Equipment
Ingredients
Pizza Components
- 450 g store-bought pizza dough, room temperature
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 150 g goat cheese, crumbled
- 15 g fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 76 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 37 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 220C (425F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the room-temperature pizza dough out on a clean surface until it is approximately 5mm thick.
Cut the dough into 24 small circles using a 5cm round cookie cutter, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
Lightly brush the top of each dough circle with extra virgin olive oil to create a moisture barrier.
Divide the crumbled goat cheese and halved cherry tomatoes evenly among the dough rounds, pressing them gently into the dough.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges of the crusts are golden brown and the tomatoes are tender and blistered.
Remove the mini pizzas from the oven and immediately garnish with the fresh basil ribbons. Serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- To elevate the flavor profile, lightly season the cherry tomatoes with a pinch of salt before placing them on the pizzas.
- If using a very wet goat cheese, pop it into the freezer for 10 minutes before crumbling to make it easier to handle.
- Do not add the basil before baking. High heat completely destroys the delicate volatile oils in fresh basil, leaving it black and flavorless.
- Save the scraps of dough from cutting the circles. Knead them together briefly, let rest for 15 minutes, and roll out again to minimize waste.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Basil will wilt and darken in the fridge.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze baked pizzas without fresh basil. Add fresh basil after reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180C oven for 5 to 7 minutes until crisp.
Troubleshooting
Dough shrinks immediately after cutting
Cause: Gluten in the dough is too tight and cold
Fix: Let the cut rounds rest for 10 minutes on the pan before stretching them back to size with your fingers
Prevention: Allow the dough to come completely to room temperature before rolling
Soggy pizza crusts
Cause: Tomatoes released too much water or oven was not hot enough
Fix: Transfer pizzas to the lowest rack in the oven and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes
Prevention: Ensure oven is fully preheated and do not skip brushing the dough with olive oil
Cultural Context
Mini pizzas, often called pizzette in Italy, are a classic staple of the aperitivo hour. Originating from Naples, these bite-sized treats were designed to accompany early evening drinks like wine or spritzes, satisfying hunger without ruining the appetite for dinner.
