Oil-Infused Cherry Tomato
Italian Bacon Pizza
A crispy, airy pizza featuring the sweetness of oil-infused cherry tomatoes and the savory crunch of Italian bacon. This beginner-friendly recipe is a winter flavor party.
In the depth of winter, few things bring warmth to a kitchen like the smell of herbs and tomatoes simmering in golden olive oil. This pizza recipe embraces simplicity, focusing on building an airy, high-gluten dough that serves as the perfect canvas for savory Italian bacon and sweet, burst-in-your-mouth cherry tomatoes. It is a true testament to how quality, simple ingredients can create a flavor profile that feels sophisticated yet entirely accessible for any home cook.
Ingredients
- 300 g high-gluten flour
- 3 g low-sugar yeast
- 5 g salt
- 180 ml cold water
- 15 ml olive oil
- 150 g cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 100 g Italian bacon
- 150 g mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp pizza sauce
- optional parmesan cheese
- optional fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- 1Combine dry ingredients
Add the high-gluten flour, low-sugar yeast, and salt into a large mixing bowl. These dry components form the foundation of your pizza dough.
Tip: Ensure your yeast is fresh for the best rise. - 2Add water and oil
Pour the cold water and olive oil into the bowl with the dry flour mixture. Use cold water to control the fermentation process.
Tip: Adding the liquid slowly helps in easier mixing. - 3Knead the dough
Knead the mixture by hand directly in the bowl until a cohesive dough ball forms. Continue until the dough is smooth and uniform.
Tip: Wear food-safe gloves to keep your hands clean during the kneading process. - 4Prepare tomatoes
Take your fresh cherry tomatoes and slice each one in half on a wooden cutting board to prepare them for the oil infusion.
Tip: Using a sharp knife makes slicing cherry tomatoes effortless. - 5Infuse the oil
Add fresh rosemary, garlic cloves, and olive oil into a small pot. Heat gently to infuse the oil with the fragrant herbal and garlic notes.
Tip: Use low heat to avoid burning the garlic. - 6Cook the tomatoes
Add the prepared halved cherry tomatoes into the pot with the hot oil and herb mixture. Sauté them briefly until they are coated and fragrant.
Tip: Be careful when adding tomatoes to hot oil to avoid splashing. - 7Stretch and fold the dough
Take the rested dough and perform a series of stretch-and-fold motions. Pull the edge of the dough upwards and fold it towards the center, rotating the bowl as you go. This process helps to build the gluten structure, ensuring a light and airy crust for your pizza.
Tip: Be gentle during the stretch-and-fold to avoid deflating the air pockets youre trying to build. - 8Divide the dough
Once the dough has fermented and doubled in size, turn it out onto a work surface lightly dusted with cornmeal. Use a plastic dough scraper to carefully divide the dough into two equal portions. Handle the dough gently to maintain the structure developed during fermentation.
Tip: Cornmeal prevents the dough from sticking to the surface and adds a nice texture to the bottom of the crust. - 9Shape the pizza base
Take one portion of the dough and gently press outwards from the center using your fingertips. Aim to push the air towards the edges to create a slightly thicker, puffy crust while keeping the center thin. Ensure the base has an even, round shape.
Tip: Avoid using a rolling pin, as it will crush the air bubbles and make the crust dense instead of airy. - 10Dock the pizza base
After shaping the dough into your desired size, use a fork to poke holes across the center of the pizza base. This technique, known as docking, prevents the center of the pizza from puffing up excessively during the baking process, ensuring an even crust.
Tip: Only dock the center portion; leave the outer edge untouched to allow the crust to rise and get airy. - 11Apply the sauce
Spoon an even layer of red pizza sauce onto the center of your prepared dough base. Using the back of the spoon, spread the sauce in a circular motion, leaving a small border for the crust. Avoid using too much sauce to keep the crust from becoming soggy.
Tip: Start from the center and spread outwards to control the distribution and thickness of the sauce layer. - 12Add toppings
Sprinkle a generous layer of mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Arrange the prepared oil-infused cherry tomatoes and bacon slices evenly across the pizza. These flavorful toppings will cook beautifully in the high heat of the oven, keeping the pizza juicy and delicious.
Tip: Make sure your toppings are distributed evenly to ensure every slice has a perfect balance of flavor.
