Heirloom Tomato Pizza with Pesto Sauce

This Heirloom Tomato Pizza Recipe with Homemade Basil Pesto Sauce paired with CK Mondavi and Family Sunset Sweet Red is a delicious way to end summer and greet fall. This recipe is sponsored by CK Mondavi and Family. All opinions are my own.

Heirloom Tomato Pizza with Pesto is a delicious way to enjoy your summer produce and relax with your family and friends after along week! The pizza dough is covered with a Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe and is decorated with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Similar to a Margherita Pizza, this heirloom tomato pizza recipe adds an extra special layer of flavor by spreading a basil pesto over the dough. This pizza recipe has the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and creamy. And, it also goes great with a glass of CK Mondavi and Family's newest wine, Sunset Sweet Red!

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A garden full of Heirloom Tomatoes

I love Heirloom Tomatoes. So, it made perfect sense to make this Heirloom Tomato Pizza recipe! I think that while they may be an imperfect, ugly tomato, that is what also makes them beautiful! Heirloom Tomatoes can come in different colors and sizes. However, my favorites are the bright red or yellow tomatoes that grow huge in the garden! !

Tomatoes have been so plentiful this year. As a result, we decided to try several different recipes to use them in! Today's recipe in particular was created to celebrate the ending of summer and beginning of fall. And, it is paired perfectly with CK Mondavi and Family Sunset Sweet Red Wine!

Balancing out the flavor profiles and pairing CK Mondavi and Family Sunset Sweet Red

Most of the time, I prefer a dry wine over a sweeter one. However, CK Mondavi and Family sent me their newest wine to try which is on the sweeter side. I wasn't sure what I would think of it as dry wines tend to be my preference. However, the Sunset Sweet Red is full-bodied, luscious, and smooth. It turned out to be very pleasing to the palate and I really enjoyed sipping on it!

When pairing wine with food, it is a good idea to use a pairing guide. Especially if you are newer to the wine lover's group! CK Mondavi and Family has it all sorted out for you. Just check the varietal and see the photo of what food pairs well with it!

Bringing together the flavors of summer and fall with Heirloom Tomato Pizza

I completely enjoy having my youngest son living so close to home. We make eating together a family event that we all enjoy. Special memories are being made with food and wine and great conversation. Today's recipe was made with the thoughts of summer's end produce being paired with a warmer and sweeter wine that makes you think of the changing of seasons.

We used ripe, gorgeous heirloom tomatoes from our garden to pair with a homemade basil pesto recipe on top of a homemade pizza dough. The entire process was a family affair with my son making the pizza dough and pesto for me so I could document our process.

Tips for a successful recipe

When making a pizza you want to be sure to take certain steps to ensure a delicious crust and topping. Below are some ways we ensure our heirloom tomato pizza with pesto sauce is at its absolute best!

• Slice your tomatoes before assembling the pizza and lie them out on paper towels. This will help absorb excess water and prevent your pizza from becoming soggy.
• Use a pizza stone and pizza peel to cook your pizza. The stone should be hot when the pizza is placed on it. This helps to start cooking the bottom of your dough first and will give you a crisper pizza crust to hold all the toppings.
• The pizza can be cooked in the oven or on a hot grill. Just be sure your temperature is set to 450 degrees. If your making the pizza in the oven, be sure it is set on the lowest rack.
• Use fresh mozzarella on this pizza. Break it into smaller pieces and just dot the pizza with it. Don't use too much cheese for this particular recipe. You don't need it as this pizza is full of flavors and the cheese would just make the pizza heavier and cover up the flavor.

How to make Heirloom Tomato Pizza

Start with a good pizza dough. You can make your own (see this recipe for pizza dough) or buy a pre-made dough from the store. If making your own dough, you will want to plan ahead. A great dough will need to proof a couple of days to develop its flavor and it will stretch easier.

Once you have your dough down, you will need to either make your own homemade basil pesto recipe, or buy a pesto from the store. Either will be fine, but I'm a homemade girl all the way and we like to make our own!

The pesto should go on the pizza dough before baking. Just spread a thin layer of it over the dough until it reaches the outer edges of the pizza crust.

The next layer should be your tomatoes. Because heirloom tomatoes can be so large (the red one in the photo above weighed almost 2-½ pounds!), you may need to cut the slices in half.

Dot the pizza with fresh mozzarella. We like to buy the Ciliegine Mozzarella and break it in half. Then, just to add a little more cheese, we will sprinkle a little bit of shredded cheese on top.

This pizza recipe can be cooked on your grill or in your oven. The temperature should be hot (450 degrees) and the pizza stone should be in the oven or on the grill while it is preheating.

Other Recipes that pair with CK Mondavi and Family Wines

Fellow CK Mondavi and Family Ambassadors have created must try delicious wine pairings!

Casa De Crews has this delicious, low carb, whole 30 recipe for Habanero Grilled Pork Chops that are mouthwatering! The blend of spice in the recipe and smooth sweetness are a perfect combination!

Food Wine Sunshine has a Grilled Blackened Shrimp with Spicy Watermelon Salad that pairs deliciously with either Moscato or Sunswet Sweet Red!

Other Pizza Recipes to pair with wine

We are a pizza loving family. We also are a family with different dietary needs. And, while this Heirloom Tomato pizza is pictured with a regular homemade pizza dough, we also will make a low carb pizza crust recipe for those on keto. Any of our pizzas can be made with either crust!

Pizzas Recipes to pair with Sunset Sweet Red Wine

This Cheeseburger Pizza is an unexpected favorite in our home. Who knew ketchup would work on a pizza dough? The combination of sweet and tangy cheeseburger flavors pair deliciously with the smooth red wine.

Have a glass with this Pesto Steak and Arugula Pizza or hearty Steak and Potato Pizza! It is another delicious pizza recipe that can bring together summer and fall flavors.

Pizza Recipes to pair with Moscato Wine

Buffalo Chicken Pizza is an absolute favorite here. The balance of spicy and sweet works deliciously together!

If your into grilling your veggies and enjoying them on pizza, then try this Grilled Vegetable Pizza with a glass of Moscato. The charred veggies and sweet wine complement each other in a way you may not expect!

While this Grilled Chicken Artichoke Mushroom Pizza was originally paired with Chardonnay, it also goes great with Moscato wine. Add just a little bit of hot pepper to the recipe and there is a sweet heat complement that you may not expect!

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