Sprinkle cornmeal on baking sheets with raised edges (if yours don’t have raised edges, skip the cornmeal), and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celcius).

Decant ingredients into small bowls and place them around the work surface. If there are multiple workspaces or people are far apart, divide each ingredient into two bowls and place them at each spot. Give each person a rolling pin (or share), to roll out their dough.

How to Assemble Your Pizza

Step 1. Pick your base.

You can go 1 of 3 ways here. Pesto, classic red sauce, or olive oil only. A basil or lemon balm pesto goes great with mozzarella, marinated artichoke hearts, some thinly sliced red onion, and maybe a little parsley thrown on for good measure. Classic tomato base is the perfect foundation for a traditional Margherita (add cheese and basil) or a pile of peppers and mushrooms. Going sauceless means you can get creative and focus on more complex toppings, such as pear, arugula, gorgonzola, and prosciutto with a balsamic drizzle, or more delicate ones.

Step 2. Pick complementary toppings.

Think about what flavor you’re playing off of as you add things. Pestos go well with fresh, green, and herby ingredients and a lot of cheese. Traditional red pizza sauce supports almost anything, and a sauceless pizza (brushed with olive oil), you can play up with more intense ingredients (a lot of red onion) or down with less intense ones (cherry tomatoes and chervil).

Keep how these flavors work together in mind as you add to your pie. Below are a few can’t-go-wrong combinations.

Each of the following makes 1 personal pizza

Margherita Pizza with Gardyn Cherry Tomatoes

Ball of pizza dough

1-2 spoonfuls of red sauce

1-2 handfuls Gardyn cherry tomatoes

A few leaves Gardyn basil (added after baking)

Artichoke Burrata Pizza with Gardyn Lemon Balm Pesto

Ball of pizza dough

1-2 spoonfuls Gardyn Lemon Balm Pesto (recipe below)

Marinated artichoke hearts (as many as you like)

Ball of burrata, torn and spread across pizza

Gardyn Arugula, Pear and Gorgonzola with Balsamic Drizzle

Gardyn Arugula or American mustard (harvesting when young gives a less bitter taste and helps keep your Gardyn producing)

Ball of pizza dough

Half a red pear, thinly sliced

Handful gorgonzola crumbles

A couple drizzles of balsamic drizzle (sometimes called balsamic glaze)

Step 3. Place those pies in the heated oven and let cook 10-15 minutes (depending on the size), until the crust looks golden brown.

Remove and let cool for a few minutes before adding fresh toppings (such as herbs) and serving. Let each person dig into their creation, or slice each pie into pieces and check out what everyone else made too.

Recipe for Basil or Lemon Balm Pesto

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil or 1 cup basil and 1 cup lemon balm leaves

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 cloves garlic

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Combine the basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed until finely minced.

2. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Run until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined. Keep running and add the cheese until just combined. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

With more than 15 Gardyn plants to use as toppings and sauces, the combinations are endless. Easy to throw together, this party is a lot of fun for very little work.

Falling for Flavor: 3 Recipes to Try This Autumn

As the leaves change color and the air turns crisp, the arrival of autumn brings with it an abundance of flavors and ingredients that inspire culinary creativity. From hearty salads to comforting stir-fries and delightful desserts, fall offers a wide array of culinary possibilities. In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to three mouthwatering recipes that capture the essence of fall.