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Peak pepper + cherry tomato season means white pizza night. We make a quick, garlicky peperonata on the stove so the veggies bake up sweet and jammy—not watery. It’s simple, colorful, and perfect for an easy late-summer dinner (and it slides right into fall, too).

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Can you guys believe August is nearly over and Labor Day is exactly one week from today? I am in complete shock. Also, I have zero Labor Day plans…typical. I think I need to plan to plan something fun. What are you guys doing?

This coming fall is going to be pretty busy around here and I am both nervous and excited. September marks the release of my very first cookbook, the Half Baked Harvest Cookbook, so I will of course be making my way around to promote the cookbook. We will also be debuting a brand new HBH site redesign (coming very soon!), along with continuing to work on the new studio barn (yay!). And of course I will still be continuing to post, both here and on Instagram, daily. It’s going to be a lot, but I am so excited!

I’m currently working to get organized, and a bit ahead, in preparation for upcoming events and travel. If anyone has tips on staying organized…and energized…please let me know, I certainly need them!

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

For now though, let’s talk pizza, because one, pizza makes me happy, and two, pizza is DELICIOUS.

Why You’ll Love This

  • Sweet-peppery topping that actually cooks through.

  • Balanced cheese blend for creamy pull + nutty flavor.

  • Weeknight-friendly: stovetop simmer, stretch, bake.

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

This pizza was inspired by peperonata, which is an Italian bell pepper and herb sauté. It’s basically just bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, simmered in extra virgin olive oil until the peppers are soft and the garlic fragrant. Some recipes call for a longer cooking time to really allow the flavors to mend, but for this pizza we’re just doing a quick ten minute or so simmer.

I’ve seen peperonata recipes all over the place, but for some reason I had never thought to put the mix atop a pizza. That was until I had an abundance of bell peppers sitting in my fridge before my family and I left for Cleveland. I knew I needed to use them up before we left, so I decided on a pizza topped with peperonata.

You wouldn’t think simmering the peppers in olive oil, garlic, and herbs would make a huge difference, but trust me it does. Pizza cooks up pretty quickly and I’ve always found that any time I add raw veggies onto pizza dough and bake, the veggies never cook properly due to the quick cooking time of the pizza.

Cooking the peppers and tomatoes first on the stove-top not only allows them to soak up the flavors of the garlic and herbs, but also pre-cooks them. By the time the finished pizza comes out of the oven, the veggies are cooked just right.

It seems all peperonata recipes are made a little differently, so here’s what I did…

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet with three bell peppers (I used two red and one orange), a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh oregano, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Simmer everything until your kitchen smells like an Italian grandmothers (seriously, it smells SO good). Then layer it all on some pizza dough with fresh basil, provolone and Gruyère cheese.

Bake. Top with more basil. Smell the goodness. Slice and EAT.

NOW you want pizza, right?!

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

FAQ:

Can I use mozzarella instead of provolone and Gruyère?
Yes—use low-moisture mozzarella for structure and add a little Parmesan for nuttiness. Expect a slightly milder flavor than Gruyère.

How do I keep the crust crisp with juicy tomatoes?
Halve and pat tomatoes dry, don’t pile toppings too thickly, and bake on a lower rack or preheated stone so the bottom sets fast.

Can I make the topping ahead?
Totally. The peperonata holds well for 2–3 days in the fridge; bring to room temp so it spreads easily and doesn’t cool the dough.

Can I grill this pizza?
Yes—grill the stretched dough on one side until set, flip, add toppings to the cooked side, then cover and grill until the cheese melts and bottom is charred.

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza.

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 573 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil.
    2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of both crushed red pepper and salt. Cook until the peppers just begin to soften and the garlic is fragrant, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
    3. On a lightly floured surface, push/roll the dough out until it is pretty thin (about a 10-12 inch circle). Transfer the dough baking sheet. Drain the olive oil left over from the peppers and spread it over the dough. Add the provolone and then arrange the peppers and tomatoes over top. Sprinkle on the gruyere and fresh basil. 
    4. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. Top with fresh basil. EAT!
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Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

This post was originally published on August 28, 2017
5 from 9 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  6. Wow it sounds like you’ll be busy this fall! My tip for staying energized would be coffee… Haha. And going for a daily hike! Make sure to take a bit of time for yourself. I’m so excited to see the new site design, the cookbook and the barn!

    Reply

  8. This pizza looks delicious!
    I have no tips but I’d definitely recommend getting as much sleep as you can when you can!

    Reply

  10. The very last Monday of August 2017?! You’re bringing tears to my eyes Tieghan. At least you brought some delicious pizza too! Love the toppings on this one.

    Reply

  12. Totally agree that homemade pizza is healthy-ish!! Good luck getting organized of this fall and congratulations!! xo

    Reply

  14. I’ve just finished eating dinner and after reading your post, I’m craving some serious pizza goodness!

    I’ve preordered your book, I literally -can not- wait! 😀

    Reply

      1. This is the best pizza dough I have made. Thank you for the recipe and the inspiration. I was quite short on peppers, and didn’t have the same cheeses, but the idea of sautéing the veggies and using the oil on the top was new to me.

        I also did not have the cheeses called for in the recipe, so I used home-made ricotta cheese, parmesan, and fontina, totaling two cups.

        I used a pizza stone instead of a baking pan, which was a mistake, given the amount of oil on the pizza. The oil gave the crust such a delectable crunch on the edges, but ended up running over the sides onto the bottom of the oven.

        Needless to say, I had to clean the oven that night.

        This will be my go-to recipe for pizza dough!!!

        Reply