Pizza Crudo

During the hot and humid Southern summer, I’m constantly looking for light meals that taste fresh, are simple to make, and don’t take much time to complete.  I saw this recipe in Rachel Ray Magazine and just had to try it out -- I made a few changes but stuck with the main concept and it turned out fantastic.  

Ciabatta bread is one of my favorites -- I love how it gets crispy on the outside but still soft in the middle when it’s grilled or toasted.  It’s the perfect crust for this lazy pizza.

Also, don’t skip the last step of this recipe, which is to drizzle each pizza with a good extra virgin olive oil -- I always underestimated what this does to a recipe but it adds a creaminess to the pizza that is beyond incredible!

Pizza Crudo (makes 8 pieces, or 4 servings)

adapted from Rachel Ray Magazine

4 ciabatta bread rolls or 1 large ciabatta bread loaf, split and toasted or grilled

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

salt and pepper, to taste

12 oz fresh mozzarella

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into bite sized pieces

1 bunch of basil, ripped into small pieces

1. After toasting each piece of ciabatta bread, take garlic clove and rub it onto each piece of bread.
2. Place mozzarella cheese, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper in food processor and pulse until cheese resembles crumbles, this makes it easier to spread on the bread slices
3. Divide cheese mixture on each bread slice
4. Top with tomatoes, bell pepper and basil and drizzle with olive oil before serving.