Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it preheats. If not, a baking sheet will work perfectly fine. Lightly dust your work surface with cornmeal or flour.
- Gently stretch or roll out the pizza dough to your desired shape and thickness. You can aim for a traditional circle, a heart shape, or even individual mini pizzas. Aim for about a 12-14 inch diameter for a standard pizza.pound store-bought pizza dough, Cornmeal or flour
- Spread the tomato or pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch border for the crust.cup tomato sauce or pizza sauce
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. Then, distribute the shredded provolone cheese on top of the mozzarella.cups shredded mozzarella cheese, cup shredded provolone cheese
- Scatter the chopped cooked ham or pepperoni over the cheese.cup finely chopped cooked ham or pepperoni
- Use small cookie cutters to cut heart shapes from thin slices of red bell pepper, green bell pepper, or black olives. Arrange these carefully on top of the cheese to create a festive design. Use the finely diced red and green bell peppers to create patterns. Thinly sliced black olives can also be used to create dots or swirls.cup red bell pepper, finely diced, cup green bell pepper, finely diced, tablespoons thinly sliced black olives
- Carefully transfer the pizza to your preheated oven (onto the pizza stone or baking sheet). Bake for 12-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven and the thickness of your crust.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. If using, sprinkle the thinly sliced fresh basil leaves over the pizza after it comes out of the oven for a burst of fresh flavor and color.tablespoon fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Notes
Optional: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a hint of heat.