Slow-roasted Tomato and Garlic Pizza

When we think of pizza, we almost always think of tomatoes, and for good reason – they’re often used to make a classic pizza sauce that’s ladled over dough. The beauty of a sauce is that the tomatoes often come from a can (such as San Marzano), which means you can have it any time of the year. But sometimes, fresh and seasonal varieties make all the difference. 

Case in point: Each summer, chef, award-winning food writer and teacher Gill Meller grows several varieties of tomatoes in his greenhouse at his home in the Southwest of England. And as an outdoor enthusiast and author of “Outside: Cooking Outdoors - Recipes for the Wild” it makes sense that those tomatoes would make their way onto a pizza. 

In this slow-roasted tomato and garlic pizza, instead of making a sauce, Gill opts to gently roast tomatoes in the low heat of an Ooni to maximize their sweetness and flavour. They’re then scattered over the pizza’s base, giving diners the best of both worlds – a rich, deep tomato flavour and a wonderful combination of textures. 

When it comes to the garlic, Gill suggests placing the whole bulbs in the oven – this roasting method softens the sugary flesh of the bulbs as well as mellows out its pungent taste. When it’s done, the garlic pulp can easily be squeezed from the papery skins and used in all sorts of recipes. 

The roasted tomatoes and garlic pair nicely with mozzarella, aged white cheddar and fresh thyme, and for an extra dash of flavour, Gill adds marjoram. Related to oregano, marjoram has floral notes and is more delicate and slightly sweeter (though the former can work in a pinch!).

While this might seem like a whole lot of work for a simple pizza, don’t worry: It’s no more time-consuming than making a traditional tomato sauce. Simple, fresh, rustic and tasty, you’ll never look at tomatoes (or garlic) in the same way. 

Difficulty

Servings

Four 12-inch (30-centimetre) pizzas

Prep Time

1 hour

(not including dough prep time)
Cook Time

1 to 2 minutes

By Gill Meller

Cooked pizza with slow-roasted tomatoes and garlic on a table next to an assortment of tomatoes, garlic bulbs, a knife, and a baking tray with roasted tomatoes.

Note

Try to keep the oven temperature relatively low. You want to reduce the tomatoes’ moisture a bit so they don’t cause a soggy base. For the pizza dough, we recommend our Classic Pizza Dough recipe (just be sure to set aside 3 to 4 hours for proofing before cooking). If you don't have a greenhouse, you can visit your local farmer’s market for heirloom tomatoes of mixed sizes, colors and shapes for even more visual appeal. 


For the roasted tomatoes and garlic

1. Cut the tomatoes in half if they are small; if larger, cut them into approximately 5 by 5-centimetre (2 by 2-inch) pieces.

Arrange the tomatoes (cut side up) on a large, flat roasting tray. Place the garlic bulbs (left whole) among the tomatoes. 



2. Drizzle the tomatoes and garlic with 18 grams (1 ½ tablespoons) of olive oil and season them well with sea salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle over half of the thyme and half of the marjoram leaves.

3. Preheat your oven, aiming for about 200 °C (390 °F) on your baking stone.

You can check this quickly, accurately and from a safe distance with an infrared thermometer.


4. Slide the tomatoes and garlic into the oven to gently cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Turn the tray every 10 to 12 minutes so the tomatoes and garlic cook evenly. You’ll know everything’s ready when the garlic is soft and the tomatoes have shrunk, darkened in colour and look slightly caramelised around their edges.

Tip: Keep an eye on the tomatoes as they’re roasting. You want to try and keep the heat as stable as possible – the aim is to intensify the flavour of the tomatoes by driving off the moisture within them. The tomatoes will collapse and fall apart if the fire is too fierce!


Baking tray with roasted tomatoes and garlic bulbs on a table next to a knife.

For the pizza

1. Stretch your first dough ball out on a lightly-floured surface.

Push the air from the centre out toward the crust, then use your fingers to stretch the base to about 12 inches (30 centimetres).

2. Increase the temperature of your oven, aiming for 400 °C to 450 °C (750 °F to 850 °F) on your baking stone.

You can check this quickly, accurately and from a safe distance using an infrared thermometer.

3. Cut off the first 1 centimetre (½ inch) from the top of each garlic bulb.

Squeeze out the contents of the bulb over the base of your pizza, being cautious not to burn yourself with the hot purée. Spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.

4. Evenly scatter over ¼ of the roast tomatoes and ¼ of the mozzarella and ¼ of the cheddar.

Finish with the remaining thyme and marjoram, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and black pepper to taste.

5. Dust your pizza peel with a touch of semolina, then slide it under the pizza and launch it into the oven.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, using the peel to rotate the pizza every 20 seconds to ensure an even bake. 

6. Remove from the oven, cut into six slices, serve and enjoy.

Repeat this process with the remaining pizzas.

Gill Meller

Gill Meller is a UK-based chef, award-winning food writer, food stylist and cookery teacher. Gill works closely with chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and River Cottage, and appears regularly on the celebrated Channel 4 series. A contributor to the Observer, Guardian, Waitrose Food, Telegraph and Country Living to name a few, Gill’s recipe column can be found in the award-winning delicious. magazine  every month. Gill's first book, Gather (2016), won the Fortnum & Mason Award for Best Debut Food Book, and both Time (2018) and Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower (2020) were nominated for the Guild of Food Writers’ Cookbook of the Year. He is also the author of the River Cottage Handbook on Outdoor Cooking and, more recently, Outside: Cooking Outdoors - Recipes for the Wild (2022).

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