I was having some friends over for a lunch and had some ingredients that needed to be used up. I made way too much Ricotta, so I have been slowly using it up! Need ideas for Ricotta recipes? Try out my Swiss Chard, Ricotta, and Soppressata Ravioli or Egg Yolk Ravioli with Ricotta. Have too many tomatoes laying around, then maybe an Herbed Ricotta and Tomato salad is the recipe for you! So many possibilities!

Pizza is great in the summer! In fact, you can even cook it on the grill. Below, I show the traditional oven recipe, but to cook your pizza on the grill, roll the dough as instructed, brush with olive oil and grill oil side down for about 4 minutes with the lid closed, until you can see the grill marks and the dough rises a bit. Carefully lift and flip the dough, oil the other side and add all the toppings. Grill for another 5-8 minutes until everything is melted and the crust is browned on the edges.

Looking for some other pizza ideas? Check out my  Chard, Sausage, and Ricotta pizza or my Tomato, Ricotta, and Salami Pizza

As you can see… I love ricotta on my pizza, but try it out with Parmesan or Mozzarella or a mixture of the two if you don’t share my obsession!

Ricotta Pizza with Grilled Zucchini and Sun-dried Tomatoes

pizza dough (enough for two pies, divide in half for one pie):
3 1/2 – 4 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra to oil the dough

grilled zucchini:
4 zucchini, 1/3 inch slice lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

pizza topping (enough for two pies):
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
large handful of basil leaves, slivered

1. dough: Combine all but the extra oil in a stand mixer until dough comes together, about 2-3 minutes on low speed.
   Knead for 2 minutes on a floured surface until even ball forms.
2. Grease bowl with extra oil. cover, and rest for 1 hour until double in size. You can prepare this more than an hour in advance if needed. I have left the dough on a counter for 4 hours without adverse affects.
3. Divide into two for a 12×18 inch dough.

1. filling: Season zucchini with salt and pepper and toss in olive oil. Grill for 4 minutes per side or until grill marks form. Or, bake at 450 for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
3. Roll out dough on two lightly oiled cookie sheets to  12×18 inch rectangles.
   Brush the dough with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
   Sprinkle with the ricotta.
4. Arrange zucchini slices over the surface, leaving a half inch border on the edges.
   Scatter the sun dried tomatoes and sprinkle provolone on top.
5. Top with the red pepper and basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the edges. Rest for a few minutes before serving.

Total cooking time: 25 minutes with pre-prepped crust, 1 hr 25 minutes from scratch, serves 6-8 (makes 2 pies)

GET YOUR COPY OF CHEZ NOUS: COMMUNAL DINNERS HERE!