The Perfect Pizzas for Summer: 5 Recipe Ideas to Elevate Your Homemade Pizza Game
Can’t it just stay summer forever? How great would that be?! And while the great British weather often leaves a lot to be desired, when it’s on song, those long days and warm, balmy evenings present the perfect opportunity to round up friends and family and throw a gathering to remember.
And there’s no better way to celebrate the season than with a pizza party, where everyone can enjoy the delicious flavours of freshly baked grub, the camaraderie of good company and the fun of creating their own culinary masterpieces.
But why is pizza so good for gatherings? One of the key reasons is that, being arguably the most versatile dish ever, it can be topped with all manner of ingredients that appeal to both simple and more sophisticated tastes, and crucially, can be adapted to fit the seasons.
So to try and simplify (and inspire) your next pizza bash, here are 5 summer topping suggestions that work perfectly with our hand-stretched pizza bases and dough balls.
Roasted Garlic Chicken Pesto Pizza
Garlic and pesto are two flavours that seem made for each other. When combined with the juicy chicken chunks, every bite of this pizza is a burst of flavour. Simple, delicious and fresh, this lighter homemade pizza screams summer.
Ingredients:
2-3 cloves roasted garlic (finely chopped).
⅓ cup (80ml) homemade or shop-bought basil pesto.
1 cup of cooked sliced chicken breast (roughly one 225g breast).
1 ½ cups (168g) shredded mozzarella cheese.
Fresh basil for topping (optional).
Simply top your dough or hand-stretched base evenly with garlic, then spread the pesto on top. Add the chicken, before sprinkling on the cheese and putting in the oven. As an optional extra, top with fresh basil to add a pop of colour and a hint of herby freshness.
Chopped Italian Salad Pizza
It’s time to ditch your go-to salad box. This chopped Italian salad pizza is a far better way to eat your greens. Add to one of your hand-stretched pizza bases, and this beauty is as easy to toss together as a bowl of kale.
Ingredients:
¼ cup red wine vinegar.
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
Pinch dried oregano.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
1 cup ricotta cheese.
1 head Bibb lettuce.
1 cup microgreens.
½ small red onion, thinly sliced into rings.
½ cup pepperoncini.
1 cup fresh mozzarella balls.
First, make your dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard and oregano. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside for later. Spread the ricotta in an even layer on top of the dough, and season this with salt and pepper too.
Transfer to your oven and bake. Once cooked, let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes. While the pizza’s resting, take a large bowl and toss together the lettuce, microgreens and the salad dressing you made earlier. Transfer to the pizza, and garnish with an even layer of red onion, pepperoncini and mozzarella balls.
Baking Sheet Pizza with Olives & Tomatoes
This one goes to show you don’t need a pizza stone or wood-burning oven to reach pizza nirvana. That gorgeous, crackly crust can be achieved with your trusty baking sheet. This recipe starts with our Italiana or Wildfarmed pizza dough balls and ends with marinated olives for that punch of extra flavour. Sliced into squares when it’s done, this pizza is the ultimate summer party food.
Ingredients:
1⅓ cups Homemade Pizza Club Classic Pizza sauce.
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese.
1½ cups diced provolone cheese.
½ red onion (thinly sliced).
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes.
1½ cups pitted marinated olives.
Preheat your oven to 230-240°C. Grease a baking sheet with 3 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil. Gently stretch the pizza dough over the baking sheet and then use your fingers to stipple the dough further. Brush the surface of the dough with the remaining olive oil and set it aside to rest for 15-20 minutes.
Next, spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the Parmesan, mozzarella and provolone evenly over the sauce and arrange the red onion, sun-dried tomatoes and olives in an even layer. Pop the pizza in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is well browned, which should take approx. 18-20 minutes. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving warm.
Spicy Sausage Pizza with Burrata
A spicy sausage pizza might not initially scream “summer”, but the addition of veggies and the cool and creamy Burrata add a freshness that compliment the meat perfectly and create a stunning pizza that’s bursting with flavour.
Ingredients:
⅓ cup Boursin cheese.
450g precooked spicy sausage (sliced).
2 cups broccoli (finely chopped).
3 cups kale (finely shredded).
170g burrata cheese
Fresh basil leaves (garnish)
Crushed red pepper flakes (garnish)
Freshly ground black pepper (garnish)
To begin, spread the Boursin cheese onto your hand-stretched pizza base or dough in an even layer. In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat, and cook the sliced sausage, tossing occasionally until it’s golden brown on both sides.
Pre-cook the broccoli and kale and leave to cool, before spreading over the pizza along with the sausage. Dollop the burrata on top of the pizza, and finally garnish with the basil, crushed red-pepper flakes and black pepper.
Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
This one’s a little bit different, but if you’ve ever tried to eat a slice of pizza at a party while standing and holding a drink in your other hand, you’ll know it’s the worst! The solution: pepperoni pizza rolls – perfect for adults and kids alike. It's all the goodness of pizza, rolled up into a convenient finger food.
Ingredients:
¾ cup Homemade Pizza Club Classic Pizza sauce
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
8 ounces sliced pepperoni
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a ½-inch-thick rectangle (it should be about 17” by 13” - but there’s no need to be exact.) Spread the pizza sauce into an even layer over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the oregano, garlic powder and red pepper flakes evenly over the sauce.
Arrange the pepperoni slices in an even layer over the top and sprinkle the cheese in an even layer on top. Starting with the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough away from you into a tight spiral, then pop it in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Use a serrated knife to slice it into 12 even rolls and pop them into your outdoor pizza or domestic oven to bake. When the filling is bubbly and melted, remove and let them cool for 5 minutes before serving.
