RECIPE: Easy, cheesy white pizza

There’s only really one rule when it comes to white pizza: no red sauce. From there, toppings can vary widely. Ricotta, mozzarella, pesto, chicken, bechamel, Parmesan — really, anything goes.

For me, the ideal white pizza toppings are creamy, cheesy, flavor-packed, and have a touch of color. My creamy element is mascarpone cheese, which is easy to dollop on the pizza and then let melt and bubble under the heat of a broiler. Zippy, sharp, freshly grated pecorino, added right before serving, complements the mascarpone and adds a second cheesy note. Homemade garlic oil — and its delicious byproduct, fried garlic — add a wallop of flavor to the pizza, especially when the oil is added twice, once before cooking and once after. A touch of color comes from finely chopped fresh sage; its bright herbal flavor also lightens the otherwise rich dish.

For the crust, you can use any precooked flatbread or pizza shell. I particularly like store-bought naan to make personal pizzas. After cooking for a few minutes under a hot broiler, the edges crisp while the center remains chewy.