Meyer Lemon Pizza with Goat Cheese and Olives

I was doing a search on “Meyer Lemons” (because yes, that is what I do in my spare time) and came across this LA Times article: 100 Things to Do with a Meyer Lemon. One of the ideas that piqued my interest was a lemon, olive and goat cheese pizza. I already had 1/2 log of herbed goat cheese in the fridge waiting patiently for my inspiration, so I decided to give it a go.

This is a simple pizza, but with a few key instructions. The first step in making it a success is slicing the lemons whisper thin, so they roast and lose any bitterness when baking. And because each of the three main ingredients is so important in the overall taste, using good-quality cheese and olives is essential. And finally, topping the pizza off with fresh ground black pepper and olive oil is the perfect finish. I like to make my own pizza dough and always pre-bake it for 5-10 minutes before adding toppings to insure extra-crispiness, but how you like your dough is your preference.

Meyer Lemon Pizza with Goat Cheese and Olives

serves 4

1 pizza dough, rolled out, (pre-baked, if you prefer)
olive oil
1 Meyer lemon, sliced very thin
5-6 oz goat cheese (herbed or regular)
1/2 c pitted mixed greek olives, chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450F. Place your pizza dough on a baking sheet or pre-heated pizza stone. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with lemon, crumbled goat cheese and olives. Bake 10 minutes, or until crust begins to brown. Remove from oven and top with black pepper and olive oil. Cool 5 minutes, before cutting into slices.