Tomato season in the high desert is limited, so we usually have green tomatoes near the end of growing season. They are great as fried green tomatoes, and some get pickled for use later, however using them in one of our favorite foods- pizza, really hits the mark, especially when combined with pickled onions and jalapeños. This is one of the recipes in Bob Johnson’s cookbook, The Left Over Ranch Cookbook: Memories on a Plate in the Pizza and Pasta chapter.

Bob Johnson

Green Tomato Pizza

Tomato season in the high desert is short, so when green tomatoes appear at the end of the growing season they go straight onto a pizza! Combined with quick pickled onions and jalapeños, pepperoni, and creamy ricotta dollops, this is a uniquely satisfying seasonal pizza.

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 14

Total Time 54

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American, Italian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Quick Pickled Onions and Jalapeños

½ large red onion sliced thin and halved
1 large jalapeño sliced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup organic raw cane sugar
1/3 cup water

Pizza

12 oz pizza dough homemade or store bought
2 large green tomatoes sliced thin
15 slices stick pepperoni or deli style equivalent
1 oz Romano cheese freshly grated
1 oz Parmesan cheese freshly grated
5-8 dollops ricotta cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp pepper flakes
semolina flour for dusting

Equipment

Pizza steel, stone or cast iron pizza pan
Pizza peel
Medium bowl for pickling

Method

Quick pickle the onions and jalapeños. Whisk the apple cider vinegar, sugar, and water together until the sugar dissolves. Add the sliced red onions and jalapeños and let stand for 30-60 minutes, stirring several times. Drain before using on the pizza.
Prepare the oven and dough. Heat oven to 450°F with the pizza steel or stone inside. Allow to heat for 20-30 minutes — essential for a crispy crust. Roll out the dough to approximately 13 inches, shape to fit the peel, and place on a pizza peel dusted generously with semolina flour.
Top the pizza. Spread the drained pickled onions and jalapeños across the dough first, then add the pepperoni slices, followed by the green tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes, then add the Parmesan and Romano. Finish with dollops of ricotta evenly distributed across the top.
Bake. Slide the pizza onto the hot steel or stone and bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating 90 degrees a couple of times as it cooks, until the cheese begins to brown on top.
Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for several minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.

Notes

Green tomatoes have a wonderful tartness that pairs beautifully with the tangy pickled onions and jalapeños, this pizza is a perfect end of season celebration. Spanish chorizo makes an excellent substitute for pepperoni if you have it on hand. For a shortcut use our Pickled Onions and Jalapeños made ahead of time.

For the dough, store bought works perfectly or try Chef Rider's Easy Homemade Pizza Dough from AllRecipes. This recipe appears in the Pizza and Pasta chapter of the Left Over Ranch Cookbook.