Green Olive and Feta Pizza

Bold, creamy, rich, and slightly spicy

This pizza is without a doubt one of my favorite combinations. A classic red sauce topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese provides a base for briny, crushed Castelvetrano green olives, rich and creamy cubes of feta cheese, and a generous sprinkle of spicy red pepper flakes. The feta begins to caramelize and char lightly on the edges but remains bold and creamy in the center, and trust me, once you start crushing your olives you'll never go back to slicing them! This rich and slightly spicy combination takes regular pride of place in our standing Friday night pizza rotation.

Let's talk about the green olive, feta cheese, and red pepper flake toppings for a moment

Green olives

I love to use Castelvetrano green olives for this pizza. They are firm enough to hold up to the high heat of the oven and offer a mild, sweet, and butter flavor. I like to buy them pre-pitted to make this dish super easy to prep, and love to crush them by hand, rather than slice them so you can enjoy a more concentrated bite of olive without them rolling off the pizza as it tucks into the oven.

If you can’t find Castevatrano olives a decent substitute is green Cerignola olives, which are also firm and buttery. If neither option is to be found, this recipe works well with green Manzanilla olives, which are readily found in most grocery stores, often stuffed with red pepper. This option is much brinier and slightly bitter compared to the Castelvetrano olive, but will still be delicious in this recipe if you’re having trouble finding the others.

Feta cheese

I prefer to use Greek block feta in brine for this recipe when possible. The saltwater brine helps to ensure that the feta stays fresh and creamy and also elongates the life of the feta, which is nice if you plan to tuck it in the fridge for a few extra days before baking. If you are unable to find Greek block feta in brine, the vacuum-packed blocks are also perfectly reasonable to use in this recipe, though they may be slightly less creamy. I would avoid pre-crumbled feta for this dish as it tends to be drier and less flavorful than block feta -- and I really love being able to bite into a big creamy cube of feta after it's been lightly oven-charred!

Red pepper flakes

A generous sprinkle of red pepper flakes makes this pizza extra delicious and helps balance the brininess of the olives and the rich creaminess of the feta, so don’t be tempted to omit them. The amount you use is really up to you (and your own heat tolerance) but I like to use at least ½ teaspoon or more on this pizza to give it a little kick of spice.

WHAT ABOUT THE PIZZA CRUST?

I prefer to use this Easy Same-Day Pizza Dough recipe to make this Green Olive and Feta Pizza, but if you have a preferred pizza crust recipe of your own or want to grab some pre-made dough from the store, feel free to use those as well.

WHAT TEMPERATURE IS BEST TO BAKE PIZZA AT?

Your aim is a perfectly golden crust and nicely caramelized toppings, so the hotter the better. Many professional pizzerias keep their ovens heated to 800 degrees F or higher, but most home ovens only reach temperatures between 500-550 degrees F so this recipe is created with those constraints in mind. I bake my pizzas at 500 degrees F / 260 degrees C and get wonderful results. If your oven tops out at 450 degrees F / 232 degrees C, I have tested that temp many times over as well and it works well, though you’ll want to plan on a few extra minutes in the oven, especially if your pie is piled high with toppings.

REHEATING PIZZA LEFTOVERS

It would be cliche if I made a joke about leftovers and pizza right now, so we’ll just skip that and assume you didn’t eat the entire pie for a moment. My two favorite methods for reheating pizza so it retains its crisp crust while remelting the cheese is in the oven or in a cast-iron pan on top of the stove.

Oven method: Bake on a sheet pan at 350 F / 175 C for 10 minutes or until pizza has reached your desired level of warmth and crispness.

Stovetop method: Set pizza in a cast-iron pan over medium-low heat. Allow to cook until the crust has reached your desired level of crispness. If the cheese isn’t melted enough for your taste you can add a few drops of water to the pan (away from the pizza) and cover the pan for a minute or two to allow the steam to melt the cheese further.

WHAT TOOLS DO I NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?

• A cutting board
• A chef's knife
• A baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• A kitchen scale or measuring cups (for less precise measurements)
• Measuring spoons
• A rolling pin (only if you prefer an evenly thick pie) otherwise your hands are your best tool
• A spoon or spatula (to spread the sauce)

Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

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