Description
This White Pizza recipe features a creamy, cheesy white sauce topped with a blend of mozzarella, ricotta, and parmesan cheeses. The crust is homemade with a simple yeast dough, offering a soft and elastic base that is baked to golden perfection. Optional toppings like fresh spinach, mushrooms, grilled chicken, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and goat cheese or feta crumbles add a customizable twist to this irresistibly rich and savory pizza.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup (180ml) warm water (110°F/45°C)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the White Sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
For the Toppings
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup fresh spinach (optional)
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Grilled chicken (optional)
- Caramelized onions (optional)
- Sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
- Goat cheese or feta crumbles (optional)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm water, active dry yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make Dough: In a large mixing bowl, mix the all-purpose flour with salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir until a dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Let Dough Rise: Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare White Sauce – Melt Butter & Garlic: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add Flour: Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux, which will thicken the sauce.
- Add Milk Slowly: Gradually pour in the milk while continuously whisking to prevent lumps from forming in the sauce.
- Season & Add Cheese: Stir in salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and grated parmesan cheese.
- Simmer Sauce: Continue to cook the sauce over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until it thickens, then remove from heat.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C). Place a pizza stone or baking sheet inside to heat during the preheating process.
- Roll Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the risen dough into a 12-inch circle, shaping the pizza base.
- Transfer Dough: Transfer the rolled dough to a parchment-lined pizza peel or baking sheet for easy handling.
- Spread Sauce: Evenly spread a thin layer of the prepared white sauce over the dough’s surface.
- Add Cheeses: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on top, then dollop ricotta cheese over the pizza.
- Add Toppings: Add optional toppings such as fresh spinach, mushrooms, grilled chicken, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheese crumbles as desired.
- Drizzle Olive Oil: Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil over the assembled pizza.
- Bake Pizza: Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven.
- Bake Until Golden: Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for 2-3 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- To ensure a crispier crust, use a pizza stone preheated in the oven before baking.
- Optionally add red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- You can substitute whole milk with 2% milk but the sauce will be slightly less rich.
- Allow the dough to rise in a warm area to speed up the process.
- Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a hot oven or skillet to maintain the crust’s crispness.
