Margherita Flatbread Pizza

I LOVE pizza! But then again, I don’t really know anyone who doesn’t. We have a saying that even bad pizza is still good pizza. Because honestly, bad pizza is still tastier than say, a salad. But I guess in a way, pizza IS like a salad because you can throw on pretty much any toppings you want, but as long as there’s some sort of crust (leafy base) and a sauce (dressing) with some toppings, you’ve got yourself a pizza, or a salad if we’re still comparing the two… Anyway, the one thing I like the most about a flatbread over a traditional pizza crust is that crispy, crunchiness when you bite into it. It doesn’t have to be dry and bland to achieve this, and I’m going to tell you how! I also love that they are smaller so you can serve them as an appetizer or as a main dish with some sides. Let’s jump right in and see what this Margherita Flatbread Pizza is all about! (also, feel free to change it up and use any toppings your heart desires, we’re just going to cover the Margherita toppings in this recipe😊)

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Johnny’s® Garlic Spread and Seasoning (If you’ve never had Johnny’s, I would suggest you buy some at your earliest convenience! You can buy it from Amazon here! It is seriously one of the best seasonings you’ll ever have! [paid link])
OR if you don’t have Johnny’s, you can use 1/4 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, minced parsley, and a 1/2 tsp of grated parmesan

Toppings:

1 tbsp olive oil
about 1/4 cup of your favorite pizza sauce
1 roma tomato
4-6 leaves of fresh basil
2 cups of shredded mozzarella
*optional* feta cheese

*makes 1 flatbread. Recipe can be doubled for 2 flatbreads*

Directions:

1. Put the yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl.

2. Then add the warm water. Give it a gentle stir and then let it sit for 5-10 minutes for the yeast to bloom.

3. After the yeast is ready, add the flour, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and Johnny’s (or seasonings) to the bowl and mix until combined.

4. Take the dough ball out of the bowl and spray the bowl with cooking spray. Then return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

5. Let the covered dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. While the dough is rising, you can wash and cut up your tomato into small dice. You can also chop up your basil during this time.

*Tip* in order to get the most flavor out of your fresh basil leaves (and many other fresh herbs), it is best to put it in your hand and slap it before you use it. I know it sounds silly, but it really works. Try smelling the basil before and after you slap it, and you will definitely be able to tell the difference!

6. When the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 475℉. Then lay out the dough on a floured surface.

7. Roll the dough into an oval shape about 1/4 inch thick.

8. Grease your baking sheet and then carefully transfer the rolled out dough onto the sheet. Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough.

9. Pour the other 1 tbsp of olive oil onto the dough and spread it all around. (I use a brush for this, but the back of a spoon will work too.)

10. Next, dump on your pizza sauce and spread it all around too. Be sure to leave about a half inch perimeter so that you have a crust to hold on to when it’s done!

11. Sprinkle your mozzarella evenly all over the dough. Then add your toppings. In our case, it’s the tomato, basil, and optional feta cheese. You can add a little extra mozzarella sprinkle on top of the toppings too if your heart so desires to make things a little cheesier.