Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Trust me – this temperature gives the perfect golden top!

Gently twist the stems out of each mushroom. Using a small spoon, carefully scrape out the dark gills and a little extra flesh to create a generous cavity (save stems for soup stock!). Lightly brush the outside of each cap with olive oil and place hollow-side up on the baking sheet.

Bake the empty mushroom caps for exactly 10 minutes. This step removes excess moisture so your filling stays creamy and concentrated. While they bake, prepare the filling.

In a medium bowl, combine the basil pesto, ricotta, minced garlic, half the toasted pine nuts, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, salt, and plenty of black pepper. Mix until completely smooth and vibrant green – this is your flavor bomb!

Remove mushrooms from the oven. Carefully tilt each cap to pour out any collected liquid, then pat the insides dry with a paper towel. Your mushrooms are now perfectly prepped!

Place 2–3 small cubes of fresh mozzarella in the bottom of each mushroom cap – these will melt into glorious cheese pockets.

Spoon a generous 1–1½ tablespoons of the pesto-ricotta mixture on top of the mozzarella, pressing gently to fill every nook and creating a slight mound. Don’t be shy – really pack it in!

Nestle one more mozzarella cube on top of the pesto filling in each mushroom (this creates that gorgeous melted cap). Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and toasted pine nuts over all the mushrooms.

Bake for 12 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is bubbling. Switch the oven to broil (high) and broil 1–2 minutes, watching like a hawk, until the cheese is golden-brown and blistered in spots.

Remove from oven and let rest 7 full minutes (this is crucial – the filling will set and won’t burn anyone’s mouth). Arrange on a platter, drizzle with a thread of good olive oil, scatter tiny basil leaves or chiffonade, and serve warm. Prepare for complete silence followed by “Can I have the recipe?!”