Passione Pizza - Passion for Pizza

ANTONINO ESPOSITO

The basics

Passione Pizza

Antonino Esposito’s career as a pizza chef, and his veritable passion for his work, began almost by chance in the mid 1980s. One of his uncles was looking for an assistant and Antonino volunteered, that experience led to his first jobs in various pizzerias in the Naples area. Since then Antonino has come a long way and today, besides being one of the best-known pizza chefs in Italy, he is also the owner of a pizzeria, called Ahum, in Sorrento, and works as a consultant for various companies as well as organizing courses all over the Country. Over the years he has participated in various competitions, both national and international, winning praise and prizes. He has also gained years of experience in the field of communications thanks to his collaboration with the satellite TV channel Alice (Sky) and his column in Alice Cucina cookery magazine.

Passion for Pizza

Pizzas

Focaccias

Special pizzas

Sweet pizza treats

Bread & Co.

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€ 18.00

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PASSIONE PIZZA PASSION FOR PIZZA

ANTONINO ESPOSITO

Antonino Esposito PASSIONE PIZZA PASSION FOR PIZZA

Copyright © Sitcom Editore All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the written authorization of the Publisher. Gruppo LT Multimedia Via Tiburtina 924 00156 - Rome [email protected] www.sitcomeditore.tv Author Antonino Esposito Translation Sarah Hay Graphic project Sitcom Editore Layout Monia Roma Photographs F. Brambilla, M. Ravasini, S. Serrani, N+ Studio, N. Valdisteno, S. Verbert, P. Vertamy Organizational Secretary Evelina Bardini Printing Castelli Bolis Poligrafiche S.p.A.- Cenate Sotto (BG) ISBN: 978-88-6107-128- 5 On the cover Front, back and flap: Nicoletta Valdisteno

Summary INTRODUCTION

7

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

8

THE BASICS

13

SOURDOUGH STARTER

15

CLASSIC NEAPOLITAN PIZZA DOUGH

18

CLASSIC PIZZA SHAPING METHOD

22

HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH

24

SIMPLE PIZZA SHAPING METHOD

26

PAN PIZZA DOUGH

28

SHAPING PAN PIZZA

32

GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA DOUGH

34

SHAPING GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA

38

PIZZA DOUGH WITH GRANO ARSO

40

PIZZA DOUGH BALLS

44

PIZZAS

49

FOCACCIAS

117

SPECIAL PIZZAS

137

SWEET PIZZA TREATS

173

BREAD & CO.

185

ALPHABETICAL INDEX

218

INDEX OF RECIPES

220

Introduzione Introduction When the publisher suggested Passion for Pizza as the title for this book (the original Italian title is Passione Pizza) I thought that there was no other way to call it because, yes, I really do have a passion for this product and for my work. A passion that I have been cultivating for many years now and that has allowed me to grow as a person and to live the life I live. A passion with many facets. Firstly a magical dough, which comes to life by mixing a few very simple ingredients and is transformed into a product with which you can obtain so many different combinations. Passion when I see the satisfied smile of those who, after the first bite, realise that they are tasting something that was made with loving care. Passion for the ingredients and for my homeland, because you need that too… you can’t do a job well if you start out with second-rate foundations and, therefore, you have to know the producers, you have to taste, test, try out and then choose. The pizza is one of the symbols par excellence of Neapolitan tradition. For me, making pizza also means being a spokesman for my homeland, this is passion too. Passion for sharing, that is exactly what takes me around the Country, all year long, teaching the tricks of the trade to professional cooks, as well as to enthusiasts, who want to learn. It was this spirit that gave rise to the idea for this book: putting together some of my recipes and all my methods of working, to share them with you, my readers. My wish for all of you is that you manage to find, in your lives, something that gives you as much satisfaction and helps you find fulfilment… whether it be pizza, as in my case, or another activity is not important. As I always say, so much so that it has become my motto, “passion is the food of life”. In the book you will find traditional pizzas, as well as lots of other ways for using the dough: from bread to sweet treats, from the most original and fun ideas right up to an entire menu for organizing an out-and-out pizza party. A brief technical clarification: in the book you will find pictures of each individual product, baked in wood-fired ovens, professional ovens, and also in normal household ovens, in order to give a comprehensive outlook of the results that it is possible to obtain. Not everyone can use a professional oven, but this doesn’t mean that they can’t obtain more than satisfactory results. At this point the only thing left for me to say is enjoy your pizza and buon appetito!

∗ The weights and volumes given in the book are in the original metric values, and the oven temperatures are in Celsius. To help you out, on page 205, you will find conversion tables for the various units of measurement.

Passione Pizza

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Trucchi del mestiere Tricks of the trade To prepare some great pizza it takes a few ingredients, a little basic knowledge and a few tips. What makes the real difference is the choice of top-quality ingredients and it is essential that you know the characteristics and capacity of the oven you will use. That is why, before you even begin, I'll give some useful tips and teach you a few simple tricks of the trade to follow so that, even at home, you can make astonishing pizza. FORNI OVENS Kitchen gas ovens, which have a maximum temperature of 250 °C, can be of two different kinds: fan-assisted and conventional. If you have a conventional – non fan-assisted – oven, bake your pizza in the bottom; if your oven is fan-assisted, bake it in the centre. The only exception to this rule is pan pizza, which in both kinds of oven is best baked in the centre. My tip is that you use a refractory stone in the bottom of the oven, which in this way is able to maintain high temperatures. In electric ovens, fan-assisted and non, pizza must be baked at the top near the heating elements: in this case I once more recommend that you use a refractory stone to keep the temperature high even when the oven is opened. For pan pizza the first phase of baking must be done in the bottom of the oven, then finishing it off at the top, near the heating elements. In both electric and gas ovens it is useful if you add a bowl of hot water before baking: this will give the dough humidity. As far as single-pizza ovens with high-temperature refractory stone are concerned, or other ovens that can bake pizza in 5 minutes, you must put the pizza in already topped and ready to cook. POMODORO TOMATOES The best tomatoes to use on pizza are San Marzano peeled tomatoes, or a similar kind. To get the best flavour you need to squash them with your hands and then season them with salt, extra-virgin olive oil and basil. I recommend that you prepare the tomato topping the day before baking your pizza. In this way the topping will be even tastier, however you need to take care that it is well covered in the fridge in order to avoid contamination of other flavours. MOZZARELLA Always buy fresh mozzarella, cut it into slices or julienne strips for round pizza but remember that for pan pizza it’s always best to cut it into julienne strips. It is a good idea to always use fresh mozzarella, not only for its flavour but also in order to make sure that the pizza is never dry.

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Buffalo mozzarella should only be used when the baking time is short (wood fired ovens or ovens at 400 °C) because otherwise the pizza will be too “watery”. In ovens that do not reach high temperatures it should always be added at the last minute. VERDURE VEGETABLES Pre-cook the vegetables slightly and then sauté them quickly with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add them on top of the pizza or the tomato before baking, covering them with the mozzarella. If the oven does not reach over 300 °C add them at the last minute. On the contrary grilled vegetables must be placed on the pizza when you take it out of the oven and when not hot so as to leave the culinary properties unaltered. SALUMI SALAMI AND OTHER COLD SLICED MEATS A trick to use in order to avoid that sliced meats dry out and loose their taste: place them under the mozzarella, in this way they maintain their fragrance and quality. Obviously recipes that specifically say to add cold meats when the pizza comes out of the oven are exceptions to this rule. FARINA FLOUR A thing you need to know about the W value of flour is that the lower it is, the less time it will take for dough will rise. But first of all you need to understand what the W value is: it is the value that indicates the strength of the flour, that is to say the mixing resistance of dough. For bread the best flours to use go from W 180 to W 380, depending on the result you wish to obtain: there are many varieties, from “normal” bread, with a thin crust and plenty of soft centre, to types that are almost all crust and hollow inside. When preparing focaccia it is best to use flour with a W value of 180120 to make soft dough, while you can choose a value as high as W 260 for crispy dough. For pizza, the choice goes from W 180 (for a brief rising time) to W 350 (for a medium-long rising time, even using the fridge). If you do not know the flour’s W value or it is not mentioned on the label, mix 70% of Italian 00 flour with 30% of strong flour (bread flour or Manitoba) and you can’t go wrong. ACQUA WATER During the winter the water you use must be at room temperature. On the contrary, during the summer I recommend that you use very cold water, but remember to dissolve the yeast in a little water at room temperature and add it directly to the flour. If your tap water is too calcareous (hard) use mineral water.

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THE BASICS

LE BASI

La pasta di riporto Sourdough starter Sourdough starter, or everlasting yeast, or Mother starter (lievito madre in Italian) is a dough made of flour and water that, mixed together and regularly “fed”, ferment naturally. Nowadays it is talked about a lot, but often incorrectly I will tell you how to obtain it simply and without any complications... first however I would like to say a few words about its history. Until a few decades ago sourdough starter was produced, and kept jealously, by the town bakers who then distributed it amongst the various families. The ingredients were only two: water and flour, in equal quantities, left to ferment under the olive trees for 24 to 36 hours. In those days however they did not have mixed flours as we do now, just very weak kinds with very low values of W, the unit of measure that indicates the flour’s strength. Today we have the possibility of choosing a suitable flour for each kind of product, following the indications given by the various manufacturers, but the method for preparing sourdough starter has hardly changed. Many bakeries and pizzerias prepare their starter by regenerating and mixing dough used previously with the new dough. In theory this procedure is correct but it is often done in the wrong way because, ever more frequently, in order to save time and improve production much more yeast than necessary is used, thus prejudicing the quality of our products… even more so if, in the end, we use a dough that is very rich in yeast to create the sourdough starter which will be used in the next dough. How many times have you used a whole cube of fresh yeast (weighing 25g) in less than 1 litre of water? And how many times, after having done so, have you had indigestion? It's not actually the fault of the yeast, but of the quantity used! As with many things it is important not to over do it and follow the principle that “one glass of wine is good for you, but three are not!". At this point I think I should reveal my sourdough starter recipe, then I’ll leave the conclusions up to you.

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Preparation

Ingredients for 4 people

1 Proceed with the first dough: in a bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and add half of the flour. Mix vigorously, then add the salt and remaining flour and continue mixing until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.

800 g Italian 00 flour 500 ml of water 20 g of salt 2 g of yeast

2 Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it very delicately. You should obtain an elastic ball of dough with a surface that looks like orange peel, because small air bubbles will have formed. 3 Cover the dough with a clean cloth and leave it to rise for about 30 minutes. After the rising time knead the dough again for about 10 seconds. Repeat this last step 3 times.

To keep you sourdough starter well remember to al ways store it in the fridge, take it out around 8 hours before using it and let it get back to room temperature. If you do not use it within roughly 10 days you must “feed” it by adding 1 tablespoon of flour, if possible strong flour (bread flour or Manitoba), and 1 table spoon of water, after which put it back in the fridge.

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4 In the meantime remove any remaining dough from the mixing bowl, without washing it. When your dough has risen 3 times, transfer it back into the mixing bowl and cover it with cling film. Leave it to rise for about 30 minutes at room temperature, and then put it in the fridge for 24 hours. 5 Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it at room temperature for 1 hour. Divide it into 5 little balls of dough and leave them to rise again until they have doubled in size. Use 4 of the dough balls to make pizzas or in any way you prefer. 6 Knead the remaining ball once more, rolling it with your hands. This will be the base of your sourdough starter. Put it in a hermetically sealed glass jar. Before using it leave the sourdough starter for at least 8 hours at room temperature. If you don’t want to use it straight away keep it in the fridge.

Remove the sourdough starter from the jar in which you keep it by using a wooden spoon, taking care to leave some remains of the old dough in the bottom of the jar. This jar must never be washed, because it is the left over starter that gives the sour note that is required.

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Impasto classico napoletano Classic Neapolitan pizza dough

Ingredients for 10 pizzas 1 l of water 1.7 kg of flour (W 260/310) 50-70 g of sourdough starter 50 g of salt 3-5 g of brewer’s yeast

Preparation 1 In a bowl, dissolve the yeast (photo A) and then dissolve the sourdough starter in the water (photo B). 2 Add ¼ of the flour (photo C), mix and add in the salt, mixing the dough very vigorously for a few seconds (photo D). Add the remaining flour, a little at a time, and continue mixing the dough until it comes away from the sides of the bowl (photo E).

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A B

C D Passione Pizza

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3 Transfer the dough onto the work surface and knead it delicately (photo F) folding it over (photo G). Shape it into large ball (photo H), cover with the bowl and leave it to rest for 15 minutes. Knead for 10 seconds and then repeat this step three more times. 4 Divide the dough into ten parts, form ten balls, place them at least 2 cm apart in a pizza dough box, cover and leave to rise in a cool place for 5-7 hours. If half way through rising the dough is hot, put it in the fridge and take it out 1 hour before you want to use it.

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E F

G H Passione Pizza

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Stesura classica Classic pizza shaping method

Preparation 1 Take a ball of pizza dough and start working it with your fingertips, giving it a circular shape (photo A). Continue to enlarge it working with your fingertips and turning your pizza round to give it an even shape (photo B). 2 When you have got the dough to a thickness of about 1 cm start stretching it, holding one side still with one hand and pulling the opposite side outwards (photo C). After this pass the dough onto the other hand with a determined movement (photo D). 3 Repeat this operation (photos E and F) several times until you get the desired thickness. Remember that the movements of your hand must be determined but delicate at the same time, so as not to make holes in the dough.

Shaping pizza dough like a professional pizza chef is not easy, the movements must be vigorous and delicate at the same time… there’s only one way to obtain satisfactory results: try and try again, without loosing heart! In the me antime for those of you who would like a method that guarantees success, follow the instructions for a simple pizza shaping method on page 26.

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A B

C D

E F

Impasto casalingo Homemade pizza dough

Ingredients for 10 pizzas 1 l of water 1.7 kg of flour (W 290/320) 50-70 g of sourdough starter 50 g of salt 3-5 g of brewer’s yeast 10 g of sugar lard 1 teaspoon of beaten egg

Preparation 1 Pour the water into a bowl (photo A) and stir in the yeast, dissolve the sourdough starter in the water, add the sugar and mix. 2 Add ¼ of the flour (photo B), mix again and add the salt. Mix the dough vigorously for a few seconds (photo C), then add another ¼ of the flour, the lard (photo D) and the beaten egg (photos E and F). Finally add the remaining flour, a little at a time, and continue mixing the dough until it comes away from the sides of the bowl. 3 Transfer the dough onto the work surface and knead it again delicately folding it over. Shape it into a large ball, cover with the bowl and leave it to rest for 15 minutes. Knead for 10 seconds and then repeat this step three more times. 4 Divide the dough into ten parts, form ten balls, place them at least 2 cm apart in a pizza dough box, cover and leave to rise in a cool place for 5-7 hours. If half way through rising the dough is hot, put it in the fridge and take it out 1 hour before you want to use it.

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A B

C D

E F

Stesura casalinga Simple pizza shaping method

Preparation 1 Take a ball of pizza dough and start working it with your fingertips, giving it a circular shape. 2 Take a stainless-steel bowl and place it upside down on a lightly floured work surface. Place the dough on top of the bowl (photo B). 3 Put your hands on the dough and start stretching it from the centre of the bowl outwards (photo C). Repeat the operation (photo D) turning the bowl round and stretching the dough out until you obtain the desired thickness. 4 Transfer the dough onto the work surface and proceed with the topping.

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A B

C D Passione Pizza

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Impasto in teglia Pan pizza dough

Ingredients for 10 pizzas 1 l of water 1.7 kg of flour (W 240/300) 50-70 g of sourdough starter 40 g of salt 3-5 g of brewer’s yeast 10 g of sugar 1 boiled potato

Preparation 1 In a bowl, dissolve the yeast and the sourdough starter in the water, add the sugar and mix. Add ¼ of the flour mix again and add the salt (photo A). Mix vigorously for a few seconds. Add another ¼ of the flour, and then the potato (photos B and C). Finally add the remaining flour, a little at a time, and continue mixing the dough until it comes away from the sides of the bowl.

2 Transfer the dough onto the work surface and knead it again delicately folding it over. Shape it into a large ball (photo D), cover with the bowl and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Knead for 10 seconds and then repeat this step three more times.

If you prefer you can replace the potato with 1 tablespoon of lard or 1 of extravirgin olive oil. Bear in mind that the potato and the lard will make the dough softer, while on the other hand the oil will make it crispier.

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A B

C D Passione Pizza

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3 Place the dough in the bowl, cover with cling film and put it in the fridge for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 24 hours. Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it for 30 minutes at room temperature. 4 Make little balls of dough according to the size of the pan, place them at least 2 cm apart in a pizza dough box and close with the lid. About half way through rising time take a ball of dough and stretch it out in the pan, leaving it to rise until it doubles in size.

If you want to use the dough the same day, you can use this method: after the dough has risen for 2 hours in a cool place, make dough balls according to the size of the pan; stretch them out in the pan when half the ri sing time has passed; then top the pizza as you wish when the dough has doubled in size.

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Stesura in teglia Shaping pan pizza

Preparation 1 Take a ball of pizza dough and start working it with your fingertips into an elongated shape approximately 1 cm thick (photo A). 2 Still using your fingertips, turn the dough over several times on the work surface (photo B) trying to rotate it in the air (photo C). 3 Place the dough in the pan, stretching it out from one side to the other (photo D).

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A B

C D Passione Pizza

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Impasto senza glutine Gluten-free pizza dough

Ingredients for 10 pizzas 1 l of water 1.9 kg of gluten-free flour 60 g of salt 5-7 g of yeast 10 g of sugar 1 boiled potato 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil You will also need… Cling film

Preparation 1 In a bowl stir the yeast into the water, dissolve the sugar and mix. Add half of the flour (photo A), mix very vigorously (photo B) and then add the salt. 2 Mix very vigorously for a few seconds, then add the potato and the oil (photo C). Add the remaining flour and keep mixing while continuously turning the bowl round. 3 Leave the dough in the bowl, cover it with cling film and put it in the fridge for about 2 hours.

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A B

C D Passione Pizza

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4 Transfer the dough onto the work surface (photo D) and work it quickly, helping yourself with a spatula so it doesn’t stick (photo E). 5 Pour a little oil onto your hands (photo F) and pull off small pieces of dough, shape them into small balls (photo G) then wrap them in cling film (photo H).

If you want to use the dough within 48 hours you can keep the balls of dough in the fridge on greaseproof paper, taking them out when you want to use them. Otherwise you can put them in the freezer and use them after letting them thaw out in the fridge.

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E F

G H Passione Pizza

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Stesura senza glutine Shaping gluten-free pizza

Preparation 1 Take a ball of pizza dough (photo A) and lightly flour a square sheet of greaseproof paper. Start working the dough delicately with your fingertips giving it a circular shape (photo B). 2 As the dough gradually takes the shape you want continue working it, pressing it with your fingers (photo C) and turning the sheet of greaseproof paper round in order to create an even shape. 3 Take care to always stretch the dough from the centre outwards, so that a greater quantity remains around the outside to form the edge of the crust, or cornicione as it’s called in Italy (photo D). Top and bake your pizza directly on the sheet of greaseproof paper.

Glutenfree flour has less bonding strength than traditional flours, so remember not to work it too much and try to lift the stretchedout dough as little as possible in order to avoid making holes or tearing it.

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A B

C D Passione Pizza

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Impasto con grano arso Pizza dough with grano arso

Ingredients for 10 pizzas 1 l of water 700 g of grano arso flour 100 g re-milled durum wheat semolina 600 g of flour 50 g of salt 3-5 g of brewer’s yeast 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

1 Prepare the 3 kinds of flour (photo A). In a bowl, stir the yeast into the water and dissolve it. Pour the traditional flour into the bowl and mix it in vigorously. Then add the grano arso flour (photo B) continuing to mix vigorously (photo C) and, finally the re-milled semolina (photo D) and the salt. 2 Continue mixing the ingredients very vigorously for a few seconds (photo E) and add the oil, keep kneading the dough in the bowl until you see air bubbles forming inside it (photo F). 3 Transfer the dough onto the work surface and knead it again delicately folding it over. Shape it into a large ball (photo G), cover with the bowl and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Knead for 10 seconds and then repeat this step 3 more times.

Flour of grano arso, which means burnt grain, was origi nally made from the grains of wheat that were burnt when the stubble left in the fields at the end of the harvest was set on fire. Nowadays grano arso flour indicates a flour made from wheat that is toasted, because burning the grains of wheat could produce carcinogenic substances. 40

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A B

C D

4 Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with cling film and put it in the fridge for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 24 hours. 5 Make little balls of dough according to the size of the pan, place them at least 2 cm apart in a pizza dough box and close with the lid. About half way through rising time take a ball of dough and stretch it out in the pan, leaving it to rise until it has doubled in size.

If you want to use the dough the same day leave it to rise in a cool place for a couple of hours in a bowl, then make balls of dough according to the size of your pan, half way through the rising time stretch the dough out in the pan and when it has doubled in size top it as you wish.

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E F

G

I pesetti Pizza dough balls When you have finished making you dough the work is not yet over; before moving on to shape your pizza you need to divide the dough into small balls which will then become the base of each individual pizza and must be left to rise until they double in size. Each ball of dough will weigh around 250-300 g and will be the right quantity for one pizza or focaccia. It only takes a few steps to make them like a real maestro, but the movements must be determined so as to handle the dough as little as possible.

Preparation 1 Work the dough into a roll (photo A) and break a piece off by closing your thumb and index finger around the dough near to one of the ends (photo B), basically as if you wanted to squeeze the dough. 2 Rotate the ball with the palms of your hands to give it a circular shape. Keep one hand still and with the other one slide quickly and press downwards in order to give the ball its shape (photos C, D and E). Repeat the operation a couple of times so as to obtain perfect dough balls (photo F). 3 As with any manual procedure, you can’t expect to get incredible results the first time round, but with a bit of practice you will find that this technique is easy to follow.

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A B

C D

E F

PIZZAS

LE PIZZE

Margherita in teglia Pan-cooked pizza Margherita

Preparation

Ingredients for 1 large baking pan

1 Stretch out the ball of pizza dough in a pan, leave it to rise for about 30 minutes and add the tomato topping, spreading it to the edges.

800 g of pizza dough 150 g of mozzarella 180 g of peeled tomatoes grated Parmesan cheese basil extra-virgin olive oil

2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven at 250 °C and let it bake until it starts to brown; then take it out and add the mozzarella, in thin slices, all over the surface. 3 Put it back in the oven to let the mozzarella melt; after which take it out again, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, add a drizzle of oil and some fresh basil.

If you use a woodfired oven prepare everything and bake the pizza, covered with aluminium foil, in a corner at the entrance to the oven, away from the flames.

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Pizza capricciosa Pizza with ham, aubergine and zucchini

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 60 g of peeled tomatoes 40 g of mozzarella

10 g of cooked ham 20 g of aubergine 20 g of zucchini

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk leaving a 1 cm edge and add the tomato topping. 2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures above 200-300 °C bake until the edge begins to brown, after which add the cooked ham, the aubergine and the zucchini. 3 Last of all add the mozzarella, put the pizza back in the oven and finish baking.

For all other kinds of ovens that reach temperatures above 350 °C or for woodfired ovens, prepare every thing and bake.

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Pizza al ragù napoletano Pizza with neapolitan ragù

Preparation

Ingredients for 1 pizza

1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk leaving a 1 cm edge, then add the Neapolitan ragù and the sausage.

250 g of pizza dough 80 g of Neapolitan ragù (a traditional meat sauce from Naples) 40 g of provola cheese 20 g of fresh sausage basil extra-virgin olive oil

2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures 200-300 °C, bake the pizza until it begins to brown, then add the provola and put back in the oven until it melts. 3 When you take the pizza out of the oven, top with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh basil and serve.

For all other kinds of ovens that reach temperatures above 350° or for woodfired ovens, prepare everything and bake.

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Pizza con carpaccio di bresaola Pizza with bresaola carpaccio

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 60 g of mozzarella 8 slices of bresaola

extra-virgin olive oil 1 sprig of basil

Preparation 1 Shape the pizza dough into a disc, taking care to leave an edge roughly 1 cm thick. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and scatter it over the dough. Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. 2 When baked take the pizza out of the oven and brush the raised crust edge with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Add the slices of bresaola on top, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, decorate with a few leaves of basil and serve.

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Pizza bianca con le verdure White pizza with vegetables

Preparation


1 Wash the vegetables under running water. Cut the ends of the aubergine and zucchini and dice them. Remove the seeds and internal white ribs from the pepper and cut it into large strips. Heat a little oil in a frying-pan, add the vegetables and cook them for 5-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper as required and put to one side.

250 g of pizza dough 50 g of provola cheese 1 zucchini ½ a bell pepper ½ an aubergine 2-3 cherry tomatoes 1 sprig of basil extra-virgin olive oil salt

2 Shape the pizza dough into a disk, taking care to leave an edge roughly 1 cm thick. Cut the provola into small cubes and scatter it over the dough. Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. 3 Take the pizza out of the oven and place the cooked vegetables and the sliced cherry tomatoes on it. Add a few leaves of basil and serve.

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Pizza rucola e pomodorini Pizza with rocket and cherry tomatoes

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 50 g of mozzarella 40 g of cherry tomatoes

1 sprig of rocket grated Parmesan cheese extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Shape the pizza dough into a disk, taking care to leave the edge roughly 1 cm thick. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and scatter it over the dough. Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. 2 Remove from the oven and add the tomatoes, previously washed and cut into quarters. Put the pizza back in the oven and bake for 1 more minute. Meanwhile wash and dry the rocket. Take it out of the oven, add the rocket and top. Top with a drizzle of oil and the grated Parmesan.

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Pizza salsiccia, funghi e lardo di Colonnata Pizza with sausage, mushrooms and lardo di Colonnata Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk, leaving a 1 cm edge, add the mozzarella and the sausage and mushrooms cut into pieces.

250 g of pizza dough 07 g of mozzarella cut into small cubes 20 g of sausage 2 mushrooms lardo di Colonnata extra-virgin olive oil

2 Put the pizza into a preheated oven, at maximum temperature. Take care to also place a bowl with some hot water in the oven, in order to maintain humidity. Bake for about 5 minutes. 3 Take the pizza out of the oven and top with very thin slices of lardo di Collonata. Serve.

Lardo di Colonnata is a cured lard, with Protected Geo graphical Indication status, which gets its name from the small Tuscan town from where it originates. It is made from pork fatback that is left to mature in vats – made of Carrara marble – with spices such as pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, sage and rosemary. The vats, which are rubbed with garlic, have a particular temperature and humidity and therefore the finished product has unique characteristics. They are filled then closed, controlled periodically and reopened after 610 months, when the curing process is complete. Passione Pizza

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Pizza al pesto Pizza with pesto

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 60 g of provola cheese 3 cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons of pesto extra-virgin olive oil basil

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk and spread the pesto over the surface. 2 Add the provola and the cherry tomatoes and put into a preheated oven. Bake the pizza until the edge turns golden brown. 3 When you take it out of the oven and add a drizzle of oil and a few leaves of basil. Serve nice and hot.

64

Passione Pizza

Pizza Massimo Troisi Pizza with ham, provola and zucchini flowers

Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk, then add the zucchini flowers, a little oil, the provola and a handful of Parmesan flakes.

250 g of pizza dough 5 zucchini flowers 60 g of provola cheese 4 slices of cured ham flakes of Parmesan cheese extra-virgin olive oil

2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures above 200-300 °C bake the pizza until it browns and the provola has melted. 3 When you take the pizza out of the oven add the slices of cured ham and the Parmesan flakes.

Massimo Troisi was an Italian actor, director and scre enwriter, remembered above all as a representative of new Neapolitan comedy from the Seventies on. In Italy he is still very popular, in spite of his premature death at the age of 41, and he is a symbol of Neapolitan co medy.

Passione Pizza

67

Pizza margherita con mozzarella di bufala Pizza Margherita with buffalo mozzarella Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 300 g of San Marzano tomatoes 200 g of buffalo mozzarella

extra-virgin olive oil salt flour

Preparation 1Turn the oven on and preheat to maximum temperature. Tip the tomatoes into a bowl and squash them with a fork. 2 Work the pizza dough on a lightly floured pastry board and shape it into a disk approximately ½ cm thick, taking care to leave the edge about 1 cm thick. Add the squashed tomatoes in the centre and spread them over the dough, then add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. 3 Put the pizza in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, scatter the buffalo mozzarella (previously cut into slices and drained) over the pizza and bake for another 5 minutes.

68

Passione Pizza

Crocco pizza Crunchy potato pizza

Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk leaving a 1 cm edge and top with the mozzarella.

250 g of pizza dough 60 g of mozzarella 5 mini potato croquettes 25 g of potato, cut into thin round slices peanut oil, for frying

2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures above 200-300 °C bake the pizza until the edge turns golden brown and the mozzarella has melted. 3 In the meanwhile fry the croquettes and slices of potato in hot oil. When they are cooked dry them on a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper. When you take the pizza out of the oven top it with the fried potatoes and the croquettes.

Passione Pizza

71

Pizza quattro stagioni Four seasons pizza Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 40 g of mozzarella 50 g of peeled tomatoes ½ an aubergine, cut into small pieces and fried 10 g of mushrooms

10 g of artichoke hearts, in oil 4 cherry tomatoes, cut into segments 1 clove of garlic basil extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk leaving a 1 cm edge, then spread the tomato topping all over the surface. 2 Add the other ingredients as follows: ¼ cubes of mozzarella and mushroom; ¼ cubes of mozzarella and aubergine; ¼ cubes of mozzarella and artichokes hearts; on the remaining ¼ of the pizza just add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, oregano and basil. 3 Put the pizza into a preheated oven and, in ovens that do not reach temperatures above 200-300 °C, bake it until the edge browns. When you take it out of the oven top with oil and basil.


72

Passione Pizza

Pizza nera Black pizza

Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk leaving a 1 cm edge, then add the tomato topping, cherry tomato segments, capers, olives and anchovies.

250 g of pizza dough with grano arso 60 g of peeled tomatoes 5 cherry tomatoes, cut into segments 10 black olives oregano extra-virgin olive oil 6 anchovies capers pecorino cheese

2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures above 200-300 °C bake the pizza until it browns, taking care because the dough is a dark colour. When you remove the pizza from the oven add flakes of pecorino, a drizzle of oil and a sprinkling of oregano.

Passione Pizza

75

Pizza provola, salsiccia e patate novelle Pizza with provola, sausage and new potatoes Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 07 g of Italian provola cheese, cut into small cubes 50 g of sausage 5-6 new potatoes

8-10 mini cheeses extra-virgin olive oil a few leaves of basil flour salt

Preparation 1 Turn the oven on and preheat to maximum temperature. Work the pizza dough on a lightly floured pastry board and shape it into a disk approximately ½ cm thick, taking care to leave the edge about 1 cm thick. Skin the sausage and break it up. Cut the new potatoes in half, peel them and brown them in the oven for a few minutes with 2-3 tablespoons of oil. 2 Scatter the cubes of provola over the pizza, then the sausage and lastly the new potatoes. Put the pizza in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Take it out of the oven, add a pinch of salt and a few leaves of basil, decorate with the mini cheeses and serve.

76

Passione Pizza

Pizza con cornicione imbottito Stuffed crust pizza

Preparation


1 Shape the pizza dough into a disk, without leaving a thicker edge. Wash the zucchini, cut of the ends and grate it finely. Put the ricotta, the grated zucchini and 2-3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan in a bowl. Mix them together well.

250 g of pizza dough 40 g of mozzarella 20 g of cherry tomatoes extra-virgin olive oil 1 sprig of basil for the stuffing 100 g of ricotta 1 zucchini grated Parmesan cheese

2 Put the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe a circle of stuffing around the edge of the dough. Fold it over inwards, taking care to seal the edges well. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into segments, then cut the mozzarella into small cubes and scatter both over the pizza. 3 Bake the pizza for 5-6 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. When the pizza is cooked remove it from the oven and top with a drizzle of oil; brush the oil around the stuffed crust edge, decorate with a few leaves of basil and serve.

Passione Pizza

79

Pizza al pomodoro all'insalata Pizza with salad tomatoes

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 1 salad tomato 3-4 cherry tomatoes 60 g of mozzarella

1 sprig of basil oregano extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Shape the pizza dough into a disk, taking care to leave the edge roughly 1 cm thick. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and scatter it over the dough. Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. 2 In the meanwhile wash the tomatoes under running water. Cut the salad tomatoes into slices and the cherry tomatoes into segments. Season with a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of oregano. 3 Take the pizza out of the oven, top with the slices of tomato, decorate with leaves of basil torn up by hand, and serve.

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Passione Pizza

Pizza con il fritto Pizza with fried prawns and zucchini

Preparation


1 Shape the pizza dough into a disk, taking care to leave the edge roughly 1 cm thick. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and scatter it over the dough. Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven.

250 g of pizza dough 50 g of mozzarella 30 g of zucchini 20 g of fresh shelled prawns 3-4 cherry tomatoes flour (for the batter) peanut oil, for frying

2 In the meanwhile mix a little flour and water, prepare a quick batter and leave it to rest for a few minutes. Wash the zucchini, cut their ends off and cut them into small “sticks”. Heat plenty of oil in a pan, dip the zucchini and prawns in the batter and fry them. When they are nicely browned, drain them on absorbent kitchen paper and put them to one side. 3 When the pizza has finished baking take it out of the oven and top it with the fried prawns and zucchini. Decorate with the cherry tomatoes, previously washed and cut into segments. Serve.

Passione Pizza

83

Pizza asparagi, radicchio e parmigiano Pizza with asparagus, radicchio and Parmesan Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 40 g of mozzarella 4 asparagus

radicchio flakes of Parmesan cheese extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk, leaving a 1 cm edge, and add the mozzarella. Blanch the asparagus and then sauté them with a knob of butter. 2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures above 200-300 °C bake until the edge begins to brown, after which add the asparagus, prepared previously, put the pizza back in the oven and bake for approximately 1 minute. 3 When you take the pizza out of the oven add the radicchio, cut into julienne strips and seasoned with oil, and top with flakes of Parmesan.

For all other ovens that reach temperatures above 350 °C or for woodfired ovens, add the asparagus, precoo ked as above, and the mozzarella before baking. Then when you take the pizza out of the oven complete it with the radicchio, seasoned with extravirgin olive oil, and flakes of Parmesan.

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Passione Pizza

Pizza Sorrento Pizza with orange and lemon

Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk and scatter the provola over the surface.

250 g of pizza dough 60 g of provola cheese 4 slices of lemon 4 slices of orange wild fennel seeds extra-virgin olive oil

2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that don’t reach temperatures above 200-300 °C bake the pizza until it turns golden brown. 3 When you take the pizza out of the oven place the slices of orange and lemon on it, sprinkle the wild fennel seeds on the slices of lemon only, and top with a drizzle of oil.

For all other ovens that reach temperatures above 200 300 °C or for woodfired ovens, bake the pizza already with the orange and lemon and the provola on top, then when you take it out of the oven sprinkle the wild fennel seeds on the slices of lemon.

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87

Pizza in teglia ai funghi Pan-cooked pizza with mushrooms Ingredients for 1 pizza 400 g of pizza dough 6 slices of fresh stretched-curd cheese 4-5 porcini mushrooms 5-6 peeled chestnuts 60 g of peeled tomatoes

50 g of mozzarella 50 g of mixed mushrooms smoked sheep’s ricotta, in flakes 1 clove of garlic parsley, chopped extra-virgin olive oil, salt

Preparation 1 Clean the porcini mushrooms carefully, cut them into thick slices and sauté them with a little oil and the clove of garlic. Add salt and pepper as required and put to one side. Stretch the pizza dough out in a pan and leave it to rise until it doubles in volume. Scatter the slices of fresh cheese and the porcini mushrooms over half the pizza. 2 Heat a little oil in a frying-pan, add the mixed mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add salt as required, season with the chopped parsley and turn off the heat. On the other half of the pizza add the tomato topping, cubes of mozzarella and mixed mushrooms. 3 Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. When cooked remove the pizza from the oven, then sprinkle the sliced chestnuts on the half with the porcini, and the sheep’s ricotta on the other half. Serve.

88

Passione Pizza

Pizza salsiccia, tartufo e porcini Pizza with sausage, truffle and porcini mushrooms

Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk, leaving a 1 cm edge, and top it with the mozzarella.

250 g of pizza dough 40 g of mozzarella 3 porcini mushrooms 20 g of sausage truffle oil

2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures above 200-300 °C bake the pizza until the edge begins to brown, then add the mushrooms and sausage, both previously sautéed. Put the pizza back in the oven and bake for roughly 1 minute. 3 When you take the pizza out of the oven, top it with a drizzle of truffle oil.


Passione Pizza

91

Pizza all’amatriciana Pizza Amatriciana

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 40 g of provola cheese 5 cherry tomatoes, cut into segments 20 g of flat pancetta

extra-virgin olive oil fresh basil salt

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk, leaving a 1 cm edge. Top with the provola cut into small cubes and bake the pizza in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, for about 5 minutes. 2 Remove from the oven and add the cherry tomatoes, cut into segments and seasoned with oil and salt, a few leaves of basil and the pancetta sliced very thin. Serve nice and hot.


92

Passione Pizza

Pizza marinara Pizza with tomato and garlic

Preparation


1 Knead the dough briefly on a floured pastry board. Stretch it out with your hands and transfer it into a rectangular pan, lightly greased with oil. Stretch the out once more with your hands (in the end you should obtain a thickness of about 1/2 cm) and reinforce the edges.

400 g of pizza dough 300g of San Marzano tomatoes 1 clove of garlic 1 tablespoon of oregano flour extra-virgin olive oil salt

2 Blanch the San Marzano tomatoes for a couple of minutes. Then drain them, peel them, squeeze them, eliminate the seeds and water and squash them with a fork. Peel the garlic and cut it into thin slices. 3 Place the squashed tomatoes in the centre of the dough and spread them over the surface. Add the slices of garlic to the pizza, sprinkle with oregano, add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. 4 Heat you oven to maximum temperature, then put the pizza in and bake it for 15-20 minutes, or until the edge turns golden brown. When the pizza is ready, remove it from the oven, add a drizzle of oil and serve.

If you want to transport your pizza, when you take it out of the oven leave it to cool, then cut it into slices, wrap each one in a sheet of greaseproof paper and store in a suitable container. Passione Pizza

95

Pizza d ’inverno Winter pizza

Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk, leaving an edge of roughly 1 cm. Add the cream of beef, mushrooms, mozzarella and sausage, in pieces.

250 g of pizza dough 150 g of cream of beef 50 g of mozzarella 2 tablespoons of porcini mushrooms 1 sausage extra-virgin olive oil

2 Bake in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, for about 5 minutes. Top with a drizzle of oil and serve.

The cream of beef required for this recipe is delicious and very easy to make: all you need to do is prepare some tasty beef broth and liquidize all the ingredients, including the meat, in a blender. After which put the saucepan back on the heat and let it reduce until you obtain the desired consistency.

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97

Pizza per due Pizza for two

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 40 g of Gorgonzola 20 g of mozzarella

2 slices of speck balsamic vinegar extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk and scatter the gorgonzola and mozzarella all over the surface. 2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven and bake until the edge turns golden brown. 3 When you remove it from the oven top half of the pizza with the slices of speck, the other half with the balsamic vinegar, and drizzle a little oil over the whole thing.

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Passione Pizza

Pizza con salame di cervo e di cinghiale, rucola e radicchio Pizza with venison and wild-boar salami, rocket and radicchio Preparation


1 Turn the oven on and preheat to maximum temperature. Cut the buffalo mozzarella into small cubes; put the cubes in a colander and leave to drain for a few minutes. In the meanwhile, cut the wild boar salami and the venison salami into slices, but not too thin.

250 g of pizza dough 100 g of buffalo mozzarella 1 sprig of rocket 2 leaves of radicchio 30 g of wild boar salami 30 g of venison salami extra-virgin olive oil salt flour

2 Work the pizza dough on a lightly floured pastry board and shape it into a disk approximately ½ cm thick, taking care to leave the edge about 1 cm thick. Scatter the mozzarella over the pizza, put in the oven and bake at maximum temperature for 5 minutes. 3 Remove the pizza from the oven, top with the rocket and radicchio in small pieces, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Complete it with the two kinds of salami and serve.

Passione Pizza 101

Pizza salsiccia e broccoli Pizza with sausage and broccoli

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 60 g of mozzarella 60 g of broccoli, boiled 50 g of sausage flour

extra-virgin olive oil grated Parmesan cheese salt

Preparation 1 Turn the oven on and preheat to maximum temperature. Work the pizza dough on a lightly floured pastry board and shape it into a disk approximately ½ cm thick, taking care to leave the edge about 1 cm thick.

2 Top the pizza with the mozzarella, previously sliced and left for a few minutes to dry, and the sausage, peeled and cut into pieces. Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes; 5 minutes before the end, add the broccoli and then finish baking. 3 Take the pizza out of the oven, add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, a sprinkling of Parmesan as desired and serve.


102 Passione Pizza

Pizza biologica Organic pizza

Preparation


1 Put the water into a large bowl and dissolve the yeast in it. Add part of the spelt flour, sprinkling it in slowly, and a pinch of salt and mix vigorously. Add the spinach and a little oil and mix again. Pour in the remaining flour and continue mixing until you obtain a uniform compact dough. Divide it into four parts, shape them into balls and leave them to rise in a closed container for at least 5-6 hours.

for the dough 100 ml of water 170 g of organic spelt flour salt 20 g of organic spinach, boiled, squeezed and chopped 18 g of salt 1/2 g of yeast extra-virgin olive oil for the topping 60 g of organic buffalo mozzarella from Campania, cut into slices 40 g baby spinach 4 organic cherry tomatoes Parmesan 5-6 walnuts extra-virgin olive oil salt

2 Turn the oven on and preheat to maximum temperature. Cut the cherry tomatoes into pieces and put them in a bowl. Add the spinach leaves for the topping, season with extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and mix delicately. 3 Shape the balls of pizza dough into disks with a thickness of approximately ½ cm, taking care to leave an edge 1 cm thick. Place the mozzarella on the dough and bake the pizzas, one or two at a time, for 5 minutes. 4 When you take the pizzas out of the oven, top with the tomato and spinach salad. Complete them with a sprinkling of Parmesan, in flakes, and with the walnut kernels, then serve.

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Pizza ’nduja e cipolla di Tropea Pizza with ’nduja and red Tropea onion

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 50 g of smoked provola cheese 40 g of cherry tomatoes 20 g of ‘nduja

20 g of red Tropea onion basil extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Slice the onion and sauté it quickly with a little oil. In the meanwhile preheat the oven at maximum temperature. 2 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk leaving a 1 cm edge, and top with slices of provola, the onion and the ‘nduja. 3 Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes, taking care to also place a bowl with a little water inside the oven. Take the pizza out of the oven, add a drizzle of oil and decorate with a few leaves of basil. Serve.

'Nduja is a typical kind of salami from Calabria, it is soft and very spicy, made from the fatest cuts of pork mixed with great quantities of hot chilli pepper. It is eaten spread on slices of toasted bread, even better if hot, or used as an ingredient for making various sauces.

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Pizza insalata, crudo e parmigiano Pizza with salad leaves, cured ham and Parmesan Preparation


1 Shape the pizza dough into a disk, taking care to leave the edge roughly 1 cm thick. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and scatter it over the dough.

250 g of pizza dough 80 g of mozzarella mixed salad leaves cherry tomatoes 3 slices of cured ham flakes of Parmesan cheese balsamic vinegar basil extra-virgin olive oil salt

2 Bake the pizza for 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. In the meantime wash a few mixed salad leaves, dry them and dress them with a little oil and a pinch of salt. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into segments. 3 When the pizza has finished baking take it out of the oven and top with the tomatoes and salad leaves. Add the slices of ham and flakes of Parmesan cheese. Finish it off with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and the basil, and serve.

Passione Pizza 109

Pizza acciughe, olive e capperi Pizza with anchovies, olives and capers

Ingredients for 4 people 250 g of pizza dough 50 g of peeled tomatoes 10 black olives, pitted 20 salted capers 5-6 anchovies in oil

5 cherry tomatoes 1 large sprig of basil oregano extra-virgin olive oil salt

Preparation 1 Shape the pizza dough into a disk, taking care to leave the edge roughly 1 cm thick. Put the peeled tomato topping on the dough, season with a pinch of salt and bake the pizza for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. 2 Wash the cherry tomatoes, cut them into segments and season with a little oil, a pinch of salt and oregano. When the pizza is cooked, take it out of the oven and top with the tomato segments, the anchovies, the capers, previously washed, and the olives. 3 Put the pizza back in the oven and bake for 1 minute. Remove it from the oven and finish it off with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a few leaves of basil. Serve.


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Pizza in teglia pere, gorgonzola, prosciutto e fichi Pan-cooked pizza with pear & gorgonzola and ham & figs Preparation

Ingredients for 1 pan

1 Stretch the ball of pizza dough out in the pan, brush with extra-virgin olive oil and cover with cling film. When the dough has doubled in size, press your fingers lightly into the surface all over.

800 g of pizza dough (28 cm diameter) extra-virgin olive oil Provolone Del Monaco cheese for the first half 2 pears 60 g of Gorgonzola for the second half 4 figs, black and green 6 slices of cured ham

2 Bake for about 5 minutes at 250-300 °C, remembering to also place a bowl of hot water in the oven. Take the pizza out of the oven and top half of it with the Gorgonzola and pears. Put it back in the oven for about 2 minutes. 3 When the pizza is cooked remove it from the oven and place on a cooling rack, top the other half with the figs and slices of cured ham. Complete by grating the Provolone Del Monaco over the entire pizza.

Passione Pizza 113

FOCACCIAS

LE FOCACCE

Focaccia caprese Focaccia with fresh tomato and mozzarella

Ingredients for 1 focaccia 300 g of pizza dough 60 g of mozzarella 1 “cuore di bue” tomato

basil extra-virgin olive oil salt

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into an elongated oval shape, about 1 cm thick, and brush the whole surface with a little oil. Bake the focaccia in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature. Take it out when it rises, after roughly 5 minutes. 2 Cut the mozzarella and the tomato into slices about ½ cm thick, then cut them in half. Place the slices of mozzarella and tomato on the focaccia alternating them. Complete with a few leaves of basil, a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.

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Focaccia di pizza provola e mortadella Focaccia filled with provola and mortadella Preparation

Ingredients for 1 focaccia

1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk approximately 1 cm thick and brush the whole surface with a little oil.

300 g of pizza dough 60 g of fresh provola cheese 40 g of mortadella extra-virgin olive oil

2 Bake the focaccia in a preheated oven and take it out when it has risen, then cut it open creating two disks. 3 Fill the focaccia with the cheese and mortadella, after which you can choose whether to serve it straight away, cut into 4 or more segments, or put it back in the oven for 1 minute to let the provola melt.

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Focaccine pizza pomodorini e alici marinate Small focaccia with cherry tomatoes and marinated anchovies Ingredients for 4 small focaccia 300 g of pizza dough 8 slices of tomato 8 marinated anchovies

extra-virgin olive oil oregano basil

Preparation 1 Divide the ball of pizza dough into four parts and work each one separately stretching it out to a thickness of about ½ cm. For each focaccia, brush half of the surface with oil, fold the other half over on top and brush again. 2 Bake in a preheated oven. Take the focaccia out of the oven when they rise and brown. Finally fill them with the tomato, anchovies and basil, and finish off with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkling of oregano.

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Focaccia di pizza con salumi Focaccia with cold sliced meats

Ingredients for 1 focaccia 500 g of pizza dough 100 g of mozzarella (or provola) 100 g of mixed cold sliced meats 1 tomato extra-virgin olive oil flour

Passione Pizza 125

Preparation 1 Turn the oven on and preheat to maximum temperature. Divide the pizza dough into 2 equal parts and work it on a lightly floured pastry board (photo A). Create two disks approximately ½ cm thick (photo B). 2 Put one of the disks of dough in the bottom of a pan and top it with the cheese, cut into small cubes, the cold sliced meats (photo C) and the diced tomato. Cover with the remaining disk of dough (photo D) and seal the edges well by pressing down with your fingertips. 3 Drizzle a little oil on the surface (photo E) and mark the surface of the focaccia with a spatula to create slices. Bake for about 5 minutes, finish off with another drizzle of oil before serving. .


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A B

C D

E

Focaccia tonda tipo pugliese Round Pugliese-style focaccia

Ingredients for 1 pan 600 g of pizza dough 10 black olives 10 cherry tomatoes

coarse salt extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Prepare the dough the day before, following my instructions on page 28. Leave it to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes in a bowl covered with cling film. Put it in the fridge for 24 hours. 2 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk, place it in a pan and leave it to rise. 3 When it has doubled in volume, press the olives and tomatoes into it lightly, add oil and coarse salt and leave to rise again for a further 30 minutes, keeping the dough well covered with a tall container.

4 Bake in a preheated oven, at 220 °C. When the focaccia is cooked, remove it from the oven and place it on a cooling rack Finish it off with a drizzle of oil and wait until cold before serving.

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Focaccine di grano arso con pomodorini e burrata Small grano arso focaccia with cherry tomatoes and burrata Ingredients for 5 small focaccia 250 g of pizza dough made with grano arso 5 cherry tomatoes

100 g of burrata cheese, in strips extra-virgin olive oil 1 sprig of basil

Preparation 1 Put the pizza dough, which has previously risen, into 5 small baking tins, lightly greased with oil. Leave them to rise and, when they have doubled in volume, brush them with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Wash the tomatoes, cut them into segments and place them on the focaccias. 2 Put the focaccias in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, add the strips of burrata, decorate with a few leaves of basil and serve.

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Barchette con scarola, olive, capperi e provola Boats with escarole, olives, capers and provola Preparation

Ingredients for 4 boats

1 Stretch the balls of pizza dough into an oval shape and top them with the provola. Boil the escarole and sauté it in a frying-pan with the olives and capers.

4 x 60 g balls of pizza dough 40 g of provola cheese 30 g of escarole 10 black olives 40 capers extra-virgin olive oil grated pecorino cheese

2 Add the escarole on top of the dough, then pinch the ends to create a boat shape. 3 Bake the “boats” for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature. When they are cooked, add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and, if you like, some grated pecorino cheese.

Passione Pizza 133

SPECIAL PIZZAS

LE PIZZE SPECIALI

Pizza Vesuvio Pizza Vesuvius

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 40 g of peeled tomatoes 30 g of mozzarella extra-virgin olive oil basil

for the filling 40 g of ricotta 4 slices of salami

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk. Top half of it with ricotta and salami, fold it over and seal it like a calzone; top the other half with the peeled tomatoes. 2 Put the pizza in a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures over 200-300 °C, bake the pizza until it begins to brown, then add the mozzarella and melt it. Finish off the pizza with a drizzle of oil and fresh basil.


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Cannoli ricotta e prosciutto Cannoli with ricotta and ham

Preparation

Ingredients for 3 cannoli

1 Shape the pizza dough into three disks. Wrap them around cannoli tubes and then brush the upper part with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Bake them for about 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven.

300 g of pizza dough 60 g of buffalo ricotta 6 cherry tomatoes 6 olives 1 sprig of basil 3 slices of cured ham extra-virgin olive oil you will also need… 3 cannoli tubes

2 In the meanwhile put the buffalo ricotta in a bowl. Add a little oil, the olives, previously pitted and cut into pieces, and a few leaves of basil, in pieces. Mix the ingredients well with a wooden spoon. When the cannoli are cooked, remove them from the oven, fill with the ricotta mixture and decorate the ends with the cherry tomatoes, previously washed and cut into segments. Wrap each cannolo in a slice of cured ham and serve.

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Cannoli ripieni Cannoli with 3 fillings

Ingredients for 3 cannoli 300 g of pizza dough extra-virgin olive oil for the first filling 4 slices of cured ham 6 mozzarella pearls for the second filling 30 g of ricotta

3 zucchini flowers salt and pepper for the third filling 30 g of ricotta sugar and cocoa powder you will also need… 3 cannoli tubes

Preparation 1 Divide the pizza dough into three parts and shape each one into a disk. Wrap the first one around a cannoli tube. Brush the upper part with a little oil and the put it into a preheated oven, at maximum temperature. 2 When the cannolo browns, take it out of the oven, remove the form and leave it to cool. When cool fill it with cured ham and mini mozzarella pearls.

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3 Wrap the other two disks, fry them and then remove the tubes. Fill one with the ricotta and zucchini flowers, then wrap it in kitchen foil and bake for two minutes. Fill the other one with cocoa flavoured ricotta, prepared previously, and sprinkle with icing sugar.

To prepare the cocoa flavoured ricotta, heat the ricotta in a small saucepan with the sugar, then mix in the cocoa and create a smooth cream.

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Pizza con parmigiana di melanzane Pizza with aubergine Parmigiana

Preparation


1 Heat plenty of oil in a large frying-pan. Flour the slices of aubergine and then plunge them into the hot oil. When they are golden brown on both sides, remove them from the oil and leave to drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

250 g of pizza dough 60 g of provola cheese 40 g of peeled tomatoes 50 g of aubergine, sliced Parmesan cheese flour 1 sprig of basil extra-virgin olive oil

2 Shape the pizza dough into a disk, taking care to leave the edge roughly 1 cm thick. Add the peeled tomato and slices of fried aubergine. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and top with the provola, cut into small cubes. 3 Decorate with a few leaves of basil and fold the sides of the pizza in to form a semi-closed tube, rather like a cannolo. Bake it for 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven. 4 Take the pizza out of the oven, add a drizzle of oil and decorate with a few more leaves of basil. Serve.

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Pizza kebab Pizza with doner kebab

Ingredients for 1 pizza 250 g of pizza dough 60 g of mozzarella, cut into small cubes 40 g of doner kebab 2 slices of tomato

oregano extra-virgin olive oil you will also need… a pastry cutter

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk; top half of it with the mozzarella and the kebab, previously sautéed in a pan, then fold the other half over on top and seal the edges together, like a calzone. Finally, using a pastry cutter, cut 2 circles in the upper surface and remove the excess dough. 2 Brush with oil and put the calzone into a preheated oven. In ovens that do not reach temperatures above 200-300 °C, bake until cooked. 3 When you take the calzone out of the oven place the slices of tomato over the circular holes, in which, if you like, you can add a sauce of your choice, top with a sprinkling of oregano.


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Palline di pizza fritte Mini deep-fried pizza balls

Preparation


1 Shape 200 g of pizza dough into a disk, approximately 1 cm thick. Cut out several small disks with a pastry cutter, and shape them into small bowls. Place them on a pan lined with greaseproof paper and bake them for 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, placing a bowl of hot water in the oven.

400 g of pizza dough for the seafood sauce 100 g of peeled tomatoes 2 anchovies a handful of capers 5 black olives, pitted 2 cherry tomatoes 1 sprig of basil 1 clove of garlic rocket extra-virgin olive oil

2 With the remaining pizza dough make lots of little balls. Heat plenty of oil in a large pan and deep fry the little balls of dough. When they are golden brown, remove them from the oil and leave them to drain on absorbent kitchen paper. 3 For the seafood sauce: brown the clove of garlic in a frying-pan with a little oil. Add the peeled tomatoes, capers, anchovies, cherry tomatoes and olives, and cook for about 10 minutes. 4 Pour the sauce into some of the pizza dough bowls and add a few leaves of basil for a fragrant touch. Put the rocket and the little deep-fried balls in the remaining bowls and serve.

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Pizzette di pasta cresciuta Mini pizza fritters

Ingredients for 2-3 people

300 ml of water 200 ml of milk 500 g of Manitoba (strong or bread) flour 5 g of yeast 1 teaspoon of sugar 20 g of salt 1 egg mixed grated cheese sun-dried tomatoes oregano or basil extra-virgin olive oil peanut oil, for frying

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Preparation 1 In a bowl dissolve the yeast in the water. Mix in the milk and the salt, add a little flour and begin to mix vigorously (photo A), adding the flour gradually in order to obtain a semi-liquid consistency (photo B). 2 When you have added half of the flour, mix in the lightly beaten egg (photo C), 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, the aromatic herbs and grated cheese (photo D) and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Continue mixing, adding the remaining flour. 3 Continue to mix vigorously, folding from the bottom up (photo E), until you obtain a compact batter (photo F). Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes; after which, mix the batter for a few more seconds and leave to rest for another 5 minutes. 4 Form lots of little balls with the batter (wet your hands so that the batter doesn’t stick to them). Heat plenty of pleanut oil in a large pan and deep fry the little balls of batter. As they are ready you take them out of the oil, place them to drain on a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper. Serve.

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A B

C D

E F

Calzone con scarola, fagioli e caciotta piccante Calzone with escarole, beans and strong caciotta cheese Ingredients for 1 calzone 300 g of pizza dough extra-virgin olive oil 50 g of escarole, cooked 20 g of mozzarella 2 tablespoons of cannellini beans

strong caciotta cheese extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into an oval disk and top half of it with the escarole, previously boiled and sautéed in a pan together with the beans. 2 Add the mozzarella, a little grated strong caciotta cheese and a drizzle of extravirgin olive oil, then fold the dough over, seal the edges to form the calzone and brush it with oil. 3 Put the calzone in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, and bake for about 5 minutes. When you take it out of the oven top it with another drizzle of oil and flakes of strong caciotta cheese.

Baking times vary according to the type of oven. In woodfired ovens, the calzone must be baked about 10 cm from the entrance, away from the flames.

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Ciambella Ring-shaped pizza

Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into an elongated oval disk, dot the mozzarella and the provola all over the surface and add the other ingredients, individually, in little heaps, along the length of the disk.

250 g of pizza dough 20 g of mozzarella 20 g of provola cheese 1 tablespoon of aubergine 1 tablespoon of mushroom 1 tablespoon of broccoli 1 slice of cooked ham 1 piece of sausage extra-virgin olive oil Parmesan or pecorino cheese

2 Separate the various ingredients by pinching the dough together between one and the next, then close in a ring shape. Bake the ring-shaped pizza in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature. 3 When cooked add a drizzle of oil and, according to your taste, a sprinkling of grated Parmesan or pecorino.

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Fagotto campagnolo Rustic parcel

Ingredients for 1 pizza 150 g of pizza dough 40 g of provola cheese, cut into small cubes 30 g of escarole, boiled 1 cherry tomato

1 anchovy black olives capers grated pecorino cheese extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Stretch the ball of pizza dough into a flat square shape. Quickly sauté the escarole in a pan with the cherry tomato, cut into segments, the anchovy, a few black olives and capers. 2 Put the provola and the escarole on the pizza dough, keeping a little of the vegetables to one side for decoration. Close the parcel by uniting the opposite corners, forming a cross on the top. 3 Brush the surface with a little oil and bake the parcel for 5 minutes in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, also placing a bowl with some hot water in the oven. 4 Take it out of the oven and decorate with a little escarole, finish off with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkling of pecorino.

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Pizza bouquet Pizza decorated with flowers

Preparation


1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into an oval disk; top the lower part with the ricotta and slices of salami.

250 g of pizza dough 40 g of peeled tomatoes 5 cherry tomatoes 3 breaded slices of aubergine 30 g of cow’s milk ricotta or buffalo ricotta if you prefer 2 slices of salami 1 slice of cured ham mozzarella to decorate 1 zucchini flower wild flowers

2 Divide the upper part in two: top one half with tomato topping, the slices of aubergine and mozzarella, and the other half with mozzarella and the cherry tomatoes. 3 Fold the dough into a cone shape, then bake the pizza in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature. Take it out of the oven and decorate as you wish with the cured ham and flowers.

For ovens that do not reach temperatures above 300 350 °C and woodfired ovens, prepare everything and bake.

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Festa economy Low cost pizza party The idea for this menu originated from the desire to create – with a minimum number of ingredients and at minimum cost – an entire meal or, even better, a tempting buffet for a pizza party… from the appetizer to the dessert. The quantities given are for about 8-10 people, letting everyone taste each course. Seven tasty recipes, all made with one basic pizza dough The toppings and fillings proposed are only intended as suggestions, because if the party is supposed to be low-cost everyone is free to use their imagination together with cold meats, cheeses, vegetables and, why not, the leftovers in their fridge. Ingredients for 8-10 people 1 l of water 1.7 kg of flour 50 g of salt 10 g of sugar 3-5 g of yeast 1 tablespoon of lightly beaten egg

cold sliced meats various vegetables, in pieces

for the baked and fried calzoni mozzarella, cut into small cubes tomato, cut into small cubes cold sliced meats

for the pizza pinwheels mozzarella, cut into small cubes tomato, cut into small cubes basil extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper

for the stuffed parcels 100 g of aubergine Parmigiana (one portion) for the focaccia mozzarella, cut into small cubes provola, cut into small cubes

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for the panini cold sliced meats cheese vegetables

for the sweet focaccia hazelnut cream cane sugar icing sugar extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation 1 Prepare the dough following the instructions for homemade pizza dough, on page 24. You will make 10 balls of pizza dough, which must rise for 5-6 hours. After which you can go ahead and prepare each individual recipe: 2 Calzoni: take 1 ball of pizza dough and divide it into 4 parts. Shape each part into a disk. Prepare each one with mozzarella or tomato, or with the toppings you prefer, placing the ingredients on half of the disk, then folding the other half over on top to create the classic half-moon calzone shape. Seal the edges well and bake in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, for about 5 minutes. 3 Stuffed parcels: take 1 ball of pizza dough and divide it into 4 parts. Flatten each of the 4 parts. Put a little aubergine Parmigiana in the centre of each one. Close the dough into a parcel shape and bake in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, for about 5 minutes. 4 Focaccia: shape a ball of pizza dough into an oval disk and put it on a baking pan. Scatter mozzarella on half of it and provola on the other half. Top with the cold sliced meats and raw vegetables, in pieces, forming 8 segments. Shape another ball of dough into an oval disk and use it to cover the focaccia. Brush with oil and cut slightly into the surface to form the 8 segments. Bake in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, for about 5 minutes. 5 Panini: take 1 ball of pizza dough, divide it into 4 parts and stretch each one out until it is about 1 cm thick. Bake the panini in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, until they puff up. Take them out of the oven and fill them with cold sliced meats, cheese and grilled vegetables. When you have put the filling in the panini you can either eat them cold, or put them back in the oven for one minute, to melt the cheese.

Passione Pizza 167

A B

C D

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6 Pizza pinwheels: to make 16 pinwheels, shape 2 balls of pizza dough into oval disks (photos A). Top them with mozzarella, diced tomato and basil (photo B), add a drizzle of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roll them up (photo C) and cut them into slices (photo D). Place the pinwheel like slices on a baking pan and bake in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, for 5 about minutes. 7 Fried calzoni: take 1 ball of pizza dough and divide it into 4 parts. Shape the 4 pieces and top them in the same way as you did for the other calzone that you have already baked in the oven. For example, you can use cooked ham and mozzarella. Heat plenty of peanut oil in a pan and fry the calzoni until they are golden brown. If you want to be daring, try frying them in lard. 8 Sweet focaccia: follow the instructions for the focaccia, but replace the cheese, vegetables and sliced meats with a layer of hazelnut cream. When you have covered the first disk of dough with the second, brush the surface with olive oil and sprinkle cane sugar over it. Bake in a preheated oven, at maximum temperature, for about 5 minutes. Take the sweet focaccia out of the oven and finish it off with a sprinkling of icing sugar.

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SWEET PIZZA TREATS

SFIZI DOLCI DI PIZZA

Focaccina dolce con fragole e crema pasticciera Sweet focaccia with strawberries and pastry cream Ingredients for 1 focaccia 200 g of pizza dough 10 strawberries pastry cream

cane sugar icing sugar

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into a disk, sprinkle it with icing sugar and put into a preheated oven. 2 Halfway through baking add the strawberries, previously sautéed in a fryingpan with the cane sugar, and put the focaccia back in the oven. 3 When it has finished baking top with the pastry cream and finish off with a sprinkling of icing sugar.

For ovens that do not reach temperatures above 300 350 °C and woodfired ovens, prepare everything and bake.

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Scialatielli dolci Sweet scialatielli

Ingredients for 2 people 250 g of pizza dough sugar cinnamon

hazelnut cream icing sugar

Preparation 1 Spread out the ball of pizza dough evenly until it is 1 cm thick.

2 Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into strips, divide them into pieces about 10 cm long, then fry them and dip them in sugar and cinnamon. 3 Lastly sprinkle the scialatielli with icing sugar and drizzle the hazelnut cream over them.

Scialatielli is a type of fresh pasta used in the Italian re gion of Campania, originally from the town of Amalfi. I have given the same name to these sweet treats be cause they are the same shape as scialatielli, uneven strips that are shorter and wider than spaghetti.

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Bon bon fritti con gelato Fried bonbons with ice cream

Preparation


1 Spread out the ball of pizza dough evenly until it is 1 cm thick.

100 g of pizza dough sugar cinnamon ice cream

2 Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into strips, divide them into pieces and shape each one into a little ball, then fry them and dip them in sugar and cinnamon. 3 Fill an ice cream bowl with small balls of ice cream, add the fried bonbons and a sprinkling of icing sugar.

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Sfoglia pizzelle Pizza dough sfogliatelle

Ingredients 250 g of pizza dough 100 g of ricotta lard

2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips icing sugar

Preparation 1 Shape the ball of pizza dough into an oval disk. Brush the disk of dough with a little melted lard, roll it up, cover it with cling film and put it in the fridge for 10 minutes. 2 Cut the roll of dough into small pieces; grease your hands with some lard and work the dough with your thumbs. Push into the centre of the piece of dough, then stretch the layers out with your index and middle fingers, creating a triangular shape 3 Place the sfogliatelle on a pan, cover them with cling film and leave them to rise until they have doubled in volume. In the meanwhile mix the ricotta with the chocolate chips and put the mixture into a pastry bag. 4 Fill the sfogliatelle from the side formed by your thumbs, brush with a little lard and bake in a preheated oven, at 180-200 °C, for about 15-20 minutes. As soon as you take them out of the oven sprinkle icing sugar over them, and serve.

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BREAD & CO.

PANE DI PIZZA & CO.

Pane di pizza Pizza dough bread

Ingredients for 4 people 500 g of pizza dough re-milled durum wheat semolina

Preparation 1 Shape the pizza dough, which has already risen, into a French loaf shape and place it on a cloth floured with re-milled semolina. Sprinkle the re-milled semolina over the surface of the dough as well. 2 Wrap the dough in the cloth and put it in the fridge until it doubles in volume. 3 Remove the cloth, place the loaf on a pan and cover it once more with the cloth, then leave it to rest for roughly another 30 minutes. Finally bake it at 180 °C for 40 minutes, until the bread is cooked.

In woodfired ovens bake on the floor of the oven when it is hot but the flames have gone out, keeping the oven door closed. When the bread is cooked turn it over and leave in the oven for another 510 minutes with the door open.

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Focaccia con verdure e panino di pizza ripieno Focaccia with vegetables and pizza bread roll Preparation

Ingredients for 1 pan

1 Stretch out the ball of pizza dough in a pan and leave it to rise for about 30 minutes or until it has doubled in volume. Brush with a little oil and prick holes all over the surface with the prongs of a fork.

800 g of pizza dough mixed grilled vegetables 100 g of smoked provola with olives 100 g of cured ham rocket basil parsley extra-virgin olive oil

2 Bake it in a preheated oven, at 250 °C, for about 20 minutes. When the focaccia is cooked take it out of the oven and put it on a baking rack. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes and cut it in half in order to obtain two portions.

Passione Pizza 189

3 Top one half with a drizzle of oil, salt and chopped parsley, according to your taste, then add the grilled vegetables. 4 Top the other half with slices of smoked provola with olives, which you have previously softened in a pan or in the oven, and the cured ham. Finally roll the focaccia and toppings up and serve as a pizza bread roll.

Using one recipe and just one kind of dough you can make two different things: pancooked focaccia with vegetables and a great bread roll!

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Casatiello napoletano Neapolitan Casatiello

Ingredients for 1 Casatiello, weighing about 1.5 kg 500 ml of water 900 g of Italian 00 soft wheat flour 150 g of sourdough starter 5 whole eggs 30 g of salt 5 g of yeast 100 g of lard 150 g of mixed cold meats, cut into small cubes 50 g of mixed cheeses, cut into small cubes pepper

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Preparation 1 Put the water into a bowl and dissolve the yeast and sourdough starter in it. Start by adding part of the flour with a pinch of salt and, as you pour it in gradually, keep mixing. Mix in the lard, leaving about 1 tablespoon to one side, add the remaining flour and continue mixing until you obtain a smooth dough. Shape it into a ball and leave it to rise until it doubles in volume. 2 When the dough has risen shape it with you fingertips until you create a flattened oval disk (photo A). Dot the lard, which you kept on one side, over the dough (photo B) and scatter the cold meats on it.

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A B

C D Passione Pizza 195

3 Beat an egg and drizzle it over the filling (photo C), then add the cubes of cheese as well (photo D). Mill some pepper on top and roll up the dough with its filling inside, forming a large sausage shape (photo E). 4 Put the rolled up dough into a ring mould greased with lard, as if it were a giant doughnut, then place the other 4 eggs on top and create a sort of cage over each one using two small strips of dough that you will previously have put to one side (photo F). 5 Finish off with some more milled pepper (photo G) and leave to rise until the Casatiello doubles in volume (photo H). Put it into a preheated oven, at 180200 °C, and bake for approximately 40 minutes.

The cross shaped cage used to “hold” the eggs, besides being practical, is also full of religious symbolism. In fact Casatiello is a traditional Easter recipe.

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E F

G H Passione Pizza 197

Freselle di pane di pizza Freselle made with pizza dough bread

Preparation


1 Work the pizza dough into a French loaf shape and leave it to rise, then press a spatula delicately into the dough, marking numerous slices along the loaf but leaving it whole.

500 g of pizza dough tuna cherry tomatoes mozzarella salad tomatoes salted ricotta honey mushrooms

2 Put it in the oven at 180 °C and after about 15 minutes, when the loaf has taken shape and turned golden brown, remove it from the oven and divide it into the slices. Then place the slices on a pan and put them back in the oven, at 160 °C. 3 Cook on both sides, turning the freselle over until they are toasted right through. To serve them, moisten the freselle with water and top with the other ingredients, as you prefer.

In woodfired ovens bake the bread when the oven is still hot but the flames have gone out, then divide it into slices and place them on the oven floor. Leave them to dry until well toasted taking care to leave the oven door open.

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Panino napoletano Neapolitan panini

Ingredients for 4 people 500 g Italian 00 flour 300 ml of water 12 g of salt 50 g of sourdough starter 2 g of yeast

2 tablespoons of lard pieces of cold sliced meats and cheese a pinch of pepper 1 egg yolk

Preparation 1 Pour the water into a bowl and dissolve the yeast and sourdough starter in it. Gradually add half of the flour, then the salt and the lard, and lastly the rest of the flour. Mix all the ingredients well and leave to rest for roughly 30 minutes, covering the bowl with a cloth. 2 When the dough has risen, knead it for 10 seconds and then let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this procedure two more times, after which spread out the dough. 3 Top with the pieces of cold sliced meats and mixed cheese, roll up the dough and divide it into pieces. Let them rise once more until they double in volume. Brush the panini with a mixture of lard and egg yolk and bake them in a preheated oven at 180-200 °C for about 20 minutes.

For this recipe, as a true Neapolitan, I recommend that you buy lard from your local butcher instead of using the industrially produced kind.

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Conversion tables METRIC

IMPERIAL

1g

0,035 oz

°C

°F

2g

0,07 oz

160

320

3g

0,11 oz

180

350

5g

0,18 oz

200

400

7g

0,25 oz

220

425

10 g

0,35 oz

250

480

20 g

0,70 oz

300

570

25 g

0,88 oz

350

660

30 g

1,1 oz

400

750

40 g

1,4 oz

50 g

1,8 oz

60 g

2,1 oz

70 g

2,5 oz

100 g

3,5 oz

Metric

UK

US

150 g

5,3 oz

100 ml

3,5 fl oz

3,4 fl oz

225 g

8 oz (½ lb)

200 ml

7 fl oz

6,7 fl oz

250 g

8,8 oz

300 ml

10,5 fl oz 10,1 fl oz

450 g

16 oz (1lb)

500 ml

17,6 fl oz 16,9 fl oz

500 g

18 oz

1l

35,2 fl oz 33,8 fl oz

600 g

21 oz

700 g

25 oz

800 g

28 oz

900 g

32 oz (2 lb)

1 kg

35 oz

TEMPERATURES

LIQUID VOLUMES

∗ Please note that the conversions have been rounded slightly for ease of use

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Indice alfabetico Alphabetical index Black pizza, 75

Mini pizza fritters, 153

Boats with escarole, olives, capers

Neapolitan Casatiello, 193

and provola, 133

Neapolitan panino, 200

Calzone with escarole, beans and strong

Organic pizza, 105

caciotta cheese, 156

Pan pizza dough, 28

Cannoli with 3 fillings, 142

Pan-cooked pizza Margherita, 51

Cannoli with ricotta and ham, 141

Pan-cooked pizza with mushrooms, 88

Classic Neapolitan pizza dough, 18

Pan-cooked pizza with pear & gorgonzola

Crunchy potato pizza, 71

and ham & figs, 113

Focaccia filled with provola

Pizza Amatriciana, 92

and mortadella, 121

Pizza decorated with flowers, 163

Focaccia with cold sliced meats, 125

Pizza dough bread, 186

Focaccia with fresh tomato

Pizza dough sfogliatelle, 180

and mozzarella, 118

Pizza dough with grano arso, 40

Focaccia with vegetables

Pizza for two, 98

and pizza bread roll, 189

Pizza Margherita with buffalo mozzarella, 68

Four seasons pizza, 72

Pizza Vesuvius, 138

Freselle made with pizza

Pizza with ’nduja and red Tropea onion, 106

dough bread, 199

Pizza with anchovies, olives and capers, 110

Fried bonbons with ice cream, 179

Pizza with asparagus, radicchio

Gluten-free pizza dough, 34

and Parmesan, 84

Homemade pizza dough, 24

Pizza with aubergine Parmigiana, 147

Low cost pizza party, 166

Pizza with bresaola carpaccio, 56

Mini deep-fried pizza balls, 151

Pizza with doner kebab, 148

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Pizza with fried prawns and zucchini, 83

Rustic parcel, 160

Pizza with ham, aubergine

Small focaccia with cherry tomatoes

and zucchini, 52

and marinated anchovies, 122

Pizza with ham, provola and zucchini

Small grano arso focaccia with

flowers, 67

cherry tomatoes and burrata, 130

Pizza with Neapolitan ragù, 55

Sourdough starter, 15

Pizza with orange and lemon, 87

Stuffed crust pizza, 79

Pizza with pesto, 64

Sweet focaccia with strawberries

Pizza with provola, sausage and

and pastry cream, 174

new potatoes, 76

Sweet scialatielli, 176

Pizza with rocket and cherry tomatoes, 60

White pizza with vegetables, 59

Pizza with salad tomatoes, 80

Winter pizza, 97

Pizza with salad, cured ham and Parmesan, 109 Pizza with sausage and broccoli, 102 Pizza with sausage, mushrooms and lardo di Colonnata, 63 Pizza with sausage, truffle and porcini mushrooms, 91 Pizza with tomato and garlic, 95 Pizza with venison and wild-boar salami, rocket and radicchio, 101 Ring-shaped pizza, 159 Round Pugliese-style focaccia, 128

Passione Pizza 219

Indice delle ricette Index of recipes THE BASICS

Black pizza, 75

Sourdough starter, 15

Pizza with provola, sausage and

Classic Neapolitan pizza dough, 18

new potatoes, 76

Homemade pizza dough, 24

Stuffed crust pizza, 79

Pan pizza dough, 28

Pizza with salad tomatoes, 80

Gluten-free pizza dough, 34

Pizza with fried prawns and zucchini, 83

Pizza dough with grano arso, 40

Pizza with asparagus, radicchio and Parmesan, 84

PIZZAS

Pizza with orange and lemon, 87

Pan-cooked pizza Margherita, 51

Pan-cooked pizza with mushrooms, 88

Pizza with ham, aubergine

Pizza with sausage, truffle and porcini

and zucchini, 52

mushrooms, 91

Pizza with Neapolitan ragù, 55

Pizza Amatriciana, 92

Pizza with bresaola carpaccio, 56

Pizza with tomato and garlic, 95

White pizza with vegetables, 59

Winter pizza, 97

Pizza with rocket and cherry tomatoes, 60

Pizza for two, 98

Pizza with sausage, mushrooms and

Pizza with venison and wild-boar salami,

lardo di Colonnata, 63

rocket and radicchio, 101

Pizza with pesto, 64

Pizza with sausage and broccoli, 102

Pizza with ham, provola and zucchini

Organic pizza, 105

flowers, 67

Pizza with ’nduja and red Tropea onion, 106

Pizza Margherita with buffalo mozzarella, 68

Pizza with salad, cured ham

Crunchy potato pizza, 71

and Parmesan, 109

Four seasons pizza, 72

220 Passione Pizza

Pizza with anchovies, olives and capers, 110

Mini deep-fried pizza balls, 151

Pan-cooked pizza with pear & gorgonzola

Mini pizza fritters, 153

and ham & figs, 113

Calzone with escarole, beans and strong caciotta cheese, 156

FOCACCIAS

Ring-shaped pizza, 159

Focaccia with fresh tomato

Rustic parcel, 160

and mozzarella, 118

Pizza decorated with flowers, 163

Focaccia filled with provola and

Low cost pizza party, 166

mortadella, 121 Small focaccia with cherry tomatoes

SWEET PIZZA TREATS

and marinated anchovies, 122

Sweet focaccia with strawberries

Focaccia with cold sliced meats, 125

and pastry cream, 174

Round Pugliese-style focaccia, 128

Sweet scialatielli, 176

Small grano arso focaccia with

Fried bonbons with ice cream, 179

cherry tomatoes and burrata, 130

Pizza dough sfogliatelle, 180

Boats with escarole, olives, capers and provola, 133

BREAD & CO. Pizza dough bread, 186

SPECIAL PIZZAS

Focaccia with vegetables

Pizza Vesuvius, 138

and pizza bread roll, 189

Cannoli with ricotta and ham, 141

Neapolitan Casatiello, 193

Cannoli with 3 fillings, 142

Freselle made with pizza dough bread, 199

Pizza with aubergine Parmigiana, 147

Neapolitan panino, 200

Pizza with doner kebab, 148

Passione Pizza 221

Printed september 2012

ANTONINO ESPOSITO

The basics

Passione Pizza

Antonino Esposito’s career as a pizza chef, and his veritable passion for his work, began almost by chance in the mid 1980s. One of his uncles was looking for an assistant and Antonino volunteered, that experience led to his first jobs in various pizzerias in the Naples area. Since then Antonino has come a long way and today, besides being one of the best-known pizza chefs in Italy, he is also the owner of a pizzeria, called Ahum, in Sorrento, and works as a consultant for various companies as well as organizing courses all over the Country. Over the years he has participated in various competitions, both national and international, winning praise and prizes. He has also gained years of experience in the field of communications thanks to his collaboration with the satellite TV channel Alice (Sky) and his column in Alice Cucina cookery magazine.

Passion for Pizza

Pizzas

Focaccias

Special pizzas

Sweet pizza treats

Bread & Co.

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€ 18.00

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Passione Pizza - Passion for Pizza

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