Mini Meatballs & Basil Pizza
Today, our spotlight is on the age-old union of meatballs with aromatic basil leaves.
Our Italian-inspired mini meatballs are robust, savory, and hearty. Paired with the gentle aroma of fresh basil, there emerges a harmonious marriage of flavours that tantalises the palate. Basil carries a sweet yet peppery taste, making it the ideal complement to the deep flavours of our homemade meatballs.
Our homemade tomato sauce, crafted with diced Italian tomatoes, garlic, and onions, serves as the perfect foundation to meld all the ingredients together. Complementing this delightful blend is the low-moisture mozzarella, which introduces a creamy yet firm texture.
This Mini Meatballs & Basil Pizza offers a captivating dance of flavours. It’s the ultimate choice for those seeking a pizza that exudes indulgence and freshness.
Mini Meatballs & Basil Pizza
The savoury depth of the homemade mini meatballs coupled with the aromatics from the fresh basil creates a lovely, classic flavour profile that's the ultimate comfort food! To make this mini meatball and basil pizza you'll need a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time to prep the dough and toppings. Follow our step-by-step instructions and you'll be indulging in a slice of this exciting and flavourful pizza in no time. Bon appétit! And don't forget to check out some of our other pizza recipes for inspiration for your next pie day!
Equipment
- Outdoor Pizza Oven, Pizza Steel, or Stone (if using a home oven)
- 1 Pizza Peel
- 1 sauce ladle
- 1 wooden chopping board or peel for prep and serving
- 1 frying pan for the meatballs
Ingredients
For the Homemade Meatballs
- 500g beef mince
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 1 brown onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves
General Pizza Toppings
- 1 pizza dough ball
- 1 ladle of pizza sauce
- Low moisture mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
For the Homemade Meatballs
- Begin by finely slicing the garlic cloves and dicing the onion.
- In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and onions. Stir occasionally until the onions turn translucent, which should take about 5 minutes.
- Pour the cans of diced tomato into the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the beef mince, chopped parsley, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
- Shape the mixture into mini meatballs.
- Add these meatballs to the simmering tomato sauce and allow them to cook for an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Pizza Toppings and Assembly
- Prepare Dough: Follow any of our dough recipes. You will need to prepare the dough at least 24 hours ahead of time.
- Prepare Sauce: We recommend our standard pizza sauce which is versatile, simple to make and is perfect for Neapolitan style pizzas. Spice up this sauce however you like, remember the best part about making pizza is the creative process!
- Prepare Cheese: Tear the low moisture mozzarella into medium-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven:If using an outdoor pizza like an Ooni pizza oven, aim for a temperature of 450-500°C at the center of your pizza stone. Use an infrared thermometer to ensure accuracy. It should take around 25-30 minutes to reach temperature.For a home oven, using a pizza steel or stone, place the stone or steel inside the oven and preheat to the highest temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Base: On a lightly floured surface, stretch out the dough by hand according to the steps outlined in our dough recipe. Once you're happy with the shape of the base, lightly dust your pizza peel and transfer the dough onto the peel.
- Assemble Pizza: To assemble the pizza, begin by spreading a ladle of sauce in a circular motion, starting from the center of the dough and moving outwards. Next, scatter mozzarella pieces, about 2 cm in diameter, across the dough, ensuring they're at least 1.5 cm apart. Finally, evenly distribute the mini meatballs.
- Bake Your Pizza: If you're using an outdoor pizza oven, launch the pizza into the oven and bake for 60-90 seconds. Keep an eye on the pie and rotate every 10-15 seconds to ensure even cooking and to avoid burning.For a home oven with a pizza steel or stone, the bake time should be around 7-10 minutes.
- Serving: Once the pizza is done, remove from the oven and place on a serving board. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Now, it's time to enjoy your Mini Meatballs & Basil Pizza homemade pizza!
