Roasted Cherry Tomato and Basil Pizza

I'm loving summer. It might be 96 degrees (with a disgusting % of humidity), BUT it's sunny. The trees (and surprisingly, the grass) are green. The days are long. I can sleep with my toes peeking out of my covers and a gentle fan blowing. I've got plump peppers and juicy tomatoes growing outside my back door.

I can't think of a better recipe to celebrate the abundance of ripe summer tomatoes than this Roman-inspired pizza. Fresh roasted baby tomatoes, silky mozzarella and salty Parmesan, and beautiful bright basil on a light and chewy crust. Summer, you're so good to me.

Roasted Cherry Tomato and Basil Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
1 1/2 lbs. cherry or grape tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
handful fresh basil, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While the dough rises, preheat oven to 450 F. Scatter tomatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet and toss with just enough olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the skins split. Remove from the oven and set aside. (Leave the oven on and add the pizza stone to preheat.)

3. Prepare crust according to recipe directions. Brush crust with a little olive oil and top with the mozzarella, Parmesan, and tomatoes. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

4. Bake pizza on pizza stone for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Slice and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)