There’s something really appealing when the colors of a dish are in the same color scheme. This pizza, with it’s varying shades of green and white, is quite fetching, and it tastes as good as it looks. We love homemade pizza dough, but to be honest, there are some delicious store-bought pizza doughs out there and they taste just as good. Why not skip this step and make your life a little easier, especially if it means you’ll be more inclined to make pizza at home instead of ordering Domino’s? Hazelnuts, arugula, capers and parmesan make this pesto really flavorful, and you can make it up to a week in advance and store it in your fridge, making your life even easier come dinnertime. Using fresh mozzarella means your pizza with have enough moisture, and we usually make 2 smaller pizzas – one with regular fresh mozzarella and the other with fresh smoked mozzarella (they are both fabulous). Very thinly slicing your zucchini with a mandolin or by hand will ensure that your pizza won’t be too moist, as zucchini contains lots of water. Fresh torn basil to top it off adds extra vibrance and even more freshness.
Tips (unsponsored): We like the pizza dough balls we’ve used from Trader Joe’s and Fresh and Easy. They are a dollar or two per 1 lb ball and are usually already thawed so you can use them right away. If you make a lot of pizza or have friends and neighbors who would want to split with you, Sam’s Club Food Court sells their dough balls frozen and you get like 20 balls for around $16, which is an amazing price. Just make sure to call ahead to make sure they aren’t out.
The bulk section at Sprouts is a great place to buy nuts when you only need a small amount, such as the ¼ cup hazelnuts needed here. You can just get your ¼ cup without having the excess cost and waste of having to buy a larger quantity in a bag.
Our favorite place to get basil is Trader Joe’s. You can get a whole plant for just a bit more than buying a tiny container of it. You don’t need much here, so buy the plant and use it again in a few days to make another recipe calling for basil (search for “basil” on this blog) or a healthful caprese salad (fresh tomatoes sliced with fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil and salt and pepper). We find our smoked mozzarella here as well.
Have your kids help you roll out the pizza dough, spread the pesto, and layer toppings. As you prepare and eat this dish together with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits they are providing their bodies:
- Hazelnuts provide your body with copper, which helps your blood pressure stay normal.
- Zucchini has vitamin C, which helps your blood cells do their job well.
- Basil contains oils that can help fight off bad bacteria.
A few facts about Italy and it’s people:
- Children are only required to attend school until they are 16 years old.
- Italy is mostly hilly and mountainous.
- Italy is mostly hilly and mountainous.
Adapted slightly from: Arugula Pesto Pizza with Zucchini
- ¼ cup hazelnuts
- 3 cups baby arugula
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- For the pizza:
- 1 par-baked pizza crust (unless you like really crispy crust, then bake it fully). Smaller pizzas are easier to handle, so divide the crust in ½ for 2 smaller pizzas, if desired.
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (preferably buffalo mozzarella), drained and sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Torn fresh basil, for topping
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Place a pizza stone or inverted rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F.
- Make the pesto:
- Lightly toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes; let cool.
- Transfer to a food processor and add the arugula, parsley, garlic and capers; pulse until almost smooth.
- With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until combined.
- Add the parmesan and pulse to combine; add 2 tablespoons water to loosen.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the pizza:
- Keep the prebaked crust on the baking sheet. Spread with the pesto and top with the mozzarella. Arrange the zucchini in overlapping rows on top.
- Sprinkle with the parmesan and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the hot pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown, start checking at 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with basil; season with salt and pepper.
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