Friday night is movie night at my house and on movie night we often eat pizza. Sometimes I make it and other times I buy it – it all depends on how tired or lazy I feel. Either way, pizza and movies are a great way to unwind at the end of the working week.
My kids only ever eat one type of pizza – Hawaiian or Ham and Cheese. I’ve tried extending their pizza preferences but they turn up their nose at every other type of pizza. But that’s OK because it means that I can indulge my taste for ingredients like chilli, capers, anchovies, salami and Kalamata olives on my own pizza.
But yesterday my friend gave me a bag of home grown cherry tomatoes.
So today I decided to make myself a pizza using the tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil leaves.
Isn’t it pretty?
This type of cooking is almost effortless – a quick trip to the shops for the bases (I won’t faff around with yeast on movie night) and the pizzas can be prepared in all of 5 minutes. 15-18 minutes in the oven and dinner is ready.
Delicious food, fast. Too easy. The only problem? I’m not sure I can wait until next Friday to make this again.
Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella and Fresh Basil Pizza
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pizza base (uncooked pre-made base or Phoenician bread)
- 5 tablespoons pizza paste or tomato paste
- 60 grams Parmesan, shredded
- 80 grams whole Mozzarella in water
- 13-15 baby or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- Handful fresh basil leaves to garnish
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Ladle the pizza sauce on the base and then use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly.
- Sprinkle over Parmesan and then roughly tear Mozzarella into small pieces and arrange it on the pizza base.
- Arrange tomatoes over the cheese cut side up and then bake in the oven on a pizza tray or stone for 12-18 minutes (an uncooked base will need longer – check packet directions) or until cooked through.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and tuck in. No cutlery required.
NOTES
- Quantities can easily be multiplied.
- Best eaten immediately.
More pizza recipes
More fast meals
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