Herby Pesto & Salame Di Parma Pizza with Gorgonzola & Fresh Tomatoes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes + 1-48 hours for fermenting the dough
- Yield: 5–6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Pizza, Italian
Description
I’ve been experimenting with pizza doughs lately, specifically with fermenting times. I’m trying to find that sweet spot. Most people who make homemade pizza dough will use it as soon as it doubles in size. But I started feeling dissatisfied with the flavor of the crust… it just seemed devoid of flavor. Hence, the experiments began. I’ve tried a 72 hour dough, as that is often the length pizzerias in NYC leave their doughs. And, as expected, it had very much the same consistency and flavor. HOWEVER, I find NYC pizzas to be a tad too hard and a tad too much like cardboard (sacrilegious, I know!).
The SWEET SPOT…. 48 hour pizza dough. This is amazing. The crust is firm without being too firm. And the flavor is intense. I am not a crust eater, but this crust I devoured.
With my summer garden waning to an end, I grabbed a bunch of basil, oregano, and thyme to make a flavorful, herby pesto sauce. I topped that with Salame Di Parma, a medium spiced salami. I’ve tried Genoa salami before, but it doesn’t have quite enough bite for a pizza… its flavors are lost. Finish topping the pizza with freshly sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and Gorgonzola. The Gorgonzola gives this pizza so much pizzazz.
Bake, slice, and serve. Top with grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
1 1/4 cups warm water ~110°
1 packet of yeast (2 1/4 tsps)
2 TB honey
1 TB olive oil
3 cups (470 g) flour
1/2 TB salt
Pesto
2 cups basil
2 TB oregano
1 TB thyme
6 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
pinch of red pepper
pinch of salt
Toppings
2 tomatoes sliced
8 oz gorgonzola
~12 slices of salame di parma (salami with a medium spice)
16 oz fresh mozzarella
Instructions
Pizza Dough
Combine the water, yeast, and honey and whisk to combine. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until frothy. Add the olive oil and whisk to dissolve the yeast.
In a standing mixer with the bread hook or a blender with a pizza disc, blend the flour and salt. Slowly add in the water mixture. Mix until a ball forms and separates from the bottom and sides cleanly.
In a lightly oiled bowl, transfer the ball of dough and roll to lightly coat in oil. Seal tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Let sit for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
If following the 48 hour ferment, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator. Leave alone for 2 days.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, leaving the lid on, about 4 hours before you are ready to cook.
Preparing the Pizza
Preheat the oven to 550° (or 500° if that is your highest setting). Lightly flour two baking sheets.
Prepare the pesto by thoroughly blending the pesto ingredients in a food processor.
Generously flour your working surface. Pull the dough from the bowl and roll into a ball. Cut in half. Place one half back in the bowl. With the other half, lightly sprinkle with flour and roll out until it’s about 12 inches in diameter. It does not need to be a perfect circle! Use more flour if the dough is sticking to your roller.
Transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets. Spread half of the pesto sauce around the pizza, leaving about an inch free around the edge. Place 6 salami slices and 6 tomato slices overlapping around the pizza. Add the mozzarella, either torn or pre-sliced, evenly around the pie. Sprinkle 4 ounces of the gorgonzola evenly across the pizza.
Repeat with the second pizza.
When the oven is ready, cook 11 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Remove the pie from the oven and place the second baking sheet in for the same duration.
Transfer the pizzas to a cutting board to cut and serve.
Enjoy!
Keywords: Pizza, Pesto, Salami, Gorgonzola
