Cheese Board-like Pizzas Of The Day Recipe

Mix and rest the dough

In a large bowl, combine warm water, honey (or sugar) and instant yeast. Let sit 3–5 minutes until foamy. Add olive oil, then stir in flour and salt until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 4–5 minutes.

First rise

Lightly oil a bowl, place dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1¼ hours.

Divide and rest

Punch dough down gently, divide into 4 equal pieces, shape into rounds, and let rest 20 minutes covered. This relaxes the gluten for easy stretching.

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes. If using a home oven that won’t reach 500°F, set to highest temperature (475–500°F).

Stretch the dough

On a lightly floured surface, press and stretch each dough ball into a 9–10 inch round for personal pizzas. Aim for a slightly thicker rim to hold toppings.

Optional garlic oil base

Brush each crust lightly with 1/2 tablespoon garlic-olive oil to flavor the base and help the cheeses brown evenly.

Layer cheeses like a cheese board

Arrange cheeses intentionally: scatter torn fresh mozzarella evenly across one pizza (about 2 oz per pizza), dot another with crumbled goat cheese and spoonfuls of fig jam, top a third with shaved cheddar and grated gruyère, and reserve slices of brie for another. Keep cheeses slightly spaced so they melt and mingle rather than fully blend — this gives the impression of a cheese board on a crust.

Add quick bake toppings

Sprinkle 1–2 teaspoons fresh thyme or rosemary and a few chopped toasted nuts on pizzas where appropriate. Do not add delicate items like arugula or prosciutto before baking; those are finishing items.

Bake

Slide pizza onto the preheated stone or sheet and bake 6–10 minutes until crust is golden and cheeses are melted and bubbling. Baking time varies by oven and thickness: check at 6 minutes and up to 10 minutes as needed.

Finish & dress

Remove pizzas from oven. Immediately drizzle select pizzas with honey (about 1/2 tablespoon each where desired) and a few drops of balsamic glaze. Top others with thin slices of pear/apple, arugula tossed lightly with a teaspoon of olive oil, or a few slices of prosciutto. Dollop ricotta or mascarpone where you want creamy contrast (about 1 tablespoon per pizza). Sprinkle toasted nuts, flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve

Cut pizzas into 4 slices each and serve warm so guests experience melted cheeses along with the board-style accompaniments. Offer extra fig jam, honey and balsamic glaze at the table for customizing.

All cheeses listed are used across the pizzas — allocate amounts from the ingredients section to create 3–4 distinct board-style pizzas (for example: Pizza A — fresh mozzarella + gruyère; Pizza B — brie + fig jam + walnuts; Pizza C — goat cheese + honey + pear; Pizza D — cheddar + prosciutto + arugula). Use the prosciutto and arugula only after baking.

If you prefer a thinner crust, roll dough rounds thinner and reduce bake time by 1–2 minutes. For vegetarian pizzas omit prosciutto.