Have you heard? It’s Tomato Girl Summer! That is if you can name “five” (according to @WishboneKitchen). Here goes…Beef Steak, Early Girl, San Marzano, Super Steak, and Super Sweet 100. Bam!!! The last three are exploding in my container garden as we speak. Is it a fruit or a vegetable? Who cares! If it came out of your garden or a field nearby – it’s delicious no matter how you slice it.
As you know, I love to let the garden decide what I’m cooking. Now that it’s mid-August, it’s anything with tomatoes. There are so many options with these red beauties as the star ingredient. Simple salads, pastas, and pizzas are stand-outs. Two of our all-time favorites are pasta sauce with onions and butter (literally three ingredients), and roasted tomato, jalapeno and herb pizza. Yes we love our carbs, but the earthy, sweet taste of the tomatoes are our real motivation.
As we round out Tomato Girl Summer, and our third and most fruitful year of container gardening, it feels like a mini-celebration is called for. In our books, that’s what Friday nights are for! Again, it’s the simple pleasures. Like, pouring a glass of wine, putting on a playlist, lighting a seasonal candle and celebrating the bounty of our garden with a great pizza (tonight’s menu).
P.S. Going forward, we can’t help ourselves… it’s pre-fall everything ahead! Just sayin’!
Spicy Pepperoni, Jalapeno and Herb Sheet Pan Pizza
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound gluten free pizza dough
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3-4 medium fresh jalapeños, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic (2 whole smashed, 2 grated)
- 2 teaspoon strawberry or fig preserves (depending on the season)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- several grinds fresh black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 cup whole milk mozzarella, torn
- 1 cup fontina cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan reggiano
- 3 ounces pepperoni
Instructions
- Position the oven rack in the upper 1/3 position. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. at least 30 minutes before baking, preferably 1-2 hours ahead. If you have a baking stone, start preheating it.
- Place the ball of pizza dough on a lightly oiled quarter sheet pan. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top of the dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2-5 hours, if time allows.
- To make the sauce. In a roasting pan, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, 2 cloves smashed garlic, strawberry preserves, thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes burst. Using a fork, smash the tomatoes down until a chunky sauce forms. Is using canned tomatoes, just simmer on the stove until thickened.
- To make the herb seasoning. In a bowl, combine oregano, grated garlic, fennel seed, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- To assemble. Remove the plastic wrap. Gently press the dough until it covers the entire sheet pan. Spread on the sauce, you may not need it all. Top with cheese, pepperoni and jalapenos. Sprinkle the herb seasoning over top.
- Slide into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pizza, and bake another 3-5 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. Top the pizza with fresh basil and addition crushed red pepper flakes.
