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15-Minute Margarita Pizza
I love pizza. In just about any shape or size, any topping. But margarita pizza might be my all-time favorite. The cheese is so melty, the tomatos are so warm and flavorful and the basil adds the perfect brightness. It's also one of my daughter's favorite pizzas - which makes it a total win!
Tuesdays are a busy day at my house - Hubs goes to work, I go to work, and we have an amazing "nanny-babysitter" that comes to play with the little one. But by the time I get home from working and get to see Caroline for a little bit, the last thing I want to do is spend an hour in the kitchen making dinner. So when I saw that Aldi had pre-made pizza crusts, I knew it would be perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
We went grocery shopping Monday night and stocked up on everything we needed for the week for lunch and dinner so I wouldn't be worried about what to make. I like to plan out dinners about a week ahead of time so it's a no-brainer when it comes time to make dinner, or plan meals. Our schedules are all over the place (but getting better!), so things that are easily re-heated or leave us plenty of leftovers are always a good idea.
I threw together this pizza in no time - By the time I had the pizza constructed, the oven was preheated and it was ready to bake. It's such a summertime staple, because we grow tomatoes and basil, so all we need is mozzarella (which we always have anyway), making this pizza not only quick but easy and a total no-brainer. There's no rhyme or reason when making this - the tomatoes don't have to be perfect, the mozzarella can go wherever you want and there can be as little, or as much as you want. My 2-year old loves to help!
Every time Hubby and I travel to Philadelphia, we make a point to go to Reading Terminal Market because not only do they have incredible food options, but they have a lot of boutique-style vendors where we pick up some amazing finds. Our favorite is The Tubby Olive. They have a huge assortment of small-batch infused olive oils and balsamics in to-die-for flavors. Right now, we have a few different bottles in the pantry. When we have cheese boards, burrata, or margarita pizza, the balsamic drizzle is a perfect finishing touch. For this margarita pizza, I used a Raspberry-Ginger. It sounds like an odd combination for pizza, BUT let me tell you - it has jsut the right amount of flavor and acidity to really make-or-break a dish.
Ingredients
1 pre-made pizza crust
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
Fresh mozzarella balls, cut in half
Olive Oil
Fresh basil to taste
salt
pepper
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
1. Preheat oven according to the directions on the pizza crust. Unwrap crust on a flat surface and drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the crust.
2. Layer the sliced tomatoes over the entire top of the pizza, overlapping if necessary. Next layer the sliced mozzarella balls over the tomato, as much or as little as you want. (Note: the more you use, the soggier your pizza may be after cooking)
3. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, scatter basil leaves on top, then bake for another 4-5 minutes, until cheese is melted.
4. Remove from oven, and drizzle with your favorite balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!
It really is that simple - and it hardly takes any time at all. Good for lunch or dinner (and there is usually a piece or two leftover for that midnight snack)