Description
This Blackberry Ricotta Pizza with Basil offers a delightful blend of sweet, savory, and fresh flavors. Using a crispy pizza crust as the base, the pizza is layered with smashed blackberries as a unique sauce, a blend of Parmesan and Swiss cheeses, creamy ricotta dollops, and topped with whole blackberries, green onions, and fresh basil. Baked to golden perfection, this pizza is perfect for a creative and flavorful meal experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Base and Toppings
- 1 pizza dough recipe (to make one 12-inch pizza)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup blackberries (fresh, smashed)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup Swiss cheese or mozzarella (shredded)
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup blackberries (whole)
- 1/4 cup green onions (chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
- Ground pepper (to taste, recommend generous amount)
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Place a pizza stone inside the oven if you have one, to preheat as well for an evenly cooked crust.
- Prepare Dough: Roll out your pizza dough on a floured sheet of parchment paper to about 12 inches in diameter. If you don’t have a pizza stone, transfer the dough to a baking sheet.
- Oil the Dough: Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the dough and use your fingers or a pastry brush to spread it evenly, focusing especially on the edges to create a crispy crust.
- Apply Blackberry Sauce: In a bowl, mash 1/2 cup of fresh blackberries with a fork until pulpy but not completely smooth. Ladle and spread this mixture evenly over the oiled dough, similar to how you would spread traditional pizza sauce. Reserve the leftover juice for drinking if desired.
- Add Cheese Layers: Sprinkle the smashed blackberry layer with 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of shredded Swiss or mozzarella cheese, making sure to cover the surface and edges well.
- Dollop Ricotta: Spoon dollops of ricotta cheese (about 3/4 cup) evenly over the top. It doesn’t have to be perfectly spread; rustic dollops work great.
- Top with Whole Blackberries and Green Onions: Scatter whole fresh blackberries (1/2 cup) and chopped green onions (1/4 cup) evenly over the pizza surface for extra freshness and flavor contrast.
- Season: Lightly sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the toppings and add ground pepper generously according to your taste preference.
- Bake Pizza: Carefully transfer the pizza (still on parchment) onto the preheated pizza stone or an oven-safe baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown and the crust is crisp. Optionally, broil for 1 minute to crisp and brown the top further.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately sprinkle with 2-3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil. Slice and serve warm for a delicious sweet-savory pizza experience.
Notes
- Using a pizza stone helps achieve a crispier crust but a baking sheet works fine as well.
- The mashed blackberry sauce adds natural sweetness and tanginess, balancing the richness of the cheeses.
- Fresh basil added after baking retains its vibrant flavor and aroma.
- You can substitute Swiss cheese with mozzarella depending on availability and preference.
- Broiling at the end is optional for a crispier cheese topping.
- Leftover blackberry juice can be enjoyed as a refreshing drink instead of discarding.
