Lion’s Mane & Pesto Pan Pizza
Pillowy Lion’s Mane mushrooms get chewy and crisp when baked onto fresh pizza dough with bright basil pesto and a flurry of mozzarella cheese. Top it with more fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — this is far from your basic white mushroom pizza!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
12 ounces RI Mushroom Co Lion’s Mane mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 pound high-quality store-bought or homemade pizza dough
½ cup high-quality store-bought or homemade pesto
8 ounces low-moisture whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded or grated
⅓ cup fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, plus more to taste
¼ cup gently packed fresh basil leaves, torn or chiffonade
Crushed red chili flake, to taste (optional)
Directions
If dough is refrigerated, remove from fridge and place in a lightly greased bowl on the counter, covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel until room temperature, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 475° F.
In a large, lidded non-stick skillet over high heat, add 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add prepared RI Mushroom Co. Lion’s Mane mushrooms, and stir to coat in olive oil. Sauté mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until they start to get lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes.
Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and reserve. Pat sliced cherry tomatoes with paper towels to remove moisture.
Evenly spread remaining 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil onto a 11”x17” baking sheet, or another appropriate pizza-sized pan. Press the room temperature dough into the pan so it touches the edges. If it isn’t stretching all the way, let it rest for 10 minutes, and stretch the thickest parts of the dough to gently pull it to all the corners.
Spread the pesto evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border. Top evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese, then cooked mushrooms, then sliced cherry tomatoes, and finally grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the pizza to a cutting board.
Finish pizza with extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fresh basil, and crushed red chili flake (optional). Cut into 8-16 slices and serve immediately.
Chef’s Notes:
Try this recipe with another variety of RI Mushroom Co. mushrooms including Baby Bella, Chef’s Mix, or Maitake.