Garlic Scape Pesto Pizza
Garlic Scape Pesto Pizza is one of our favorite summer pizzas. I start this pizza by making my garlic scape pesto. Since garlic scapes are only available in early summer, I can only make this pesto this time of year. Next, I make pizza dough in my bread machine. Then, I top the pizza dough with the pesto, fresh mozzarella cheese and lots of cherry tomatoes. We like this pizza for several reasons. First of all, I like that this pizza uses all the fresh summer ingredients like the garlic scapes and farmstand tomatoes. Secondly, I like that all the components of this pizza can be prepped in advance. You can even make the pizza dough a couple days in advance. In fact, the flavor improves as it sits in the fridge. And, lastly, we all love the fresh and delicious flavors in this pizza.
The Equipment I Used
- A Bread Machine- You’ll need this to make this dough. But I’m attaching a recipe for my hand kneaded dough below.
- Pizza Stones- If you have one bake your pizza on a pizza stone.
- A Pizza Peel- I assemble my pizza on the peel so I can just slide it in the oven.
The Ingredients Needed for Garlic Scape Pesto Pizza
- Flour- Use all- purpose flour. I always use King Arthur flour.
- Yeast- Be sure to use active dry yeast. Don’t use instant or quick rising yeast.
- Garlic Scapes- You can find these at the farmer’s market or farmstand.
- Walnuts- I used walnuts for my pesto, but you could also use pine nuts.
How I Made my Pizza
- First, I made the pizza dough. If you want to make the dough in advance, just put it in a big oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a day or two.
- Next, I made the pesto.
- Finally, I added all the toppings and baked it until it was browned and bubbly.
If you like garlic, you need to make this cheesy and delicious Garlic Scape Pesto Pizza.
Garlic Scape Pesto Pizza
Two pizzas topped with fresh mozzarella, garlic scape and basil pesto, and cherry tomatoes.
Equipment
- Bread Machine
- 2 Pizza Stones
- 2 Pizza Peels
Ingredients
For the Bread Machine Pizza Dough:
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups all purpose flour (360g)
- 1 tsp. each honey and salt
- 2 tsp. active dry yeast
For The Basil Pesto Sauce:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cups fresh basil leaves
- ⅓ cup chopped garlic scapes (bulbs and tough stems removed)
- 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper
For the Pizza Toppings:
- 3½ cups fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, and divided
- 3 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes
For the Garnishes:
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Begin by making the pizza dough: Add all the ingredients to your bread machine, in the order suggested by the manufacturer of your bread machine. Select the dough cycle and press start.
- While the dough is rising, make the pesto sauce: Place all the ingredients, except the oil, in the food processor. Pulse until everything is ground up. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil. Process until the pesto is emulsified.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, with two pizza stones inside of it.
- When the dough cycle is done, dump the dough on to a floured board and divide in half. Press or roll the dough in to two twelve- inch circles, right on two parchment covered pizza peels. Brush them with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap and let them rise for thirty minutes. Top the dough rounds with about two thirds of the pesto sauce and the three cups of the mozzarella cheese.
- Using the pizza peels, slide the parchment and pizzas onto the pizza stones. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pizzas and top them with the tomatoes and a half cup more mozzarella. Bake for five minutes.
- Garnish the pizzas with the rest of the pesto, basil, and the red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Hand Kneaded Pizza Dough
Pizza dough mixed with a wooden spoon and kneaded by hand.
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
- 1 tsp. honey
- 2¼ tsp. active dry yeast
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a measuring cup, stir together the water and honey. Stir in the yeast. Let this mixture sit for five minutes.
- In a large bowl, stir together the bread flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and the oil, and stir until it's all combined. Dump it on to a floured board, and knead it for 8 minutes.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and turn the dough until it's all covered in oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for one hour.
- Divide the dough in half and roll into two circles. Place on two pizza pans, or pizza peels. Brush with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for thirty minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
