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Fresh Tomato Topping with Mozzarella and Basil

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on September 19, 2011

Time

10 minutes

Yield

Tops one 14-inch pizza

Fresh Tomato Topping with Mozzarella and Basil

Ingredients

4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch piecesSalt and ground black pepper 2 medium cloves garlic, minced6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 ½ cups)1 ¼ ounces Parmesan cheese grated (about ½ cup)3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

Before You Begin

This recipe works very well with deep-dish pizza, (see related recipes).

Instructions

  1. Mix together tomatoes and garlic in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
  2. Top partially baked pizza crust evenly with tomato mixture followed by mozzarella, then Parmesan. Bake as directed in recipe. Scatter basil over fully baked pizza before cutting into wedges.
Fresh Tomato Topping with Mozzarella and Basil

Fresh Tomato Topping with Mozzarella and Basil

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

10 minutes

Yield

Tops one 14-inch pizza

Ingredients

4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 ½ cups)
1 ¼ ounces Parmesan cheese grated (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

Ingredients

4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 ½ cups)
1 ¼ ounces Parmesan cheese grated (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

Ingredients

4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 ½ cups)
1 ¼ ounces Parmesan cheese grated (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

Why This Recipe Works

We focused on the dough for our deep-dish pizza recipe, since these pizzas are 75 percent crust. The secret to a perfect crust came from an unlikely source: a potato. Also used in a recipe for focaccia dough that we liked, the potato contributed moisture as well as extra richness and sweetness to the dough.

Before You Begin

This recipe works very well with deep-dish pizza, (see related recipes).

Instructions

  1. Mix together tomatoes and garlic in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
  2. Top partially baked pizza crust evenly with tomato mixture followed by mozzarella, then Parmesan. Bake as directed in recipe. Scatter basil over fully baked pizza before cutting into wedges.

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