Pizza Toasts
Equipment
- 1 griddle
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 mortar and pestle
- 1 large baking sheet
- 1 spoon
Ingredients
- 4 slices sourdough bread or any other hard-crusted bread of your choice. For low-carb pizza toasts, use low-carb bread. For a gluten-free pizza toast, use gluten-free bread.
Pizza Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 large fresh basil leaves, plus extra for the topping and garnish
- ⅔ cup arrabbiata sauce, marinara sauce, or Pomodoro sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella – quartered (or about 1 cup shredded mozzarella, if preferred)
Topping
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes – red or different colors
- ¼ cup halved Kalamata olives – optional, or other olives of your choice
- a pinch of red pepper flakes – optional; skip if you don't enjoy spicy foods
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for toasting the bread
- zest of 1 lemon – optional
- grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top – optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Prepare the pizza sauce: Crush the garlic and a pinch of salt with a mortar and pestle until you have a paste. Add the basil leaves and crush again. Add the arrabbiata sauce and black pepper, then mix well. Set aside.
- Prepare the tomato topping: Combine the tomatoes, olives, sliced basil, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, extra-virgin olive oil, and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
- Toast the bread: Heat a griddle or large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until very hot. Drizzle both sides of the bread with extra-virgin olive oil. Toast for 2–3 minutes per side, or until crisp and golden brown. Transfer the toasted bread to a large baking sheet.
- Assemble the pizza toasts: Spread 2–3 tablespoons of sauce over each toast, depending on the size of the bread. Top each with 4 pieces of fresh mozzarella, followed by the tomato topping.
- Bake and serve: Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the mozzarella melts. Remove from the oven. Finish with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, if desired. Serve right away.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Storage and Make-Ahead
Make ahead: Prepare the sauce and toppings up to 2 days ahead and store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Toast the bread and assemble the pizza toasts right before baking to keep the bread crisp. Refrigerator: Pizza toasts are best eaten right away. Refrigerating assembled pizza toasts can make the bread soggy, even with a thin layer of sauce.Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.