Ingredients

  • 1 store-bought pizza dough or one from your favorite pizzeria
  • Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
  • 2 cups whole or part-skim ricotta
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese (1 pre-shredded pouch)
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons red pepper chili flakes, optional
  • 10 leaves fresh basil, 1/2 cup, shredded
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal, for sprinkling, optional

Yield

Serves: 6 servings

Preparation

Preheat a pizza stone (if you use one) along with the oven to 425F.

Stretch the dough to form a pie and transfer it to a pizza stone or baking tray.

If using a baking tray, sprinkle with some cornmeal to give a little extra crunch and prevent the dough from sticking to the pan. Drizzle EVOO around the crust. In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with garlic and parsley, and season with salt and black pepper. Spread the ricotta across the dough then top with mozzarella or provolone.

Bake it until crispy, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with the shredded basil leaves and red pepper flakes if desired. Cut into large pieces and serve.