Description
Celebrate the holiday season with this festive Christmas Pizza shaped like a tree, topped with vibrant red peppers, savory red onions, fresh basil pesto, and melty mozzarella cheese. This recipe combines a homemade or store-bought pizza dough with colorful toppings to create a delightful and delicious seasonal treat perfect for gatherings and family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Dough
- 1 ball Best Pizza Dough (or Food Processor Dough or Thin Crust Dough)
Toppings
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced, rinsed and patted dry
- 1/2 cup basil pesto (purchased, homemade, or vegan pesto)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: Follow the Best Pizza Dough recipe to prepare the dough. This process takes approximately 15 minutes to mix and knead the dough and 45 minutes to let it rest and rise.
- Preheat Oven and Pizza Stone: Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C). If you do not have a pizza stone, prepare a baking sheet to cook the pizza on.
- Prepare Toppings: Dice the red pepper. Thinly slice the red onion, rinse it under cool water, and pat dry to mellow its sharpness.
- Shape Dough: Dust a pizza peel, rimless baking sheet, or baking sheet with cornmeal or semolina flour. Roll out the dough into a triangle shape resembling a Christmas tree, adding a small rectangle at the base to form the trunk. Transfer the shaped dough onto the prepared peel or baking sheet.
- Add Pesto and Toppings: Spread a thin, even layer of basil pesto over the dough. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese generously on top. Decorate with the diced red peppers and sliced red onions, then sprinkle kosher salt to taste.
- Bake the Pizza: Using the pizza peel, slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone, or place the baking sheet directly into the oven. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden and crisp.
- Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy your festive Christmas Pizza!
Notes
- For best results, use a pizza stone preheated to 500°F to achieve a crispy crust.
- Rinsing the red onions under cold water removes some of their sharpness, making them milder and more pleasant on the pizza.
- Cornmeal or semolina flour on the peel or baking sheet helps the pizza slide easily onto the stone or oven surface.
- Customize toppings by adding other festive vegetables or vegan cheese alternatives as desired.
- Ensure that the dough is rolled evenly for even cooking.
