Sliced Tomato, Mushroom & Onion Pizza

Fresh tomato instead of sauce — the high-summer pie

2 · 25 min

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2 balls Make-Ahead Pizza Crust
2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced paper-thin
8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn & drained
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced (cremini, button, or garden)
1 small onion, sliced paper-thin into rings
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or grated
2 Tbsp olive oil · flaky salt · pepper
fresh basil, to finish
semolina, for the peel

What you need

2 balls Make-Ahead Pizza Crust

2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced paper-thin

8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn & drained

8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced (cremini, button, or garden)

1 small onion, sliced paper-thin into rings

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or grated

2 Tbsp olive oil · flaky salt · pepper

fresh basil, to finish

semolina, for the peel

Salt the tomatoes first. Slice paper-thin, lay them out on a towel or rack, salt lightly, and leave them 15–20 min. Blot the beads of water that come to the surface. This is the whole secret to a fresh-tomato pizza that isn't soggy.
Get the oven screaming. Stone or steel on the top rack, 500°F+ for 45 minutes. A hot oven is the difference between pizza and cracker.
Sear the mushrooms. Thin-sliced, browned hard in a little oil until deep gold and dry — season with salt as they go. They won't brown in the fast bake, and raw they'd only weep more water onto the pie.
Stretch & dress. Hand-stretch a dough ball onto a semolina-dusted peel. No sauce — brush the dough with a little olive oil and the sliced garlic, then scatter the drained mozzarella.
Top & bake. Lay on the drained tomato slices, the seared mushrooms, and the raw, paper-thin onion rings — the oven's blast crisps and lightly chars their edges while keeping a little bite. Launch onto the stone; bake 6–10 min until the crust is leopard-spotted and the cheese bubbles.
Finish alive. Out of the oven, strew fresh basil, a thread of olive oil, flaky salt, and a crack of pepper. Basil goes on after the bake so it never scorches.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Salt the tomatoes first. Slice paper-thin, lay them out on a towel or rack, salt lightly, and leave them 15–20 min. Blot the beads of water that come to the surface. This is the whole secret to a fresh-tomato pizza that isn't soggy.

2. Get the oven screaming. Stone or steel on the top rack, 500°F+ for 45 minutes. A hot oven is the difference between pizza and cracker.

3. Sear the mushrooms. Thin-sliced, browned hard in a little oil until deep gold and dry — season with salt as they go. They won't brown in the fast bake, and raw they'd only weep more water onto the pie.

4. Stretch & dress. Hand-stretch a dough ball onto a semolina-dusted peel. No sauce — brush the dough with a little olive oil and the sliced garlic, then scatter the drained mozzarella.

5. Top & bake. Lay on the drained tomato slices, the seared mushrooms, and the raw, paper-thin onion rings — the oven's blast crisps and lightly chars their edges while keeping a little bite. Launch onto the stone; bake 6–10 min until the crust is leopard-spotted and the cheese bubbles.

6. Finish alive. Out of the oven, strew fresh basil, a thread of olive oil, flaky salt, and a crack of pepper. Basil goes on after the bake so it never scorches.

For Dad — jarred sauce is fine; use any mushrooms or a milder pepper. Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.