Lunch / Dinner
Margherita Deep-Dish Pizza with Pesto
If you want to get a debate going, ask people their preferred style of pizza. But ask anyone from Chicago and you know the answer — deep dish. Some say it’s more of a casserole encased in a buttery, flaky crust with layers of fillings. This cheesy, tomato and pesto pizza is the perfect vegetarian pizza that will satisfy meat eaters and non-meat eaters alike!
Ingredients
PRESS:
PURÉE:
COMBINE:
Test Kitchen Tip
Roma tomatoes (also called plum) have a meaty texture, and are an optimal choice for this pie. To ensure the pizza isn’t watery, be sure to seed the tomatoes before slicing and layering them.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450° with a pizza stone on bottom rack. Coat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with nonstick spray.
Press dough into a circular shape on a dry work surface, then roll into a 12-inch circle, ¼-inch thick.
Transfer dough to prepared skillet; press and tuck into the corners and up the sides. Dock the bottom and sides of dough with a fork.
Line dough with foil, being sure to expose edges of dough; fill with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake crust on pizza stone 5 minutes; lift out foil and beans. Continue baking crust on pizza stone 5 minutes more, then transfer to a rack and let cool.
Purée 2 cups basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and oil in a food processor; season with salt and pepper flakes. Spread pesto on bottom of crust.
Combine cheeses, then sprinkle half on top of pesto; top with tomatoes and remaining cheese.
Bake pizza on stone until cheese is bubbly and light brown, 20–25 minutes. Let pizza rest 10 minutes, then top with basil leaves.
After parbaking, gently tamp down the crust with the bottom of a measuring cup to deflate any dough bubbles.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 370
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 42mg 14%
Sodium 434mg 18%
Carbs 23g 7%
Protein 13g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.