I hope you all had a lovely weekend and enjoyed some time celebrating your mom…eating good food, maybe baking a cake, and hopefully chilling out a bit before another week begins! Welcoming Monday with a pizza recipe just seemed like the right thing to do, especially after a very relaxed Mother’s Day weekend that no one wanted to see end. Pizza makes Monday enjoyable, and it’s always so nice to have an easy, delicious recipe to look forward to on a Monday night. I mean, right? Yes, most definitely. In fact, I’m wondering if, during the summer months (June, I am so ready for you), we start making Monday night pizza a monthly thing here on HBH? We could even throw in some grilled pizza recipes topped with all the summer produce? What do you think, maybe the first Monday of each month? I could do an Instagram story with you all. It would be like we were making Monday night summertime pizza together each month… Hmm, I’m liking this idea! Let me know what you guys think? In other news, over here we have a fun couple of weeks ahead. And while they are all good things, my anxiety is already starting to set in. So very typical of me. In an effort to stress less, simple recipes like this pizza are going to be my “back pocket” dinners during jam packed days. Truth is, I’ve been wanting to share this pizza recipe with you all for the longest time now. It’s one of the simplest pizzas, yet it’s also very different. Most importantly? It is SO GOOD. This is one of my go-to pizzas when I’m just making a pizza for the family, and not worrying about testing out a new recipe. If any of you have ever been to Roberta’s in Brooklyn, the toppings on this pizza might not be so unusual to you. These toppings are inspired by their bee sting pizza. Which I first learned about when I was doing press for my cookbook in NYC. I was fortunate enough to have an interview at their Brooklyn location. Roberta’s bee sting pizza is topped with chilies and sweet honey. Long time readers know that I LOVE topping savory dishes with a drizzle of honey. Have you tried my naan grilled cheese yet? So of course these pizza toppings are very much my style. Ever since then, I’ve been making my own version and it’s a staple pizza recipe in my kitchen. So… Why did it take so long for me to share? It’s simple, I overthink everything. I worried that… one, the pizza was too simple, and two, that the honey would throw everyone off. Yes, I let my crazy brain get in the way for the last year and half. BUT I’ve been on the biggest pizza making kick the last few months. And well, I finally decided that I had to share this one with you guys. It’s a tried and true favorite. Here are the details. Start with your favorite pizza dough. I have a top-secret recipe that I will be sharing soon…ish. But in the meantime, this is a great option, and one I use all the time. You can also easily pick up your favorite dough from your local grocery store or pizza place in town. Just use a dough you love. Make sure you are working with room temperature dough. It’s easier to work with and cooks up perfectly. So be sure to let your dough sit on the counter for a couple of hours before using, then roll it out. Next, spread the dough with crushed tomatoes, basil pesto, and top with a mix of fresh mozzarella and fontina cheese. Add very thinly sliced jalapeños and spicy pepperoni or soppressata. Bake in a super hot oven. As soon as the pizza comes out, top it with tons of fresh basil and a very good drizzle of sweet honey. And really, be generous with both the basil and the honey, they’re key ingredients here. The honey really balances out the spiciness from the jalapeños and pepperoni. Trust me, it’s delicious. Every bite is a touch tomatoey, a touch basily, cheesy, spicy, and hinted with sweetness. My favorite flavors. I like to serve this up family style, so everyone can grab as many slices as they’s like. If you’re serving kids, I’d recommend leaving the jalapeños off half the pizza so that it’s not too spicy for them! Also, if you’ve already broken out your grill for summer, this is such an easy pizza to toss on the grill on a hot night. The wood fire flavor adds a nice touch too! And with that, I’m going to leave you with the best Monday night pizza recipe. Add a fun drink and you’ll have the perfect night at home. If you make this sweet and spicy pizza, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
