Cheesy Garlic Pizza with Basil – A Delicious Treat for the Entire Family

You know what’s better than pizza? Garlic pizza!

Garlic is the single most amazing ingredient – one that makes everything taste better, be it soup, pasta, sandwiches, or bread knots!

Whether it’s fried, roasted, or baked, garlic adds such a great depth of flavor and aroma to literally any and every dish.

When it comes to garlic pizza, you can expect the cheesy goodness to come together with that pungent and spicy flavor of the garlic in every bite you take. Additionally, the fusion of these flavors will simply make your taste buds dance with joy!

However, if you want to elevate the flavors even more, simply sprinkle thinly sliced basil on top. Wait for the delicious flavors to just explode in your mouth!

How to Make Cheesy Garlic Pizza with Basil

The dough of this garlic pizza is just like any other dough. The difference lies in the garlic butter and roasted garlic cloves slathered on top of the base.

Ingredients

For the Dough

• ½ teaspoon – active dry yeast
• Half cup – all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup – warm water
• 1 teaspoon – olive oil
• 1 tablespoon – cornmeal
• ½ cup – bread flour
• ½ teaspoon – salt

For the Toppings

• 4 tablespoons – softened unsalted butter
• 4 – minced garlic cloves
• 1 – whole garlic head
• ¼ cup – grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
• 2 tablespoons – thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup – shredded cheddar cheese
• Half cup – shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup – chopped parsley (fresh)
• 2 teaspoons – chopped fresh oregano
• ½ teaspoon – salt
• ¼ teaspoon – crushed red pepper
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Remove the papery skin gently from the garlic head. Make sure you don’t separate or peel the cloves.
2. Wrap the garlic head in foil.
3. Pop it in the oven, bake for about 40 minutes at 375°, and then allow it cool for a few minutes.
4. Squeeze the head to extract the pulp and separate the cloves.
5. Take 1/3 cup warm water in a bowl and dissolve the yeast in it. Allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
6. Add the olive to the yeast mixture and gently stir with a whisk.
7. In a food processor, add both the flours, salt and blend well.
8. Add the yeast and oil mixture slowly to the food processor. Let it process until the mixture is well combined and forms a nice dough.
9. On a clean, floured surface, roll out the dough and knead a few times with light hands.
10. Then, coat a clean bowl with cooking spray, place the dough in it, cover and let it rise until it has almost doubled in size. Place the bowl in a warm place.
11. Preheat your oven to 400°.
12. Again, knead the dough on a floured surface and roll it out into a 10-inch circle.
13. Sprinkle a baking sheet or pan with cornmeal and place the dough circle on top.
14. In a small bowl, combine butter, minced garlic, and chopped parsley together.
15. Spread this garlic butter on top of your pizza dough.
16. Sprinkle all the cheeses on top along with crushed red pepper, fresh oregano, and basil leaves.
17. In the end, spread the roasted garlic cloves all over the pizza evenly.
18. Put the pizza in the preheated oven. After that, bake until all the cheese has melted and the crust forms a nice golden brown color.
19. Lastly, take the pizza out once done and dig in the delicious cheesy garlic pizza!

As soon as the cheese starts melting, your kitchen will literally fill with the aroma of the garlic and cheese! Therefore, make sure to eat immediately while it’s hot because that’s the best way to devour this amazing garlic pizza.