Ortolana
Originally from Italy, this Ortolana pizza is a very tasty vegetarian pizza worth making at home.
Made as shown, this type of pizza has a appetizing flavor, perfectly matched with a supreme aroma to enjoy.
Use your time to get the freshest ingredients and add them to a fantastic crust for your family to take part in a out of this world pizza meal together.
In the mood for a Vegetarian pizza using a Tomato sauce? Then keep scrolling for this recipe.
Pizza is a delicious food all around the world, but have you ever thought about branching out and trying different types of pizza from different cultures? Each country has their own unique take on pizza that offers a distinct flavor and texture.
For example, Neapolitan pizza from Italy is known for its soft and chewy crust while Greek pizza is known for its crispy crust and toppings like feta cheese and olives. You can try pizza from India, Japan, or even Mexico, which all have their own unique toppings and flavors.
Trying different types of pizza from around the world is a great way to expand your palate and discover new flavor combinations you may not have tried before. So next time you’re craving pizza, why not try something new and explore different types of pizza from around the world? It’s a fun and delicious way to broaden your horizons.
Pizza in Italy
A Naples invention, Pizza originated in Italy in the 1700’s, and they know how to craft the perfect pizza. Naples is the most famous location for pizza in the entire world, and you can still visit the world’s oldest pizzeria, the stunning Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba.
Take a look at some of the other pizzas from Italy here.
| Origin | Italy |
| Type | Vegetarian |
| Sauce | Tomato Sauce |
Ortolana Pizza Recipe
Below we’ve put together a recipe for you to make your own homemade Ortolana Pizza using a woodfired oven or your typical kitchen oven.
| Dough | 2 hours |
| Assembly | 10 minutes |
| Baking | 12-20 minutes |
Ortolana Pizza Ingredients
Get enough of the toppings that you will need for the amount of pizzas you plan to make. The pizza sauce and dough ingredients below are designed for 3-4 pizzas, so add more or less, if required.
Simple Pizza dough
- 250 ml (1 cup) lukewarm water
- 400 g (2 2/3 cups) plain flour, plus extra to dust
- 7 grams (2 tsps) dried yeast
- 1/4 cup (3 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons table salt
Ortolana Pizza Toppings
Toppings used in this pizza recipe, are;
- Mozzarella
- Assorted Vegetables
Simple Tomato Pizza Sauce
- 1 (6oz/170g) can of tomato paste
- 1 can (15oz/420g) diced or crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 small onion
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
Want to try a different sauce? See our article on the different types of pizza sauces.
TIP
You can click on any of the tags at the bottom of this page, to find other pizzas besides Ortolana Pizza, that use that topping.
Pizza Dough Method
You purchase a premade pizza base at your local store, or if you have time, make your own homemade dough following the simple steps below.
- Whisk yeast and lukewarm water in a jug. Stand for around five minutes.
- Add the salt and flour in a large bowl. Create a hollow centre in the flour. Slowly pour the liquid yeast mixture and oil.
- Using your hands or spatula, gently combine the flour mixture until smooth. Then turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and hand knead for roughly five minutes.
- Place the dough mixture in to an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place until the dough has at least risen to double in size.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Hand knead gently for five minutes until reasonably smooth.
- Sprinkle some flour on work surface before rolling out dough to prevent any sticking.
- Divide dough mix into equal amounts, now roll out the bases to the desired size.
TIP: We have other dough recipes if you would like to try your hand at sourdough, poolish or more.
Tomato Pizza Sauce Method
Impress yourself and your guests with a homemade pizza experience by making your own tomato sauce with the easy steps outlined below.
- Add ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well.
- Mix well using a whisk, or blender.
- Leave sitting for five minutes.
- Your sauce is now ready to use or keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze remaining sauce for up to 3 months.
Mix things up by using a pesto sauce or adding a little pesto to your sauce for a new flavor experience.
Preparing Ortolana Pizza
Preheat your kitchen oven to approximately 500 degrees.
Roll out the dough to either slightly smaller than your pizza stone (if you have one) or on a metal tray for the kitchen oven.
Alternatively, if you have a pizza oven, roll out to be smaller than your pizza peel.
First, spread the sauce around. This pizza calls for Tomato Sauce. Spread the Tomato Sauce evenly using the back of a large spoon or the blunt side of a knife.
You should start by adding the largest ingredients, then work your way down. The last is any cheese topping, such as Mozzarella, which you should evenly cover the other toppings with, and then finally any herbs.
The toppings to include on this pizza are;
- Mozzarella
- Assorted Vegetables
I find this pizza perfect as is, or you could pair it with another pizza as well?
Oven time
Put the Ortolana pizza in the middle of your oven (on a pizza steel if you have one) and set timer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, open oven and look at pizza.
The pizza should be done within roughly 15 minutes. Always cook to personal tastes.
About Mozzarella
Fresh Mozzarella is typically white, however when seasoned it can change to light yellow, depending on the animal’s diet. Due to its high moisture content, it is traditionally served the day after it is made, however it can be kept in brine for a week, or even longer if packaged well.
Mozzarella was first cited in an Italian cookbook in 1570. Nowadays, Mozzarella can be twisted to form a plait, and called Treccia. You can also buy it as a smoked cheese, called Affumicata.
Pizza Tools
When making Ortolana Pizza, it’s always handy to have the right pizza making tools. Here’s what items I always recommend…
Bench Scrapers
Good quality metal or plastic bench scrapers make it so much esier to both cut your dough, and scrape your bench. I prefer plastic to avoid scratching my bench.
Measuring Cups
Pizza making is all about precision, so having a full set of both wet and dry measuring cups on hand is critical. It is so important when making pizza dough to accurately measure all your ingredients.
Measuring Cups
Pizza making is all about precision. Having a set of both dry and wet measuring cups on hand is vital to accurately measure all your ingredients.
Vegetables
Add your favorite vegetables, and try a mix that you haven’t used before.
Exploring toppings is a fun way to enjoy pizza and the art of creating them.
How to Store
Have leftover pizza? Here’s what to do.
Store in the fridge
Leftover slices of pizza may be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer guide
You can store leftover pizza in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen as directed above until heated through.
Reheating pizza
Warm in the center of a 450 degree F oven for approximately 6 minutes, on a pizza stone if possible, until heated through. See our article on reheating pizza for more.
Vegetarian Pizzas
Keen on seeing more than Ortolana pizza? We have plenty of other Vegetarian pizza recipes to look at, as well. Enjoy!
Pizza making FAQ
Below we’ve compiled the most common pizza making questions and provided expert answers. Are you looking for how to make delicious pizza at home? Please read on!
Can I use durum wheat flour for pizza dough?
It depends; if it’s fine enough, yes. Durum wheat is a variety that is usually ground down to make semolina, which is used to make pasta. If it is ground into a finer flour, it can be used to make pizza dough and breads.
Should I double every ingredient when making pizza dough?
Not typically, no. If a pizza recipe states that, it may be inferring that to get twice the dough you need twice the ingredients. See our baker’s percentage guide on why we should use baker’s percent rather than fixed ingredient amounts. It makes a lot of sense!
How much sodium is in a slice of pizza?
Pizza has a significant amount of sodium. A typical slice of pizza can have anywhere from 600 to 1500 mg of sodium per slice. This makes it easy to hit the daily 2,300mg limit that they recommend.
Have you made Ortolana Pizza?
Don’t be shy, let us know what you thought of Ortolana Pizza ! Tag us on our Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter and let us know what you thought of it! I’d love to know.
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