This is one of those recipes that’s equally delicious as it is effortless, taking advantage of the great mid-summer farmer’s market produce. Seriously, there’s hardly anything to this recipe. I almost feel like it’s not worth posting except for the fact that I can’t get enough of this pizza. I’ve made it like 3 times in the last week, and you’d be crazy to think I didn’t immediately crush the above pizza after taking some photos.

You hear people talk about how tomatoes and mozzarella or tomatoes and basil are the perfect pairing. I would argue that tomatoes and summer squash deserve a similar acknowledgment. They both reach their peak ripeness and availability at the same time. Tangy, acidic, sweet and certainly umami-packed, the tomatoes stand in contrast to the clean, crisp, yet buttery quality of summer squash. And when you put them on a pizza with spicy and floral fresh oregano, it’s a fantastic marriage of flavors.

I like to make my own fresh tomato sauce for this pizza. The recipe is available through the link. However, if you want to put even less effort into this pizza (and I don’t blame you, that’s kind of the theme here) you can simple use sliced ripe tomatoes in place of the sauce. Just be sure to add an extra glug of olive oil and a bit more salt to the mix. That being said, the fresh tomato sauce is pretty simple itself and goes great on any number of other pizza creations.

SUMMER SQUASH PIZZA

Makes 1 12-14-inch pizza

-10-12 oz. pizza dough
-all-purpose flour
-semolina flour
-½ lb. summer squash, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
-⅔ cup fresh tomato sauce or other pizza sauce
-1 tbsp olive oil + additional
-fresh oregano
-salt

1. Place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven and preheat to it’s maximum temperature.

2. Put a large frying pan over medium heat and add the tbsp of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the squash slices, keeping them in a single layer. Cook for about 2 minutes, sprinkle on a pinch of salt, then flip the slices and cook another 2 minutes before salting again. You’re looking for the squash to release some of its liquid but not to brown too much. Set squash slices aside to cool.

3. When you’re ready to assemble, stretch out the chilled pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a pizza peel that’s been lightly dusted with semolina or all-purpose flour.

4. Working quickly, spoon on the sauce and spread evenly. Add the squash slices and then top with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Put the pizza in the oven directly on the pizza stone or sheet pan. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until crust starts to brown. Carefully remove and place on a cooling rack. After a minute or so, add a good handful of fresh oregano leaves and another drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.