The usual standard for white pizza is to use ricotta cheese. While I do like ricotta (heck I like nearly every cheese), I don’t usually have it in my fridge. So, I switched cheeses and used mozzarella instead. The nice thing about this recipe (or nearly any pizza recipe) it’s flexible and you can change it to suit your tastes or whatever ingredients you have at hand.
In this case, I used chopped garlic, olive oil, and dried basil, plus a dusting of grated parmesan.
I made the dough myself, from the Smitten Kitchen pizza dough recipe for one, but you can use store-bought dough if you don’t have the time or energy to make it yourself. Many supermarkets sell it, or you can try your local pizza place.
Once the dough is ready (or bought), all you have to do is chop the garlic, shred the cheese, and sprinkle basil over your dough. If you’re really pressed for time (or feeling lazy) use the pre-shredded mozzarella. I recommend you get the fresh if possible though; it tastes much better.
Note: the pizza is a light tan because I’ve been using King Arthur white whole wheat instead of all-purpose flour. I find it’s tastier than white flour, but not as dense and heavy as standard whole wheat.
This personal white pizza is made without ricotta, but does have fresh mozzarella, garlic, and olive oil.
Ingredients
- Store bought or homemade pizza dough
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 T olive oil
- 1/2 C grated fresh mozzarella
- 1/2 tsp grated parmesan
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- dusting of cornmeal (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
- Shred the mozzarella cheese.
- If you bought your dough, cut it in half. Set the other half aside and use another day.
- Press the air out of the dough and push it out into a rough circle.
- Combine the garlic and olive oil in a small ramekin. Brush the mixture over the pizza.
- Sprinkle the cheeses over the dough, and add the basil.
- If you don't have a nonstick pan, sprinkle some cornmeal over a flat sheet pan or a pizza stone so it doesn't stick)
- Put the pizza into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly.
Substitutions and Variations for Pizza Without Ricotta
Of course, there are almost as many possibilities for this as there are ingredients.
- Use a mixture of mozzarella and goat cheese
- Add mushrooms and/or eggplant
- Saute some spinach and add that on top
- Try some caramelized onions and/or sun-dried tomatoes
- Use manchego instead of parmesan
Tools and Ingredients for White Pizza Without Ricotta
As much as I love my zester, there are times when only an old-fashioned box grater will do the job. The zester grates far too finely for this purpose. This box grater is from Oxo, so it’s easy to hold. It even comes with a little container to catch all the grated cheese (so it doesn’t get all over your counter). The container (and its lid) all fit inside the grater, to take up less space in your kitchen. Or, you can use the closed container to store any leftovers until the next time.
I’m not normally a non-stick fan, but this pan has held up really well over the years. It’s the perfect size for a single person pizza too. And, since it’s nonstick I don’t need to do anything to keep the pizza (or anything else) from sticking. It cleans up easily, and the lid fits lots of other pans, so I can see how well my food is cooking.
More Pizza Recipes
Rosemary Potato Roasted Garlic Pizza
Another no tomato sauce pizza, this one is a Roman classic, call it potato chip pizza if you like. Because if one starch is good, two starches are better!
Goat Cheese Caramelized Onion Pizza
Goat cheese, and lots of veggies are another different twist on the usual pizza. Switch it around with spinach, mozzarella, and whatever veggies suit you. You could even crumble some sausage on top.
The super-lazy at home pizza. Just make a tortilla crust (or even use a pita bread or pre-made tortilla), pile on the veggies and toppings, and you’re good to go.