Pizza Bianca Food

CAST IRON PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roll or stretch the dough into a 14-inch circle. Remove the preheated skillet from the oven. Drizzle half the garlic-infused olive oil into the skillet, then carefully transfer the dough to the skillet, pressing it up the edges and letting it sizzle. Brush the remaining olive oil on the dough. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and Asiago on the dough, then top with the mozzarella pearls. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until golden, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Transfer to a cutting board, then drizzle with the truffle oil, top with shaved Parmesan and lots of fresh basil. Cut into slices and serve.

PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Dust a board with the flour and roll each ball of dough into roughly a 6-inch round. Heat the oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat, about 3 minutes to get it hot. Add one of the dough rounds to the hot pan. When the dough begins to bubble on the top and the bottom is golden brown, flip to cook the other side, 2 minutes per side. Remove the crust from the pan to a plate and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the whole surface. Sprinkle with some of the lemon zest and a few of the thyme leaves. Drape 4 slices of the mortadella over the pizza. Repeat with the remaining pizza dough, and then serve.

PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly dust a work surface, rolling pin, and a baking sheet with flour. Roll dough out to a 13-inch round and transfer to sheet.
• In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 tablespoon oil, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Spread ricotta mixture on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with mozzarella, then Parmesan. Brush 1 teaspoon oil on edge of dough. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted and browned in spots, 12 to 14 minutes. In a small bowl, toss arugula with 1 teaspoon oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top pizza with arugula and serve.

PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Crust: Transfer flour to a large bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon salt.
• Form/press a well in the flour and add sugar, yeast (in pieces) and about 50ml lukewarm water. Stir and incorporate flour until paste-like.
• Transfer to a warm location an let starter dough rise for about 20 minutes (until bubbly).
• Add rest of water to starter dough and knead until a soft, sleek ball forms.
• Let rest for another 20 minutes.
• Cut zucchini in 5mm thick slices and fry, together with minced garlic, in olive oil until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.
• To soften ricotta, incorporate 2 tablespoons milk and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste (to ricotta).
• Shape pizza dough as you like it (I usually make 4 small pizze out of the amount of dough) and prick with a fork.
• Spread ricotta evenly on dough/pizze.
• Add oregano and fresh basil.
• Add parmesan and mozzarella.
• Top with zucchini slices.
• If using - sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Bake at 250°C for about 15 minutes.

PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Place towel under stand mixer to prevent wobbling. Mix flour, water and table salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, on low speed, until no dry flour remains, 3-4 min, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Stop mixer and allow to stand 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle yeast and sugar over dough. Knead on low speed until fully combined, 1-2 minutes. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl, then turn speed up to high and knead until dough is glossy, smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 6-10 minutes. (Dough will only pull away while mixer is running; once mixer is stopped, it will fall back to sides.).
• Smear large bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil with fingers, scraping excess onto a rubber spatula. Use oiled spatula to transfer dough to oiled bowl. Pour 1 tbsp oil over dough. Flip dough once to cover thoroughly with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• One hour before dough is ready, place oven rack in the middle of the over and position pizza stone on rack. Heat oven to 450.
• When dough is risen, coat rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with 2 tbsp oil. Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto sheet, along with any oil in bowl. Use fingertips to spread dough to edges of pan, being careful not to tear it. (Dough will not reach corners snugly. If dough resists stretching, allow it to rest 5-10 minutes before trying again.) Let dough rest in pan 5-10 minutes, until bubbly. Prick surface 30-40 times with dinner fork. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
• Bake 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle top with rosemary and rotate pan, then bake another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to cutting board and brush with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Slice and serve immediately.

ROMAN PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups flour and the salt, stirring until smooth. Stir in an additional 2 cups flour; continue adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 1/2 cup), stirring until the dough comes away from the bowl but is still sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with lightly floured hands. Start by slapping the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand and pushing it away from you with the other. Fold the dough back over itself (use a bench scraper or a wide knife to help scrape the dough from the surface). Repeat until it's easier to handle, about 10 times. Finish kneading normally until the dough is smooth, elastic and soft, but a little tacky, about 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 3 hours. Press it with your finger to see if it's done; an indent should remain.
• Prepare the charcoal in a chimney starter (allowing the charcoal to burn until all the charcoal is covered with a thin layer of gray ash) and add to the grill, creating a two-level fire by spreading the coals out over half the grill bottom, piling them up in a mound 3 briquettes high, leaving the other half with no coals.
• Gently remove the dough from the bowl and divide in 4 pieces. Shape the pieces into rounds and let them rest on a sheet pan, covered with a clean side towel, for 30 minutes.
• Stretch and shape each piece of dough into a large rectangle or circle on a flat surface. Brush the tops of each with the some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill directly over the coals, oiled-side down, and grill until lightly golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip over and grill for 1 minute longer. Remove from the grill and arrange the taleggio over the top. Then dollop on some ricotta and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Return to the grill on the opposite side (for indirect grilling). Cover and grill until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top each pizza with the arugula and drizzle with truffle oil.

PIZZA WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC (PIZZA BIANCA)

Steps:

• Place water in a large bowl. Water should be warm but not hot to the touch. Stir in the yeast and allow to dissolve. Stir in 1 cup flour, stirring constantly in the same direction. Stir in another cup flour, then stir 100 times in the same direction (one minute). This helps develop the gluten. You now have a sponge. Cover, and let stand for half an hour or up to three hours. When you are ready to continue, sprinkle on salt and oil, then add more flour, stirring it in a half cup at a time. The dough will be getting heavier and harder to stir. When you can stir no longer, flour a kneading surface well and have more flour handy beside your work surface. Turn dough out and knead, adding extra flour to your work surface as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. The dough will gradually become smooth and easy to work. Knead for 10 minutes, clean bread bowl, oil it lightly, and place the ball of dough into the bowl to rise, covered with plastic wrap. Let rise until more than doubled, almost three hours. When the volume of the dough has approximately doubled, you can proceed to the next step.
• Dough can be made ahead to this point and then stored. If you wish postpone baking, gently push dough down, and leave covered in the bowl to rise again. If delay will be more than several hours, instead store dough in a plastic bag in the refrigerator (for not more than five days). Bring out of the cold and take out of the plastic bag at least an hour before you want to work with it.Lightly flour your work surface and lightly oil a 12 by 18-inch baking sheet. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Turn dough out onto work surface and flatten with the lightly floured palm of your hand. Pull and stretch the dough gently out into the rectangular shape you need to fit your baking sheet. Take your time and give the dough time to rest if it is resisting stretching. It will need to get quite thin. When you have stretched the dough to approximately the shape and size you need, transfer it to baking sheet and continue to gently press and stretch it to fit. Don't worry if it tears, just patch the hole with another piece of dough and press firmly to join the edges. If you have extra dough hanging over the edge, trim it off and use it to make another small pizza. Dough should be of an even thinness across the flat part of the baking sheet and should form a slight rounded rim as it meets the edge (which is for many people the best part of the pizza).
• Brush top of pizza with oil, then dimple the surface all over with your fingers. Sprinkle garlic, sea salt and then optional rosemary leaves. Place baking sheet on the bottom rack of the preheated oven and bake until the crust around the edge is slightly golden, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on how thin the pizza is. Remove from oven, brush crusts lightly with olive oil and also the center if you wish. Cut into large squares and serve warm or hot. We have often made pizza bianca several hours ahead, then wrapped it in a clean kitchen towel to keep it moist until we are ready to reheat it for serving. To reheat, place in a dampened paper bag in a 300 degree F oven for about 10 minutes.

PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/2-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a heavy large baking sheet. Using a fork, pierce the dough all over. Drizzle the oil over the dough. Sprinkle with the thyme and salt. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

FISHERMAN'S PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly sprinkle heavy large baking sheet with flour. Unfold dough on prepared sheet. Stretch and/or roll dough to 10x13-inch rectangle. Sprinkle clams, then garlic, dried red pepper, parsley and cheese over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Drizzle oil over.
• Bake pizza until crust is golden brown and crisp, about 12 minutes. Transfer pizza to work surface. Cut into squares and serve hot.

PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• When the dough is ready, knead it lightly, form it into a ball, and divide it into 2 balls if you like; roll each piece into a round ball and place each ball on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with a little more flour, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rest while you preheat the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 500°F or higher. Roll or lightly press each dough ball into a flat round, lightly flouring the work surface and the dough as necessary (do not use more flour than you need to). Let the rounds sit for a few minutes; this will relax the dough and make it easier to roll out. If you have a peel and baking stone, roll or pat out the dough on the peel, as thin as you like, turning occasionally and sprinkling it with flour as necessary. If you are using baking sheets, oil them, then press each dough ball into a flat round directly on the oiled sheets. Then roll or pat out the dough, as thin as you like, flouring or oiling your hands if necessary.
• Top with salt and sprinkle with the rosemary-decorate with the sprigs if you like-then drizzle with a little more olive oil, and slide the baking sheet into the oven on a rack set in the middle (or the pizza itself onto the stone, which should be set on a lower rack). Bake for 6 to 12 minutes, depending on the oven heat, until nicely browned. Serve immediately or at room temperature (these will keep for a few hours).
• Top the pies with sliced fresh tomato, extra virgin olive oil, a little mozzarella, preferably fresh, some fresh basil leaves, salt, and Parmesan cheese.
• Top the pies with sliced fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced garlic (or Fast, Fresh Tomato Sauce, page 606), extra virgin olive oil, and, if you like, a few anchovy fillets.

PIZZA BIANCA WITH TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Place towel under stand mixer to prevent wobbling. Mix flour, water and table salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, on low speed, until no dry flour remains, 3-4 min, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Stop mixer and allow to stand 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle yeast and sugar over dough. Knead on low speed until fully combined, 1-2 minutes. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl, then turn speed up to high and knead until dough is glossy, smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 6-10 minutes. (Dough will only pull away while mixer is running; once mixer is stopped, it will fall back to sides.).
• Smear large bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil with fingers, scraping excess onto a rubber spatula. Use oiled spatula to transfer dough to oiled bowl. Pour 1 tbsp oil over dough. Flip dough once to cover thoroughly with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• One hour before dough is ready, place oven rack in the middle of the over and position pizza stone on rack. Heat oven to 450.
• Meanwhile, set fine-mesh strainer over medium bowl. Empty tomatoes into strainer. Allow to drain 30 minutes, stirring 3-4 times to release juices. Measure ¾ cup tomato solids into a clean bowl (save remaining solids and juice for another application). Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/8 tsp table salt to tomatoes.
• When dough is risen, coat rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with 2 tbsp oil. Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto sheet, along with any oil in bowl. Use fingertips to spread dough to edges of pan, being careful not to tear it. (Dough will not reach corners snugly. If dough resists stretching, allow it to rest 5-10 minutes before trying again.) Let dough rest in pan 5-10 minutes, until bubbly. Prick surface 30-40 times with dinner fork.
• Bake 15-17 minutes, until spotty brown. Spread tomato mixture evenly, then sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake 5-10 minutes longer until cheese begins to brown in spots. Slice and serve immediately.

PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until well combined. Add yeast and pulse again. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 1/2 cups room temperature water. Process for 15 seconds, scrape down sides. Process 15 seconds more, until mixture is thoroughly combined. Mixture will be very wet, sticky, and fluid.
• Coat a large bowl with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Scrape dough into bowl with spatula and toss in oil. Flip dough over and top with another 1/2 tablespoon oil.
• Cover with plastic, then a towel, and let rise in a warm area until almost tripled in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Alternately, before rising you can refrigerate the dough overnight. Let come to room temperature the next day, then let rise until almost tripled in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, move a rack to middle of oven and place pizza stone or an inverted double stack of baking sheets on top. Preheat oven to 500°F for at least 1 hour before baking.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle with flour. Scrape dough onto parchment and stretch dough to outer corners of baking sheet, creating a rectangle. If dough stretches back, allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes before stretching again. Once rectangle is formed, allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes until slightly puffed. Stipple the surface using fingertips, then use a fork to prick the dough all over, 20 to 30 times. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with rosemary.
• Bake 5 minutes until firm, remove pan, slide pizza from parchment onto a pizza peel or cutting board, and slide back onto pizza stone. Discard parchment. Bake until golden brown and crispy, 8 to 12 minutes more.
• Transfer to a cutting board, then cut into slices. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve immediately.

PIZZA BIANCA

Steps:

• Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface, to 1/2 inch thick.
• Transfer the dough to a heavy large baking sheet. Using a fork, pierce the dough all over.
• Drizzle the oil over the dough. Sprinkle with thyme and salt.
• Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into serving size wedges.
• Note: When I made this, I added crushed garlic to the oil before brushing it onto the dough, and I after sprinkling the thyme, I also sprinkled on some parmesan cheese.