Pizza with Leeks, Tomato & Cheese

Skip the red sauce. This pizza builds its flavor from butter-sauteed leeks spread across a prebaked shell, topped with chopped Roma tomatoes and crumbled feta. The leeks do the heavy work here, turning silky and sweet after 10 minutes in butter, and they become the sauce.

Cooling the leeks before spreading them on the crust matters. Hot leeks on raw dough creates steam that makes the base soggy. Let them come to room temperature first.

The feta (or Montrachet goat cheese) adds salty tang that cuts through the sweetness of the leeks. It doesn’t melt into a blanket like mozzarella. Instead, it softens and browns at the edges, giving you bursts of sharp flavor across the pizza.

Chef Tips

• Slice leeks thinly and wash them well. Sand and grit hide between the layers and nothing ruins a pizza faster.
• Use Roma tomatoes for their meatier texture and lower moisture. Watery tomatoes turn the crust soggy.
• Brush the exposed crust with olive oil after baking, not before. This keeps the edge golden and slightly glossy without burning the oil.
• A hot oven is essential. The high heat crisps the shell quickly before the toppings release too much moisture.

Variations

• Add pitted Kalamata olives for a Mediterranean spin.
• Scatter fresh arugula over the pizza right after it comes out of the oven for a peppery bite.
• Use goat cheese instead of feta for a creamier, milder tang.