Red Clam Pizza Food

FRANNY'S CLAM PIZZA

Steps:

• If using fresh yeast, mix water and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer until yeast is dissolved. If using active dry yeast, mix water and yeast in the bowl and let sit until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Using a dough hook, beat in flour and salt and mix until smooth, slightly elastic dough forms, 2 to 3 minutes; do not knead.
• Place dough in an oiled bowl, turn dough to coat, cover loosely with plastic and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, and up to 48 hours to proof.
• When you are ready to make pizza, divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece by using the palm of your hand to rotate the dough clockwise until a tight, compact ball has formed. Turn dough over. Working from the outside in, pinch and twist the edges of the dough into the center to make a very tight ball. Put dough on a baking sheet and return to the refrigerator to rest for a least 4 hours, and up to 12 hours.
• When you are ready to make pizzas, remove dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (take the dough out of the fridge while you preheat the pizza stone). You can let it sit out longer, as long as it doesn't get too soft and floppy, which would make it difficult to shape; soft dough is also more likely to stick to the baking sheet or pizza peel, making it harder to slide onto the stone. If the dough gets too soft, stick it back in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to give it a chance to firm up. Shape and top as desired.
• For Clam Pizza:
• For the pizzas: Preheat the oven to 500°F, with a pizza stone on a rack in the top third of the oven. Let heat for 1 hour. Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking.
• While the oven heats, place 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it is limp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 7 minutes, until the edges are golden. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the clams, cover the pot, and cook until the clams start to open, about 10 minutes. As they open, transfer them to a large bowl. When all the clams are cooked, simmer the liquid in the pot until it reduces to a thick glaze, about 10 minutes. Add the cream, bring to a simmer, and reduce by a quarter, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and set aside. It thickens as it cools.
• Meanwhile, when the clams are cool, pluck out the meat and discard the shells.
• Turn a large baking sheet upside down, or use a pizza peel. Dust the surface with flour. Form one piece of the dough into a 12-inch round and set it on the baking sheet or peel.
• Working quickly, paint the entire surface of the pizza with one-fourth of the glaze. Scatter the clams over the pizza and sprinkle with chili flakes.
• Jiggle the pizza gently on the pan (or peel) to make sure it is not sticking (if it is, loosen it and sprinkle a little more flour under the area where it stuck). Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, making sure to start at the stone's back end so that the entire pizza will fit on it.
• Cook the pizza for 3 minutes. Turn on the broiler. Broil the pizza until golden, crisp, and a bit blistery and charred in places, 2 to 4 minutes (watch it carefully to see that it does not burn). If you don't have a peel, use tongs to slide the pizza onto a large platter. Drizzle with oil and scatter with one-fourth of the parsley.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

CLAMS CASINO PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the pizza dough as directed in the master recipe. Stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.
• Wash and scrub clams well to remove the exterior sand. Fill a steamer or pot with 1-inch of water, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and toss in the bay leaves. Heat until the water is simmering and then add the clams. Cover and steam for 5 to 10 minutes until the clams open - discard any that do not. Remove the clams from the shells, coarsely chop them up, and put in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Coat a saute pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and oregano. Cook and stir until the vegetables have cooked down and are really soft, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
• Spread the ricotta evenly on the crust with a back of a spoon. Scatter the chopped clams all around and top with the sauteed red pepper mixture. Distribute the pieces of bacon on top. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp, and the cheese is bubbly.
• Before cutting the pizza into slices, drizzle with olive oil, grate pecorino on top, and shower with chopped parsley.
• In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.
• Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.
• Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Yield: 3 pizza crusts

CLAM PIZZA WITH RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add crushed tomatoes and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer pizza sauce for about 20 minutes.
• While the sauce is simmering, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brush pizza crust with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread with a thin layer of hot pizza sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend. Evenly sprinkle with clams, sun-dried tomatoes, pineapple, and basil. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, 10 to 12 minutes.

CLAM PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Portion the pizza dough into six golf ball-size pieces; wrap four of the pieces in plastic and refrigerate for later use. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the remaining two pieces of dough into your desired shape.
• Top the pizzas with the Sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan and banana peppers; transfer to the pizza stone and bake for 15 minutes. Top with the reserved clams from the Sauce.
• Add the warm water, yeast and sugar to a small bowl; stir to combine. Let sit until the water bubbles and smells very yeasty, 15 minutes.
• Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the olive oil and the yeast mixture. Using a fork, gradually stir most of the flour into the yeast mixture. Turn out the dough onto a flour-dusted work surface and knead until smooth.
• Lightly coat the mixing bowl with oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
• Steam the clams in a medium pot. Remove the clams from their shells and chop half; reserve the other half for topping the pizzas.
• Sweat the onions in a pan with olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, crushed red pepper, a splash of water, the chopped clams and some salt. Bring to boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA WITH CLAMS AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Make the dough. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 500˚ F (use the convection setting, if available) with a pizza stone, baking steel or inverted large baking sheet in the lower third of the oven. Put the clams in a large bowl of cold water; let sit 20 minutes to remove any excess grit.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl of ice water. Drain and pat dry, then roughly chop.
• Drain the clams and rinse under cold water. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened, 1 minute. Stir in the wine, oregano and clams. Cover and cook until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the clams to a bowl with tongs, reserving the cooking liquid in the skillet; discard any unopened clams.
• Simmer the clam cooking liquid over medium heat until reduced by two-thirds, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the heavy cream. Return the heat to medium, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 4 minutes. Let cool until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes; discard the oregano sprigs. Remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop.
• Working on a floured or cornmeal-dusted piece of parchment, gently stretch and press the dough into a 12- to 13-inch round. Sprinkle all over with the Parmesan, then top with the clam sauce (the sauce will spread as it bakes). Top with the clams, broccoli rabe and Calabrian chiles.
• Transfer the pizza (on the parchment) to the hot stone and bake until the crust is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Slide the pizza onto a cutting board and let cool slightly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the hot water in a small bowl. Let stand until dissolved and slightly foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and add the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust the dough with flour and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until very smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough into two 1-pound balls. (If making sheet-pan pizza, let the dough rise, covered, on an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet coated with 3 tablespoons olive oil instead of in a bowl; do not divide into two balls.)
• If not using the dough right away, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.