Tomato-Pesto Pizza with Basil and Goat Cheese Stuffed Crust

How do you make a pizza topped with basil pesto, fresh tomatoes, and mozzarella better? Stuff the crust with goat cheese!

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Quick non-food discussion. The sales going on right now are killing me. I’m trying to be good and not shop for things I don’t really need or have the money for, but my physical and internet mailbox are full of coupons and sale information. Must trash/delete before viewing, but sometimes I just have to look.

What if that one thing I’ve wanted for months finally went on sale? Right?? Then again, with how packed my schedule has been this month I don’t think I’d have time to shop anyway… but there’s the internet. I need to lock away my debit & credit cards.

On to this pizza! This is kind of an elevated caprese pizza because it has most of the elements (tomato, basil, mozzarella) but with a little something extra – a goat cheese-basil mixture stuffed inside the crust. Oh yea, you read that right. 

I guess it could have also been topped off with a balsamic glaze to really seal the deal. Next time ;-).

The crust = amazing. So much so that it may become the “normal” crust for any pizza I make. I tried it with both the creamier and crumblier types of goat cheese and I’m definitely all for the creamier version.

When I first bit into the crust, it reminded me of the goat cheese gnocchi dish that I am obsessed with. Did I say this crust was amazing yet? ‘Cause it is.

For my first round with this crust, I went with an expected pairing: tomatoes and mozzarella. But I threw in some extras with pesto (to compliment the basil in the crust) and some bacon! Being a meatatarian I had to have some sort of meat on my pizza O:-).

It’s going to be difficult to convince myself to try other toppings with this crust though, because I think I nailed it on this one already! Even the second time I made it I went with the same toppings.

Post updated 8/18/20, the two photos above are the originals.

TOMATO-PESTO PIZZA WITH BASIL AND GOAT CHEESE STUFFED CRUST

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Yield: 3-4 Servings Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pizza dough
• 5 oz goat cheese
• 1/3 cup freshly chopped basil
• Salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup prepared pesto
• 8 oz fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• 1 Roma tomato, sliced
• 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• Fresh Parmesan Cheese
• Italian seasoning, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees with the pizza stone on the middle rack*; let preheat for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, roll out the dough and place on a corn-meal dusted pizza peel*.
3. In a small bowl, combine goat cheese and basil until mixed. Season to taste with salt. Along the outer edge place goat cheese around the entire rim. Fold dough over top and press down to seal the top to the bottom.
4. Smear the pesto over the pizza dough. Cover the pizza thoroughly with mozzarella. Next, lay thin slices of Roma tomatoes over the mozzarella, followed by the crumbled bacon. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the pizza and Italian seasoning if desired.
5. Shimmy onto the pizza stone and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Notes

*If you don't have a pizza stone and/or peel you can assemble and cook on a baking sheet.

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