Sonoma Recipe

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a small sheet pan with parchment.

In a bowl, toss 2 cups grape tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until evenly coated.

Spread tomatoes in a single layer on the prepared pan. Roast for 18–22 minutes, until skins blister and tomatoes are soft but still hold shape. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

While tomatoes roast, make the pesto. In a blender or food processor combine 1 cup packed basil, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

Pulse while slowly adding 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil until smooth but slightly textured. Taste and adjust salt or lemon if necessary. Transfer pesto to a small bowl or squeeze bottle for drizzling.

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch broccoli florets for 1 minute until bright green and tender-crisp. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.

If using larger spinach leaves, roughly chop. Thinly slice red onion and halve or quarter Peppadew peppers if not already prepared.

Preheat broiler to high or set oven to 500°F (260°C) with a rack in the upper third.

Lightly oil a baking sheet or pizza stone with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking.

Evenly spread shredded aged mozzarella (2 cups) across the oiled sheet in a rough circle or rectangle — this recipe is intended to be 'no base' so create a cheese layer about 1/4 inch thick, leaving small gaps to allow browning.

Place the baking sheet under the broiler or in the hot oven for 3–6 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese has melted, become bubbly and begins to take on golden brown spots but is still cohesive.

Remove the melted cheese from the oven. Immediately top with the prepared toppings: scatter the chopped spinach (3 cups) (it will wilt slightly from residual heat), blanched broccoli (1 cup), roasted grape tomatoes (roasted tomatoes from earlier), thinly sliced red onion (1/2 cup) and halved Peppadew peppers (1/2 cup).

Return to the oven for 1–2 minutes only if you want the toppings warmed/wilted further. Otherwise skip this step to keep components fresh and texturally varied.

Remove from oven. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of the basil pesto over the assembled Sonoma, using a spoon or squeeze bottle to create thin ribbons.

Scatter fresh basil leaves on top, season lightly with coarse sea salt (optional) and cracked black pepper to taste.

Let rest 1–2 minutes to allow cheese to firm slightly, then use a spatula to lift portions and serve warm.