Description
This Lemon Pizza recipe features a fresh and zesty twist on classic pizza by incorporating lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh herbs into the topping, creating a bright and flavorful dish perfect for a light meal or appetizer. Using easy no-knead pizza dough and a simple olive oil-brine mixture, this pizza bakes to golden perfection with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese complementing the citrus notes.
Ingredients
Dough and Base
- 1 ball Easy pizza dough (or store-bought dough)
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Brine Mixture
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Cheese and Toppings
- 5 oz (150 grams) fresh mozzarella (or from ½ to ⅓ cup shredded firm mozzarella)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (for topping)
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (for garnish)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Follow the easy no-knead pizza dough recipe through step 5, including shaping the dough and preheating the oven to prepare for baking.
- Prepare the Cheese: If using fresh mozzarella in water, cut it into ½ inch thick slices and dab with paper towel if watery to remove excess moisture.
- Shape the Dough: Place the dough on a parchment paper sheet and gently press it out with your fingers starting from the center until you achieve approximately a 9×13 inch pizza. Transfer the dough gently onto a pizza peel or the back of a rimmed baking sheet.
- Make the Brine: In a glass jar with a lid, combine chopped fresh parsley, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt, and pepper. Shake well until emulsified.
- Add the Topping: After stretching out the dough, create a few dimples with your fingers and evenly scatter the brine mixture over the dough, allowing some to fill the dimples. Then add the prepared mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake the Pizza: Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven. Bake until the crust and cheese are nicely browned, approximately 8-10 minutes in a forced fan oven. Adjust time as needed depending on your oven.
- Finish and Serve: Once baked, top the pizza with fresh lemon juice, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Add freshly ground black pepper or chili flakes if desired. Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
- For best results, use a pizza stone preheated in the oven to achieve a crispy crust.
- If fresh mozzarella is watery, removing excess moisture helps prevent a soggy pizza.
- The lemon brine is key to adding bright citrus flavor combined with garlic and herbs.
- Adjust black pepper and chili flakes according to your taste preference for spice.
- This recipe serves 2 but can be scaled up by increasing dough and toppings proportionally.
