Equipment
Ingredients
Pizza Base
- 450 g pizza dough, room temperature
- 30 ml olive oil
Toppings
- 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 g goat cheese, crumbled
- 15 g fresh basil, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 75 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 35 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 3 mg
- Potassium
- 3 mg
- Calcium
- 10 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 1 mg
- Phosphorus
- 16 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 4 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 220°C/430°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to a 5mm thickness. Use a round cookie cutter to stamp out 24 small circles.
Transfer the dough circles to the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush the top of each circle with olive oil, then arrange the halved cherry tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese evenly among the pizzas.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the dough edges are crisp and golden and the tomatoes are softened.
Remove the mini pizzas from the oven. Let them cool for 2 minutes before scattering the torn fresh basil over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For the best texture, ensure your pizza dough comes to room temperature before attempting to roll it out, which relaxes the tight gluten network.
- Tear the basil by hand rather than chopping it with a knife to prevent the delicate edges from bruising and oxidizing.
- If you want to prepare these in advance, you can pre-bake the empty pizza crusts for 5 minutes, let them cool, and add the toppings right before the final bake.
- A light drizzle of balsamic glaze or a pinch of flaky sea salt applied right before serving elevates the flavor profile, though it strays from the strict five-ingredient rule.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container layered with paper towels to absorb moisture.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze fully baked pizzas. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 5-7 minutes until the base is crisp and cheese is warm.
Troubleshooting
Pizza bases are soggy in the center
Cause: Tomatoes released too much water during baking
Fix: Bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate the moisture
Prevention: Rest halved tomatoes cut-side down on a paper towel for 10 minutes before assembling to drain excess moisture
Dough springs back and is difficult to roll
Cause: Gluten network is too tight from cold temperature or overworking
Fix: Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before trying again
Prevention: Ensure dough is fully at room temperature before rolling
Cultural Context
These bite-sized appetizers draw inspiration from the classic Neapolitan Margherita pizza, adapting the traditional color palette of the Italian flag red, white, and green. By substituting traditional mozzarella for tangy goat cheese, the recipe introduces a French-inspired twist that elevates the flavor profile. Serving them in miniature form transforms this historic street food into an elegant modern canape suitable for cocktail parties.
