Margherita pizza with cashew mozzarella recipe

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While we usually don’t give too many you-know-whats about authenticity, there’s a case to make for a classic, minimalistic Margherita pizza. While the crust is great, the true star of this recipe is the homemade cashew mozzarella that will make you stop thinking about its dairy counterpart. Plus, it’s way easier to make than you might think! Add all the toppings you like, but make sure to give this cashew mozzarella the spotlight it deserves.

  • Yield: 2 pizzas

Ingredients

For Cashew Mozzarella
  • 1 cup (130 g) raw, unsalted cashews (soaked overnight)
  • 4 teaspoons tapioca starch
  • 2 small garlic cloves
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ½ cup (125 ml) water
For Pizza Crust
  • 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) lukewarm water, divided
For Sauce
  • ½ cup (110 g) tomato passata
  • dried basil to taste
  • dried oregano to taste
  • salt to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • cracked black pepper
  • fresh basil (about 10 leaves)
How to Make It
    For Cashew Mozzarella
  1. Soak the cashews in water overnight. The next day, rinse and drain the cashews.
  2. Place all the cashew mozzarella ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. You might have to scrape down the sides a few times.
  3. Transfer the cheese mixture into a saucepan and bring to medium heat. Keep stirring until it gets stretchy and comes together in a ball. Then, transfer the cheese ball into a container, let it cool off, close the lid, and let it chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
  4. Slice the cashew mozzarella and use it on this pizza, in quesadillas, in grilled cheese sandwiches, or however you would use regular mozzarella!
  5. For Pizza Crust
  6. Add the flour, instant yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
  7. Add in the oil and water. Combine all ingredients with a large spoon, then knead by hand or put all the ingredients in a bread baking machine and let the machine knead the dough until a soft dough forms.
  8. Cover the bowl of dough with a clean kitchen towel in a warm spot and let it sit for 1½ to 2 hours until the dough doubles in size.
  9. Preheat the oven to 480°F/250°C.
  10. Add more flour to the dough and work it into the mixture until it’s smooth and nonstick. Divide the dough and roll it out to two pizza crusts on lightly floured parchment paper.
  11. For Sauce
  12. Mix the tomato passata with the dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and garlic powder to taste. Spread it onto the pizza crusts.
  13. To Assemble
  14. Add slices of the mozzarella, and sprinkle with cracked black pepper.
  15. Bake the pizzas in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the tomato sauce has thickened.
  16. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves before serving!
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