I struggled in my head for a while about whether I should call this a pizza or a flatbread. I even turned to google in hopes of figuring out what the heck the difference between a pizza and a flatbread were and all I got was the reassurance that I am not the only person in the world that does not know the difference. In fact, I couldn’t find one site that had a strict definition of either.
I mostly found articles that talked about the type of dough that was used to make a flatbread, and since I did use pizza dough for this recipe (pizza dough recipe from Minimalist Baker, by far the best, and easiest, gluten free pizza I have ever had!), I finally just decided to call it a pizza. Anyone out there know the rules on flatbread vs. pizza? If so, I would love to hear your opinion!
No matter what you call it, this recipe is delicious and it will be your new best friend. Ever since I made my first batch of almond ricotta, I’ve been dreaming about making it again and adding a different flavor twist to it. This time I added basil and roasted garlic and it was even better than my first batch.
This almond ricotta really does have a similar taste and texture to real ricotta and I don’t think you will be disappointed. But you are also more than welcome to make this with real ricotta cheese and just blend in the garlic and basil.
Pizza is definitely one of my weaknesses, and I really love experimenting with alternative toppings to put on it.
Roasted cherry tomatoes are pretty much my favorite thing ever right now so I had to include them. They make for a really great alternative to tomato sauce. I’m also the type of person that tends to pile their salad right on top of their pizza when I eat it, so I decided to take a shortcut and place the greens and dressing right on top of the pizza.
I promise that I won’t be complaining to you about the heat all summer, but maybe just one more time š I started this little blog this past December. Our house is really built for desert living, which is great because in the summer it stays pretty cool and doesn’t allow for much sun to come in, but that also means that we don’t get a ton of natural light in the house, which = bad for photography. For that reason, I take all of my photos for this blog outside. I have a little table that I move around the yard depending on where the best light is. Up until now, it has worked really great and I have finally learned where the best light is at all different times of the day. The only problem now is that it is so hot outside that I start sweating after 5 minutes of being out there and god forbid I want to photograph a salad, it is wilted almost immediately. Also, you wouldn’t think there would be mosquitoes in the desert since there is no water, but apparently we have a bunch here and unfortunately, they love me.
Since I’m talking about my photography studio, a.k.a my yard, I thought it would be fun to share a behind the scenes food photo-shoot picture with you!
As I said before, please feel free to use regular ricotta in this recipe if you would like, and just blend it up with the garlic and basil. If you are in need of a roasted garlic recipe, check this one out! But first, I should warn you that these photos were my first attempt to use indoor fluorescent photo lights and they were also before I knew what white balance was!
Basil & Roasted Garlic Ricotta Pizza with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula & Baslamic Reduction {gf+v}
- Yield: 4 - 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 serving of pizza dough
- 2 cups almond ricotta cheese (recipe below) or regular ricotta cheese
- 1 head of roasted garlic, about 8 – 10 cloves
- 1 small bunch of basil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 – 3 cups arugula
- balsamic reduction sauce (recipe below)
- 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Almond Ricotta Recipe:
- 2 cups blanched, or slivered, almonds, soaked in water for at least 6 hours
- 1 cup of water
- pinch of salt
- Recipe: Drain the almonds and place them in the food processor with the water and salt and blend until creamy, a few minutes.
Balsamic Reduction Recipe:
- 2 cups balsamic vinegar
- Recipe: add the vinegar to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 30-40 minutes, until mixture has reduced to half its size and has a thick consistency.
Instructions
- Bake the pizza dough, according to directions, until it is cooked through. Set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. On a large sheet pan, lined with parchment paper, add the cherry tomatoes and drizzle them with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake the cherry tomatoes for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft and starting to burst open.
- Place almond ricotta (if making almond ricotta you can add garlic and basil in with the almonds), or regular ricotta, into the food processor with the roasted garlic and basil and blend until all ingredients are combined. Add salt to taste.
- Spread the ricotta onto the baked pizza crust and top with cherry tomatoes, arugula, toasted pine nuts and drizzle with balsamic reduction sauce.
- Category: Entree, Pizza, Gluten Free, Vegan
This looks absolutely fabulous! Love how rustic it is. I bet it tastes fantastic!
Thanks Leah!! It really was so good š
This looks like all kinds of delicious, and your cat is adorable!
Thanks Alanna!! When I first started the blog, I would always include a photo of Cheeto at the end and once when I forgot, my sister got onto me, so now I always have to include one, haha! Cheeto is becoming quite a ham for the camera!
This pizza/ flatbread looks totally delicious! Love the almond ricotta cheese spread idea. And the balsamic reduction is also a nice touch!
I don’t get a lot of natural light in my place either…always a challenge to get that perfect picture! I have one nice window that works well in the late afternoon- and then a few outdoor spots I settle for. Your pictures look really great!
Thanks Sarah! I’ve decided that balsamic reduction makes everything taste better! Isn’t it so annoying when you are running around, trying to find the best place and time to take your photos?! If we ever move again, I’m gonna make sure we have at least one huge window! Thank you for the nice compliment š
This pizza has my name written all over it. I LOVE veggie-filled pizzas just like this one. Oh, and I’m kind of obsessing over how amazing that almond ricotta looks. What a fresh and tasty summer pizza, Isadora! (loved your behind the scenes shot too!) Pinned.
Thanks Sarah! I also really love veggie filled pizzas, they are pretty much the best kind! The almond ricotta is so good! But if you have picky family members (i.e. younger siblings, lol) regular ricotta would also work really well with this pizza. I’ll definitely be making more of these as the summer gets hotter and hotter š Thanks for pinning!
Wow, this pizza looks phenomenal! Roasted cherry tomatoes are one of my very favorite ingredients. I’ve never been a fan of ricotta (so flavorless!) but I bet I would love your almond version. Looks like an all-around delicious meal!
Hi Kate! I agree, ricotta is pretty flavorless, but this one is so good! I just discovered roasted cherry tomatoes a few months ago and I’ve been putting them on everything, they are one of my favorites too! Thanks so much for stopping by š
This looks awesome!! I love pizzas with salad on top! And right now I have way too many cherry tomatoes coming out of my garden, so this is perfect. I think I’ve said it before, but I love love love your kitty. š
Me too! My salad always ends up right on top of my pizza! I’m jealous of your cherry tomatoes! Mine are just starting to turn red, but there aren’t very many of them. Thanks! He really is the best cat š