Description
A vibrant and delicious broccoli pesto pizza featuring a homemade ciabatta bread base topped with fresh broccoli pesto, ricotta cheese, and peppery rocket for a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pizza Dough
- 500g pack ciabatta bread mix
For the Broccoli Pesto
- 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets, stalk cut into even chunks (about 450g)
- 100g pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 150ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Toppings
- 150g ricotta
- 60g bag rocket (arugula)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Follow the ciabatta bread mix pack instructions to make the dough. Knead the dough and shape it into a ball. Cut the dough into two equal halves and shape each into large discs on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin if preferred. Place each disc on a greased baking sheet, cover with cling film, and leave to prove for 10-15 minutes.
- Make the Broccoli Pesto: Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add all the broccoli pieces and cook for 1 minute. Drain and cool immediately under cold running water to stop cooking. Transfer the broccoli to a food processor along with pine nuts, crushed garlic, and seasoning. Pulse to break down the ingredients, then gradually add 150ml olive oil while processing, until the mixture reaches a pesto-like consistency. Season to taste and set aside.
- Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/Gas mark 6.
- Assemble the Pizza: Spread the broccoli pesto evenly over both dough bases, leaving a 2cm border around the edges for the crust. Drizzle a little olive oil over the tops.
- Bake: Place the pizzas in the oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the bases are golden brown and cooked through.
- Add Final Toppings: Remove the pizzas from the oven. Dot the surface with spoonfuls of ricotta and scatter a handful of fresh rocket over each pizza. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous grinding of black pepper.
Notes
- Using fresh broccoli stalks along with florets adds a deeper flavor and reduces waste.
- Ensure the broccoli is cooled quickly after boiling to keep its vibrant green color for the pesto.
- Rocket adds a nice peppery contrast; you can substitute with fresh basil if desired.
- The pesto can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- For extra crunch, lightly toast the pine nuts before adding them to the processor.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: broccoli pesto pizza, vegetarian pizza, homemade pizza, broccoli pesto, ciabatta pizza, ricotta pizza, easy pizza recipe
