Add olive oil and yeast mixture to it and mix well. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixing bowl and mix very well.
The dough will still be slightly sticky, but not too soft.
Drizzle olive oil in a large bowl and use your hand to spread it to the side of the bowl.
Lightly dust your hands with flour and form your pizza dough into a round ball. Then put the dough in that greased bowl. Spread some oil on the top of the dough and then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place.
Allow dough to rise for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to a smooth dough.
Cut the dough in half. It will give two 12 inch diameter pizzas.
Use a rolling pin or hands to stretch the dough to a 12" circular shape.
Transfer the rolled or flattened dough onto a parchment paper-lined pizza pan or on a pizza stone.
Use a fork to poke holes all over the pizza to prevent the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
Spread the homemade pesto sauce all over the pizza dough.
Add sliced Tomato, sliced fresh Mozzarella cheese, chopped jalapenos, chopped basil leaves, and sprinkle a lot of shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Spicy Margarita pizza is ready to bake.
Preheat the Oven to 500 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and the side of the pizza is golden brown.
Slice and serve the warm freshly baked Margarita pizza.
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