Best Cheesy Lemon Pizza Recipes

STUFFED CHEESY PIZZA BONES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut the mozzarella into 1/2-by-1/2-by-2-inch-long sticks and set aside. Mix together the Parmesan, oregano, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, salt and garlic together in a bowl; set aside.
• Pat the pizza dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle with a long side facing you. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut the dough in half lengthwise. Quarter each piece so you have eight 4-by-4-inch squares. Spread 1/2 teaspoon ricotta in the middle of a square and place a piece of mozzarella on top. Fold the dough over the cheese to completely encase it. Starting from the center, pinch the seams closed, carefully pushing out any air as you go. Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese.
• Working one at a time, put a piece of dough into the seasoning mixture and press down firmly to coat all sides. On a clean, dry work surface roll the dough gently but firmly into a torpedo shape that is about 10 inches long. Tie the dough into a knot at each end and place it seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of stuffed dough. Brush with the butter and sprinkle on any remaining seasoning mix. Put in a warm place and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Transfer the bones to the oven and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. Serve warm with marinara sauce on the side.

LEMON-AND-ITALIAN-CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone on floor of gas oven (remove racks) or bottom rack of electric oven. Preheat oven to at least 500 degrees for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, arrange onion and lemon slices over dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Distribute cheeses evenly; top with rosemary. Season with pepper; drizzle with oil.
• Switch oven to broiler setting. Align edge of peel with edge of stone. Tilt peel, jerking it gently to move pizza. When edge of pizza touches stone, quickly pull back peel to transfer pizza to stone. (Do not move pizza.) Broil until bubbles begin to form in crust, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce temperature to 500 degrees, and bake until crust is crisp and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes more. (If not using broiler, bake pizza 10 to 15 minutes total.) Remove pizza from oven using peel. Slice and serve.

CHEESY MUFFIN PIZZAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the chicken, mozzarella, spinach, mascarpone, Parmesan, tomato-basil sauce, basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the pizza dough to a thin large round, about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3 1/2- to 4-inch-diameter round cutter, cut out 12 rounds for pizza crusts. Working with 1 crust at a time, settle 1 dough round into the prepared muffin pan. Press and pull the dough up the sides of the cup. Rotate the pan and repeat until the dough covers the bottom and sides. Pack in 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and filling.
• Bake the pizzas until the crusts are golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 16 to 18 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Then use a small knife to loosen the pizzas. Arrange on a platter and serve.

CHEESY PAN PIZZA

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: Measure the flour, water, olive oil, salt and yeast into a large mixing bowl. Mix together with your hand or a dough scraper until it forms a shaggy, sticky ball with no dry patches. Cover the bowl using a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Wet your hand, and reach down between the side of the bowl and the dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out, but instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up, and fold it over the top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90 degrees each time. Cover the bowl again for 5 minutes, then repeat the folding-and-resting process three more times. After the fourth time, cover the bowl, and let the dough rest, undisturbed, for 40 minutes, then transfer the bowl to the fridge for at least 12 hours or up to 72 hours.
• About 3 hours before you want to eat the pizza, get ready for assembly: Pour the olive oil into a well-seasoned 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet, and use your fingers to coat the inside of the pan, including the sides. Transfer the dough to the pan, and turn it once to coat both sides with the oil. After coating the dough in oil, press the dough to the edges of the pan, dimpling it with your fingertips. If the dough shrinks back, cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then repeat the pressing and dimpling. At this point, you should be able to smush the dough out and into the edges of the pan, but if not, give it one more 15-minute rest before trying again. Cover the dough, and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature. It will look soft and jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
• Place one rack at the bottom of the oven and one toward the top (about 4 to 5 inches from the top heating element), then heat the oven to 450 degrees. When you're ready to bake the pizza, sprinkle a scant 1 cup mozzarella evenly over the crust. Cover the entire dough so none is showing, then dollop small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top, and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are a rich golden brown. (Use a spatula to check the bottom.) If the bottom is brown but the top still seems pale, transfer the pizza to the top rack, and bake for 2 to 4 minutes longer. On the other hand, if the top seems fine but the bottom's not browned to your liking, leave the pizza on the bottom rack for another 2 to 4 minutes.
• Remove the pizza from the oven, and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Carefully run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool very briefly; as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, carefully transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack or cutting surface. If garnishing with hard cheese and herbs, add those now. Serve the pizza anywhere from medium-hot to warm, and use kitchen shears or a large pair of scissors to cut it into wedges.