Sargento Natural Cheese and Blueberry Pizza
Choosing quality cheese and Savory Blueberry Ricotta Pizza.
Don’t you just love getting a package in the mail? Last week I got a box of Sargento cheese to sample. I can never, EVER pass up cheese.
Sargento was so confident in the quality of their cheese, they sent their natural cheese slices as well as processed “American” cheese slices to compare the two.
As any cheese lover knows, there is no comparison in real cheese and “cheese product”. Sargento cheeses are made with just a few natural ingredients and are aged to enhance the flavor. They slice each block and package immediately to insure freshness. Plus, Sargento IS American cheese! All their cheeses are made fresh in Wisconsin, the Cheese State. Processed cheese is loaded with scientific sounding ingredients and nearly double the sodium. It’s squeezed into the wrapper in liquid form and flattened into slices.
My personal belief is that cheese isn’t supposed to be glossy. If it looks like rubber and bends like rubber, it’s not real cheese.
We opened the box for everyone to taste-test the cheeses and it was immediately clear the Sargento cheddar cheese was the favorite. The cheddar slices are thin and dense with a nutty aroma. They bend just a bit before breaking. That my friends, is how “American” cheese should look, feel and smell. The flavor was sharp and well balanced, not overly salty.
We snacked on the cheese with fruit and crackers, but could not help thinking how useful the cheese slices are at mealtime. Sargento slices are perfect for back-to-school lunch boxes, grilled cheese sandwiches, and layering in lasagna.
We decided to try something new and tear them into smaller pieces for a savory Blueberry Pizza appetizer.
With an abundance of blueberries this year, we’ve made jams, pies, crisps, and an array of other desserts. But who says blueberries have to be in sweet dishes? Their deep, yet perky, flavor makes them a wonderful addition to salads and savory appetizers.
Fruit and briny cheese go hand-in-hand, so to me, blueberry pizza makes perfect sense.
This simple and elegant Blueberry Ricotta Pizza is a quick appetizer or party snack. The combination of fresh basil and blueberries with the Sargento sharp white cheddar and creamy ricotta, are well balanced by a touch of spicy crushed red pepper and a scant drizzle of honey. This blueberry appetizer is fantastic straight out of the oven or at room temperature. Plus, it leaves extra Sargento cheese slices to munch on while you’re preparing it. *SMILE*
To Prepare Blueberry Ricotta Pizza:
Use a fork to prick holes over the surface, leaving the edges untouched. Arrange the basil leaves over the dough. Then break the cheese slices into bite-size pieces and layer them on the dough.
Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 8 triangles. Next dollop the ricotta over the dough followed by a sprinkling of blueberries. Sprinkle the pizza with crushed red pepper and salt. Bake for approximately 20 minutes—until the edges are golden.
Drizzle with honey and enjoy!
Savory Blueberry Ricotta Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed
- 12-15 fresh basil leaves
- 2 slices Sargento Vermont Sharp White Cheddar
- 1/4 cup Sargento Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- Pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Unfold the puff pastry and lay it on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Use a fork to prick holes over the surface, leaving the edges untouched. Arrange the basil leaves over the dough. Then break the cheese slices into bite-size pieces and layer them on the dough.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 8 triangles. Next dollop the ricotta over the dough followed by a sprinkling of blueberries.
- Sprinkle the pizza with crushed red pepper and salt. Bake for approximately 20 minutes—until the edges are golden.
- Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little honey. Pull apart and serve warm.
Oh if you could just see me now….I am doing a happy dance because I loooooove this pizza! I am about to lick my screen…noone is watching!
This looks fabulous! So lovely and creative~
Yum! What a fun idea! I love this–it looks so good!
This is one of the best pizzas I ever saw!! From your choice of ingredients to your creative cutting of the pizza! Great recipe Sommer!
This is SO awesome! I am so impressed with your creativity. Wow, I bet this is just amazing. I love trying new things like this.
Very creative and beautiful. I love cheese too – and pizza – and blueberries. This pizza and I were MFEO (made for each other)!
What a great idea! I live off of cheese and crackers in the summer. This pizza is just a perfect accompaniment!
This is INCREDIBLE! I love the flavors and ease of preparation. So summer :)
chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
this looks amazing. i would have never thought to mix blueberries and pizza. stunning and simple ingredients.
This looks amazing! what a unique recipe!
What an awesome combination of ingredients and flavors. I like the pull apart affect.
What a great pizza!
The peppery nature of the basil would definitely highlight the cheese and give the blueberries a bit of a punch. This is a very unique and fantastic looking recipe. Congrats on receiving the cheese and on such a good review of it.
What an intriguing recipe. The basil makes me think savory. The blueberries and agave nectar make me think dessert. I can’t wait to give it a try and decide for myself!
Love it! I used to make a dessert version of Blueberry pizza but this time of year, I’d rather have something savory than overly sweet. Great use of seasonal ingredients and easy to make.
What a delicious idea! I like Sargento cheese, too. Always reach for them first at the grocery.
That is a yummy appetizer idea! I still have lots of blueberries in the fridge, too. Simple, but elegant. Love it!
Simple to make but totally amazing pizza. I can do this!