Cherry Tomato Jam Pizza
Cherry Tomato Jam Pizza
Since tomato is "technically" a fruit and summer cherry tomatoes are as sweet as candy, transforming them into jam seems like a natural fate. At the supermarket, I judge jam labels on a simple criteria: The fruit should be the first ingredient. And the rest of the list shouldn't include much more than sugar and lemon juice. This cherry tomato jam recipe follows the same rules. Lots (and lots) of cherry tomatoes are slowly cooked with brown sugar, for a greater depth of flavor — plus pinch of red pepper flakes, a bit of salt, and, at the end, a few squeezes of tart lemon juice. Then, to put the jam to good use, this recipe gives a nod to the increasingly popular fig jam and prosciutto pizza. The cherry tomato jam is a sticky-sweet take on tomato sauce and the crispy bacon offers a salty counterpoint.
Click here to see It's Time for a Cherry Tomato Fiesta — 11 Great Recipes.
Servings
8
Ingredients
- 2 pound cherry tomatoes
- 3/4-1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
- juice of 1 lemon
- one 16-ounce ball whole-wheat pizza dough
- all-purpose flour, for dusting
- 8 slices crispy bacon, crumbled
- 1/2 cup cup whole-milk ricotta
- 1 tablespoon dried red chile pepper flakes
Directions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together the cherry tomatoes, ¾ cup brown sugar, salt, and red chile pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook until reduced, thick, and sticky, for 1-1 ½ hours.
- Purée the jam to further break up the tomatoes using either an immersion blender or food processor. Season with additional brown sugar or salt, to taste, and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Use immediately for pizza or refrigerate for a later purpose.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the pizza dough on a work surface at room temperature for about 20 minutes. When ready, dust the work surface with flour and roll out the dough to fit whatever pan you'll be using to cook the pizza (a baking sheet works just fine).
- Transfer to the pan. Spread the cherry tomato jam evenly across surface (there will be extra). On top, add the bacon, spoonful-dollops of the ricotta, and red chile pepper flakes. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the crust is as crispy as you like. Cut into triangles and serve immediately.