this post was created in partnership with saputo! the opinions on this blog, as always are my own. you can follow ingredients by saputo on facebook, instagram + pinterest for more recipe inspirations.
one of my favourite things to host in the fall is a pizza night! justin & i make all the dough from scratch the night before. we then have each couple bring their favourite toppings to see who can create the ultimate pizza. while it is not a compeition, it is always a competition, am i right? haha pizza nights are a simple thing to host as well, as they don't take long to bake up & everything is prepared beforehand.
for this months pizza night, i have going to make this smoked caciocavallo & feta pizza topped with sauteed mushrooms, roasted red pepper, kalamata olives & micro arugula! both cheese featured are by saputo. the feta adds a touch of saltiness & the smoked caciocavallo is my secret ingredient. while it melts beautifully like mozzarella, it adds a smokey flavour like no other. it's hand-molded, mild & buttery, seriously.. it's the best cheese!
lastly, i like to top all my pizzas with a touch of fresh greens. it adds some colour & freshness to the dish. i find the micro arugula works best! it adds a peppery flavour. while i kept this recipe vegetarian as the smoked caciocavallo brought enough flavour, a little spicy salami on top would add a nice kick too. i know my dad would appreciate the addition of anything spicy.
ingredients
- 1 batch fresh pizza dough (i use this recipe)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 cup marinara sauce, store bought or homemade
- 2 cups grated saputo's caciocavallo cheese
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted & halved
- 1/2 cup sauteed sliced cremini mushrooms*
- 1/2 cup saputo's traditional feta cheese, crumbled
- micro arugula greens, to garnish
directions
- preheat oven to 450 degrees. if using a pizza stone, preheat the oven with the stone placed inside.
- on a floured surface roll out the pizza dough to the desired thickness. i usually roll it out to a 1/4 inch thick as the dough rises quite a bit.
- brush with olive oil & season with salt & pepper.
- add an even layer of sauce followed by an even layer of the grated caciocavallo cheese.
- top with roasted red peppers, olives, mushrooms & feta.
- bake for 12-15 minutes, until the crust is cooked throughout & the edges are golden brown.
- garnish with micro arugula. slice & serve!
*note: to make the sauteed mushrooms, i simply slice them & cook them for 5 minutes in a touch of butter, salt & pepper. it adds more flavour then baking them raw on the pizza.
