We’re reveling in the arrival of summertime and all the joy, warmth, and of course tasty food that comes with it. One of our favorite ways to savor garden fresh produce and warm late evenings is with a pizza party. You can either lay out a spread for a make-your-own pizza or be prepared with a handful of your favorite combinations. One of our top choices for this time of year is the Sunshine. Featuring the sun-kissed flavors of Italy, these pesto pizza toppings will instantly drench you in the warmth of a summer afternoon. 

Pair this pizza with a Negroni, a cucumber salad, and Bona Furtuna’s Pizza Night Spotify playlist.

THE SUNSHINE PIZZA 

Serves 1-2

INGREDIENTS

▢ Ancient Grain Pizza Dough
▢ Basil Almond Pesto
▢ Sun-Dried Tomatoes
▢ Torn mozzarella
▢ Invecchiato 7-year Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
▢ Torn fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your pizza oven. If you don’t have a pizza oven, preheat your oven to 500°F. 
2. If you have a pizza stone, use it to bake your pizza, heating it up in the oven as the oven preheats. If not, place a piece of parchment paper on the backside of a metal sheet pan. 
3. On a well-floured surface stretch out the dough with your hands to achieve a perfect rustic crust. If you feel comfortable handling the dough in your hands, pinch the edges and rotate the dough in a circular direction, allowing gravity to do the work of stretching the dough. This allows for the crust to hold structure while the center thins out. 
4. Place the dough onto your sheet pan. Spoon 1-2 tbsp of Basil Almond Pesto onto the dough. Using the back of the spoon, spread the pesto evenly around the dough. 
5. Rinse the Sun-Dried Tomatoes and cut them into thin strips. Spread a pinch or two of tomato strips around the pizza. A little goes a long way. 
6. Spread a few pieces of torn mozzarella over the top of the pizza. 
7. If using a pizza stone, carefully slide the pizza off the sheet pan and onto the hot stone in the oven. If not using the stone, simply place the parchment lined sheet pan into the oven and bake 7-10 minutes until the crust is browned and cooked through. 
8. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and garnish with fresh basil. 
9. Mangiamo.