Homemade White Pizza with Ricotta, Mozzarella and Garlic Oil

Name: Homemade White Pizza with Ricotta, Mozzarella and Garlic Oil
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) store-bought or homemade pizza dough, one ball, at room temperature for 45–60 minutes; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the counter; 4 large cloves (20 g) garlic, peeled and finely minced; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup (240 g) whole-milk ricotta, well drained; ½ cup (40 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 1 tsp (2 g) lemon, zest only, finely grated; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ¼ tsp (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 8 oz (225 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups); 2 tbsp (10 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling; ¼ cup (6 g) fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A crisp-edged, tomato-free pizza topped with garlicky olive oil, lemony whipped-style ricotta, and bubbling mozzarella and Parmesan. It uses store-bought dough, so it's easy enough for a weeknight and tastes like a pizzeria pie.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 53 min
Total: 1 hr 35 min
Makes: 1 large pizza (about 13-inch / 33 cm), 8 slices

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Ingredients

4 servings

1 lb (450 g) store-bought or homemade pizza dough, one ball, at room temperature for 45–60 minutes
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the counter
For the garlic oil
4 large cloves (20 g) garlic, peeled and finely minced
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the ricotta spread
1 cup (240 g) whole-milk ricotta, well drained
½ cup (40 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 tsp (2 g) lemon, zest only, finely grated
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For topping and finishing
8 oz (225 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups)
2 tbsp (10 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
¼ cup (6 g) fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)

Equipment (9)

Pizza stone, baking steel, or heavy rimmed baking sheet (about 13×18-inch / 33×46 cm)
Pizza peel or a rimless baking sheet or cutting board for transferring
Parchment paper (about 15×15-inch / 38×38 cm sheet)
Small saucepan or skillet
Fine-mesh strainer
Medium mixing bowl
Pastry brush or spoon
Box grater
Pizza cutter or sharp knife

Steps

Before you start

Take the dough out of the fridge 45–60 minutes before shaping. Cold dough fights you and tears when you stretch it.
Put a pizza stone, baking steel, or an upside-down heavy rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes.
If your ricotta looks wet or watery, drain it in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl while the dough rests.
Shred the mozzarella from a block yourself. It melts better than bagged shreds, which are coated to prevent clumping.
Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella packed in water. Fresh mozzarella will make this pizza soggy.

1
Preheat and rest doughOven 500°F / 260°C
- Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or upside-down rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes.
- While the oven heats, leave the dough ball covered with a clean towel on the counter.
- Set the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl to drain.
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Ready when: Dough feels soft and slightly puffy and stretches without snapping back.
Tip: A properly preheated stone or steel is what gives you a crisp, browned bottom crust.
2
Warm the garlic oil
- In a small saucepan, combine the minced garlic and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil.
- Warm over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic smells sweet and fragrant and tiny bubbles form around it.
- Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Garlic is pale golden at most, soft, and fragrant, with no dark brown edges.
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown. Browned garlic turns bitter and will burn in a 500°F oven.
3
Mix the ricotta
- Discard the liquid in the bowl under the ricotta.
- In a medium bowl, stir the drained ricotta with 1/2 cup (40 g) Parmesan, the lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cooled garlic oil (leave the garlic pieces behind in the pan) and stir until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
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Ready when: Mixture is thick, smooth, and spreadable like soft frosting.
4
Stretch the dough
- Lay a 15-inch (38 cm) square of parchment on your peel or a rimless baking sheet.
- Dust the counter lightly with flour.
- Press the dough ball into a flat disc, then stretch it with your hands, working from the center out and rotating, to a round about 13 inches (33 cm) wide and 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
- Transfer it to the parchment.
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Ready when: Dough is an even round with a slightly thicker rim and no see-through holes.
Tip: If the dough springs back, cover it with a towel and rest 5 minutes, then keep stretching. If a hole forms, pinch it closed.
5
Oil and spread ricotta
- Using a spoon or pastry brush, spread the remaining garlic oil with the garlic bits over the dough, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border bare.
- Drop the ricotta mixture over the oil in spoonfuls, then gently spread it into a thin, even layer with the back of the spoon, keeping the border clear.
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Ready when: Ricotta covers the center in a thin layer with small patches of oil showing through.
Tip: Work quickly. Dough topped for too long gets damp and sticks to the parchment.
6
Add the cheeses
- Scatter the shredded mozzarella evenly over the ricotta, then sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons (10 g) Parmesan.
- Check that the pizza slides freely on the peel with a gentle shake.
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Ready when: Cheese blankets the center, with the outer 1 inch of crust still bare.
7
Bake the pizzaOven 500°F / 260°C
- Slide the pizza, parchment and all, onto the hot stone, steel, or baking sheet in the 500°F (260°C) oven.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating the pizza front to back after 6 minutes if your oven heats unevenly.
- Remove with the peel when the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is bubbling with brown spots.
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Ready when: Crust edge is deep golden brown, cheese is bubbling with a few browned spots, and the underside is browned and firm when lifted with a spatula.
Tip: After 8 minutes you can carefully slip the parchment out from under the pizza for a crisper bottom.
8
Finish, rest, and slice
- Transfer the pizza to a cutting board.
- Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil and scatter with the torn basil and the red pepper flakes, if using.
- Let it rest for 3 minutes so the cheese sets, then cut into 8 slices and serve hot.
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Ready when: Cheese is no longer runny and the slices hold their shape when lifted.
Tip: Add the basil after baking. It turns black and bitter in a 500°F oven.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the toppings light. A thin layer of ricotta and not too much cheese keeps the crust crisp instead of soggy.
Stretch the dough by hand rather than rolling it. A rolling pin pushes out the air bubbles that make the crust light and chewy.
Leave the 1-inch border bare. It puffs into a airy, blistered crust and keeps cheese from burning on the pan.
For extra flavor, add thinly sliced caramelized onions or a handful of baby spinach (squeezed dry) on top of the ricotta before the mozzarella.

Make ahead

"The ricotta mixture and garlic oil can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in separate covered containers. Bring both to room temperature for 30 minutes before using, and rewarm the oil briefly if it has solidified. Shred the mozzarella up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate."

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze slices on a tray, then wrap tightly for up to 2 months. To reheat, warm slices in a 425°F (220°C) oven on a baking sheet for 8–10 minutes (12–15 from frozen), or in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes to crisp the bottom.

Substitutions

whole-milk ricotta → cottage cheese, blended smooth and well drained, or mascarpone. Cottage cheese is a bit saltier, so reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp. Mascarpone gives a richer, creamier layer.
low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella → provolone or a mozzarella-provolone blend. Provolone adds a sharper, more savory flavor and melts just as well.
fresh basil leaves → fresh flat-leaf parsley or 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves. Add after baking for the freshest flavor.
store-bought or homemade pizza dough → 2 large naan or 2 par-baked 10-inch crusts. Bake 6–8 minutes at 450°F (230°C) until the cheese melts and the edges brown.