Celebrate Pizza Month With 5 Delish Recipes From Netflix Chef Gabriele Bertaccini

Spicy ‘Nduja, San Marzano Tomatoes, Fennel Tops, Red Onion, Mozzarella Fior di latte & Fontina

• 1 pizza dough, refrigerated for at least 8 hours
• Unbleached bread flour or semolina, for dusting
•  1.5 oz of spicy Calabrese ‘Nduja (alternative options instead of ‘Nduja include: hot soppressata or Italian sausage)
•  1 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into cubes (option to use buffalo mozzarella as alternative)
•  1 oz of fontina cheese, torn into cubes
•  6 tbsp crushed tomato sauce, with an added glug of extra virgin olive oil
•  2 pinches of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
•  A few slices of thinly sliced red onion
•  A handful of fennel fronds
•  Fine sea salt (optional)
•  Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
•  5 fresh basil leaves

Step 1

Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°, allowing at least 30 minutes for the stone to preheat.

Step 2

Work with one piece of dough at a time: On a floured surface, roll or stretch the dough out to a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to a floured pizza peel. Spoon the tomato sauce evenly over the pizza, using the back of the spoon to spread the sauce, starting from the center and stopping about 3/4-inch  from the edges (with a hand-crushed tomato sauce, the consistency of the sauce over the pizza's surface will be uneven). Sprinkle the Parmigiano, if using, over the sauce. Let the spots where the tomato sauce is thinner guide you as to the placement of the mozzarella. Hit those drier spots with mozzarella and fontina cheese. At this stage, dot the pizza with ‘Nduja and very thinly sliced red onions. Then give it a very light drizzle of olive oil.

Step 3

Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and bubbling or until the crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove the pizza with the peel and immediately add the basil leaves and fennel fronds, laying them evenly across the top. The heat of the pizza will wilt the leaves slightly and release their heady fragrance. Enjoy immediately!

For the tomato sauce:

Empty the can of tomatoes, with their juice, into a large bowl. Add the olive oil with the basil and salt (if using). Then, using your hands, crush the tomatoes. Let sit for about an hour for the flavors to combine. Refrigerate extra sauce in an airtight container for a few days or freeze for several months.

Fontina, Chanterelles Mushrooms, Shaved Truffle, Thyme, Parmigiano-Reggiano

• 1 pizza dough, refrigerated for at least 8 hours
• Unbleached bread flour or semolina, for dusting
• 1 lb Chanterelle mushrooms, sautéed with garlic & parsley (option to use oyster mushrooms or any other wild mushrooms, though Chanterelles are recommended for best taste)
• 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp shaved truffles
• 1 cup of grated fontina cheese
• 1 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano
• Fresh thyme

Step 1 

Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°, allowing at least 30 minutes for the stone to preheat.

Step 2

Work with one piece of dough at a time: On a floured surface, roll or stretch the dough out to a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to a floured pizza peel. Spread the cheese on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Lightly press the cheese into the dough. Top with the sautéed mushrooms and thinly sliced garlic cloves.

Step 3 

Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and bubbling. Carefully sprinkle fresh thyme and a nice drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the pizza and bake for 2 minutes longer, until the crust is browned. Slide the pizza onto a work surface and slice black truffles on top. Cut into wedges, grate with rest of Parmigiano Reggiano on top and serve.

Guanciale, Rapini, Four Onions, Asiago Cheese, Confit Garlic

•  1 pizza dough, refrigerated for at least 8 hours
•  Unbleached bread flour or semolina, for dusting
•  1 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into cubes
•  1 oz grated Asiago cheese
•  6 tbsp crushed tomato sauce, with an added glug of extra virgin olive oil
•  4 tbsp of rendered Italian guanciale or pancetta - save the fat!
•  1 tbsp of confit garlic (see separate recipe) OR you can use fresh garlic thinly sliced
•  1 cup of sautéed and cooked down broccoli rabe/rapini
•  1/2 cup of mixed thinly sliced onions (yellow, shallots and leeks)

Step 1 

Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°, allowing at least 30 minutes for the stone to preheat.

Step 2 

Work with one piece of dough at a time: On a floured surface, roll or stretch the dough out to a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to a floured pizza peel. Spoon the tomato sauce evenly over the pizza, using the back of the spoon to spread the sauce, starting from the center and stopping about 3/4-inch from the edges (with a hand-crushed tomato sauce, the consistency of the sauce over the pizza's surface will be uneven). Sprinkle the Parmigiano, if using, over the sauce. Let the spots where the tomato sauce is thinner guide you as to the placement of the mozzarella and Asiago cheese. At this stage, dot the pizza with guanciale or pancetta, a few cloves of garlic confit and a light amount of sautéed rapini. Then give it a very light drizzle of the fat from the cooking of the guanciale or pancetta.

Step 3 

Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and bubbling or until the crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove the pizza with the peel and immediately add a little dust of Parmigiano Reggiano. The heat of the pizza will wilt the leaves slightly and release their heady fragrance. Enjoy immediately!

For the tomato sauce: 

Empty the can of tomatoes, with their juice, into a large bowl. Add the olive oil with the basil and salt (if using). Then, using your hands, crush the tomatoes. Let sit for about an hour for the flavors to combine. Refrigerate extra sauce in an airtight container for a few days or freeze for several months.

GARLIC CONFIT 

•  3 heads of garlic, cloves peeled
•  1 1/2 cup (or more) olive oil

Preheat oven to 250°. Place garlic and oil in a small saucepan (add more oil if cloves aren’t submerged). Cover and bake until cloves are golden and tender, about 2 hours. Let cool; transfer garlic and oil to an airtight container and chill.

Taleggio, Pistachio & Brown Butter Fried Sage

•  1 pizza dough, refrigerated for at least 8 hours
•  Unbleached bread flour or semolina, for dusting
•  1 1/3 cups of Taleggio
•  1/2 cup of grated low-moisture mozzarella or provolone
•  1/2 cup of ricotta
•  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
•  1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted raw pistachios, coarsely chopped
•  2 1/2 tbsp of brown butter & 1 tsp fried sage (see separate recipe below)
•  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•  Parmigiano Reggiano for grating

Step 1 

Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°, allowing at least 30 minutes for the stone to preheat.

Step 2

Work with one piece of dough at a time: On a floured surface, roll or stretch the dough out to a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to a floured pizza peel. Spread the cheese on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Lightly press the cheese into the dough. Top with fried sage.

Step 3 

Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and bubbling. Carefully sprinkle one-third of the pistachios over the pizza and bake for 2 minutes longer, until the crust is browned. Slide the pizza onto a work surface. Drizzle with brown butter, cut into wedges, grate Parmigiano Reggiano on top and serve.

BROWN BUTTER & SAGE 

In a medium skillet, cook the butter with 8/10 small sage leaves until the butter is fragrant and nutty, about 3 minutes. Let it cool down. Reserve the brown butter and the fried sage separately. It last for 10 days in the fridge.

•         1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped 
•         1 large egg
•         1 cup of shredded fresh mozzarella
•         ¼ cup of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
•         Pinch of Kosher salt

Directions

In a large skillet, bring about ¼ water to a boil. Season with kosher salt. Add cauliflower in one even layer and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a clean dish towel (or paper towels) and squeeze to drain water. Add drained cauliflower to food processor and pulse until grated. Drain excess water in paper towels. 

Transfer drained cauliflower to a large bowl and add egg, 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup parmigiano reggiano, then season with salt. 

Transfer dough to an oiled baking sheet and pat into a crust. Bake until golden and dried out, 20 minutes. 

At this point top crust with ingredients of your choice and bake until cheese is melted and crust is crisp — about 10 minutes more.