Farmer's Market Veggie Pizza w/ Roasted Tomato Sauce

Healthy and fresh ingredients make this a Summer-time favorite!

1 large (16") pre-made pizza dough or homemade dough recipe
Roasted Tomato & Basil Sauce (see recipe below)
Fresh vegetables of your choice
1 Tbs. olive oil


Use any combination of FRESH vegetables:
Bell pepper, thinly sliced
Red onion, thinly sliced
Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
Fresh corn, cut off a cooked cob
Roasted beets (peeled, trimmed, and diced, then roasted in a pan w/ little olive oil, until fork tender.)
Fresh spinach, stems removed
Zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced
Broccoli, trimmed and chopped
Mushrooms, sliced

Roasted Tomato & Basil Sauce Recipe:
(makes approx. 2 cups)
2-1/2 to 3 Lb. (about 15) ripe Plum or Roma tomatoes

2-1/2 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 tsp. sea salt, divided
3 whole fresh garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

5 fresh basil leaves, stems removed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper; set aside.

Cut each tomato lengthwise in half. Remove any seeds on the surface. Place tomatoes, cut-side up, on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F. Then, increase temperature to 400 degrees F. and continue to cook until tomatoes are caramelized and golden (about 20-25 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool on pan.

Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and garlic and saute until tender.

Place tomatoes and any juices from baking sheet, into a food processor or blender. Add onion and garlic mixture, basil leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Puree until desired consistency.

Preheat oven, according to temp. stated on your dough package. Place rolled out dough onto a greased pizza pan.

If using raw dough or homemade recipe: Pre-cook the raw pizza dough partially, prior to applying the toppings. This avoids the crust from getting under-cooked or soggy. I usually cook it at 400 degrees, for about 8-10 minutes. Then apply my toppings and cook for an additional 15 minutes, at 400 degrees F.

If using pre-made, already cooked pizza crust: Just apply your toppings and cook according to package directions.

Spread sauce over pizza crust. Top with a variety of fresh vegetables and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over top. Cook according to the instructions on your package of pre-made crust or follow the instructions on your homemade dough recipe. Vegetables should be crisp-tender when done.

Tip: This recipe does not use cheese. But, I think a little goat cheese on top would give it a rich creaminess! To add a little spice, add crushed red pepper flakes to your pizza sauce when you puree.