The Best BLT Pizza
For my ultimate BLT Pizza, I’ll be replacing the ‘L’ of lettuce with fresh spinach, which complements the crispy bacon and succulent summer tomatoes wonderfully!
TOMATOES Are The ‘T’ In BLT!
July is the prime season for tomatoes.
They’re being picked from farms, backyard gardens, and even windowsills, and there are countless ways to enjoy this delicious fruit throughout the season.
Once, my mom and I rented out two acres of our twelve-acre land near the West River in Maryland.
A farmer nearby was thrilled to use ten acres of our property to cultivate produce for his roadside market.
His fifty acres were dedicated to growing animal feed.
On a section of our land, our neighbor friend cultivated tomatoes; rows and rows of them!
It never seemed like he watered them or fussed over them at all. Just pure, blazing sunshine all summer long until late July when the field was a vibrant red!
Now that I’m an adult with my own acre of land, I’m trying my hand at various Garden To Table projects. However, I’m still figuring out the art of growing tomatoes…
Pizza
Pizza is one of the most delightful ways I know to transform almost any ingredient into an easy meal that everyone enjoys!
When you think about it, the possibilities for topping a beautiful homemade pizza are endless!
But to create a fantastic pizza, it all begins with a Homemade Bread Dough. Making bread dough is simple, and it rises in about an hour — just enough time to prep your desired toppings.
Here are a few of my personal favorites, and trust me, these are just a sample:
The Best BLT Pizza
I must admit that when the harshness of winter arrives, and I eagerly anticipate July and the vibrant tomatoes it brings, the dish I crave most is undoubtedly a BLT!
Perhaps it’s the luscious juiciness of the tomato paired with the crispy, salty bacon, but come February, I find myself longing for the BLT OF JULY!
This delectable BLT pizza is my absolute favorite way to enjoy everything I adore about a BLT sandwich, now presented atop a marvelous homemade pizza dough.
To take the flavor of this pizza up a notch, since I’m obviously skipping the mayo (as I would with my traditional BLT sandwich), I drizzle the spinach in a balsamic, garlic, and olive oil dressing instead.
Making this pizza involves three simple steps, so let’s dive right in!
- Homemade Pizza dough – takes about an hour to rise in a warm space, giving you time to prepare the bacon and marinate the spinach.
- Marinate the spinach – mixing balsamic vinegar, garlic, and olive oil together.
- Cook the bacon and slice the tomatoes.
Ingredients Needed
- Flour
- Water
- Yeast
- Salt and Pepper
- Hard cheese – sheep milk cheese
- Fresh spinach
- Balsamic vinegar
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Tomatoes
- Bacon
Equipment Needed
- 2 large mixing bowls
- Slotted spoon
- Plastic wrap or a dish towel – to cover the dough while it rises
- Wooden spoon
- Rolling pin
- Pizza pan or cookie sheet
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Garlic press
- Sauté pan – for cooking the bacon
- Oven
- 3-4 cups Flour extra for dusting
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 2 tsp Yeast
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Grated hard cheese for the dough
- 2-3 cups Fresh Spinach rough chopped
- 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 Garlic clove crushed
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 2-3 Ripe Tomatoes
- 1 lb Bacon
- 4 oz Pecorino Cheese grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Dough – Pour the water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar on top. Let it rest for 5-minutes to create a foam.
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Add a pinch of salt and some flour, then stir. Gradually mix in flour until it gets harder to stir. Using your hands, incorporate more flour into the dough, turning it over as you go, until it feels smooth and not sticky.
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Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and place it in a warm area until it doubles in size, which will take about an hour.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface and transfer it onto the pizza pan. Brush the top with one tablespoon of olive oil.
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Spinach – In a large mixing bowl, mix the spinach, vinegar, garlic, one teaspoon of salt, and one tablespoon of olive oil. Let it sit at room temperature to marinate.
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Bacon – Prepare the bacon, either cooking it in long strips to slice later or cutting it before cooking. Drain off the excess fat and let it cool.
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Tomatoes – Cut the tomatoes into slices and have them ready to place on the pizza.
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Place the pizza dough in the oven for 10 minutes to begin the cooking process.
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Remove it quickly and layer on the spinach, followed by the tomatoes, bacon, salt, pepper, and cheese. Brush the crust again with olive oil and continue baking for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust turns golden.
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