Beet Pesto Pizza with Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs
A springy pizza with roasted beet pesto, goat cheese, and fresh chives, tarragon, and dill.
Makes: 1 (12-inch) pizza
Cost: $10
Equipment
- Food processor
- Pizza peel (optional)
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Cutting board and knife
Ingredients
- 1 (14 to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough (My 1-Hour, Overnight, Sourdough, Whole Wheat, New York Style, and Neapolitan dough will all work great for this recipe)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ to 1 cup Roasted Beet Pesto Sauce or store-bought beet pesto
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chevre), crumbled (1 cup)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped chives
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped dill
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone in the top third or place the steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle, then transfer it to a baking sheet / pizza pan or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Brush the dough lightly with olive oil, making sure to get all the way to the edges. Spoon the beet pesto sauce onto the dough and spread it out evenly, leaving a ½-inch border all the way around. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese on top, season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden around the edges and evenly browned on the bottom—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 5 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and top it with the chopped fresh herbs. Slice and serve.