Lemon Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella, Lemon Brine, and Parmesan Recipe
This bright and zesty Lemon Pizza features a no-knead dough topped with a flavorful lemon brine and fresh mozzarella, baked to golden perfection and finished with parmesan and fresh herbs. A unique twist on traditional pizza that offers a fresh, tangy flavor perfect for a light meal or snack.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 9x13 inch pizza
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 ball Easy pizza dough (or store-bought dough)
Lemon Brine
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Mozzarella
- 5 oz (150 grams) fresh mozzarella (or ½ to ⅓ cup shredded firm mozzarella)
To Finish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Follow the easy no-knead pizza dough recipe through step 5, including shaping the dough and preheating the oven with the pizza stone inside to ensure a hot baking surface.
- Prepare the Cheese: If using fresh mozzarella in water, cut it into ½ inch thick slices. Dab with a paper towel to remove excess moisture if it’s very watery to prevent soggy pizza.
- Shape the Dough: Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper, gently press it out with your fingers starting from the center until you reach approximately a 9×13 inch size. Then transfer the dough with the parchment onto a pizza peel or the back of a rimmed baking sheet.
- Make the Lemon Brine: In a glass jar with a lid, combine extra virgin olive oil, water, chopped parsley, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Shake vigorously until well emulsified.
- Add the Toppings: With the stretched dough ready, press a few dimples into the surface with your fingers and evenly scatter the lemon brine over the dough, filling the dimples. Top with the mozzarella slices or shredded cheese.
- Bake the Pizza: Using the pizza peel, carefully slide the pizza with parchment onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and browned, about 10 minutes depending on your oven.
- Finish and Serve: Immediately after baking, drizzle the pizza with fresh lemon juice, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley over the top. Add freshly ground black pepper or chili flakes if desired. Slice and serve right away.
Notes
- Use a pizza stone preheated in the oven to achieve a crispy crust.
- Pat dry fresh mozzarella to avoid excess moisture that can make the pizza soggy.
- Adjust lemon juice in the brine and for finishing to taste for desired brightness.
- If you do not have a pizza peel, use the back of a rimmed baking sheet to transfer the pizza.
- Keep an eye on the pizza during baking as oven temperatures vary; the pizza is done when the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling.
