Zesty Summer Lemon Pizza (Print Version)
Bright, tangy lemon pizza with creamy cheese, arugula, and fresh herbs for a light summer meal.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 1 ball (about 10.5 oz) fresh pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
→ Cheese & Sauce
02 - 4.2 oz crème fraîche or ricotta cheese
03 - 1 garlic clove, minced
04 - 4.2 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
05 - 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
→ Toppings
06 - 1 unwaxed lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
07 - 1 tsp lemon zest
08 - 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1.8 oz arugula
10 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
11 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 475°F or its highest setting. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven during preheating.
02 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to your desired thickness. Transfer the shaped dough onto a sheet of parchment paper.
03 - In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche or ricotta with the minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir until smooth.
04 - Spread the garlic-cream mixture evenly across the dough, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges.
05 - Arrange the mozzarella slices in an even layer over the sauce. Scatter the grated Parmesan on top.
06 - Place the lemon slices over the cheese in a slightly overlapping pattern. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
07 - Carefully transfer the pizza on its parchment paper onto the hot pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
08 - Remove from the oven and immediately top with arugula, lemon zest, and fresh basil leaves. Slice into portions and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon slices caramelize in the oven and turn into something between a condiment and candy, sweet and sharp at the same time.
- It comes together in about half an hour, which means you can pull it off on a weeknight without breaking a sweat.
02 -
- Thin lemon slices are everything, because thick ones stay chewy and bitter instead of softening into something sweet and jammy.
- Do not skip the parchment paper transfer method, unless you enjoy the heartbreak of a beautiful pizza folded in half and stuck to a peel.
03 -
- If your oven maxes out below 250 degrees C, give it a few extra minutes and stretch the dough thinner so the crust still crisps properly.
- A mandoline makes perfectly even lemon slices in seconds, and uniform slices means they all caramelize at the same rate.