Pizza Magic

Pita pizza is the dinner answer when you’ve got no dough, no time, and no patience. Store-bought pita bread becomes the crust. A brush of garlic oil, a layer of sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, a scatter of basil, a shower of shredded mozzarella, and you’re five minutes from a crisp, Mediterranean-flavored flatbread.

The secret move is preheating the baking sheet. Cold sheets pull moisture out and leave you with floppy pita. A searing-hot sheet crisps the bottom in the first few seconds, giving you that signature pizza snap even on bread that started the day in a plastic bag.

Garlic-flavored olive oil is the recommended brush. It hits every topping and flavors the crust from below as the bread bakes. If you don’t have garlic oil, warm a clove of crushed garlic in regular olive oil for 10 minutes and you’ve made your own.

Chef Tips

• Get the oven screaming hot. 500°F (260°C) is better than 450°F (230°C) for this application.
• Pat sun-dried tomatoes dry if they’re oil-packed. Extra oil makes everything greasy.
• Tear basil by hand and add after baking. Baked basil turns black and bitter.
• Use fresh mozzarella, drained and sliced, for a richer version. The dry shredded kind browns faster.

Variations

• Add pepperoni slices or prosciutto for a meat version.
• Swap artichokes for olives and feta for a Greek twist.
• Top with arugula tossed in lemon and olive oil after baking for a restaurant-style salad pizza.