Pizza with Clams, Bottarga and Breadcrumbs
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November 20, 2016
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December 10, 2016
Pizza with Clams, Bottarga and Breadcrumbs
This pizza with clams, bottarga, and breadcrumbs is a fierce seafood/pizza combination originally from Sicily. The breadcrumbs add an amazing textual contrast to the pizza while the bottarga and clams provide a great smokey fish quality.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat your oven to 500°F. If using a pizza stone, allow the stone to heat along with the oven for at least 30 minutes.
First toast the breadcrumbs. Heat 1 tablespoon of Colavita Olive Oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, a ¼ teaspoon salt and a little black pepper. Toss frequently as the breadcrumbs toast so that they don’t burn. In about 3 minutes, they will nicely brown and you can remove them from the heat, setting them aside in a small dish.
Heat the rest of the Colavita Olive Oil in a larger skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic cloves, the crushed red pepper and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper.
Simmer the garlic for about 3 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and ½ tsp salt. Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low, allow the tomatoes to break down and form a light sauce, about 12 minutes.
Add the clams to the tomatoes in the skillet along with the wine, lemon juice and half of the freshly chopped herbs. Cover the skillet and allow the clams to steam cook (their shells will open), about 6-8 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.
Add the bottarga to the tomatoes and clams and toss to combine. Cook for about 2 more minutes, then remove from the heat.
Stretch out your pizza dough onto a pizza peel dusted with semolina flour. If you don’t have either a pizza stone or a peel, you can cook your pizza on a cookie sheet, no semolina required. Just lightly oil the pan with a little Colavita Olive Oil.
Top the pizza dough with the tomato and clam mixture, and a light drizzle of Colavita Olive Oil. Place it in the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes until the crust turns a golden brown color.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately in separate dishes. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs on top, along with any remaining fresh herbs.
Notes and Exclamations: This is a cheese-less pizza! WHAT? You heard me. Italians never pair cheese and seafood. This is either because of taste or history/geography. In the case of taste, many Italians feel that punchier cheese flavors overwhelm more delicate fish. The sea-faring towns of Italy that are known for fresh seafood are not close to the cheesy, mountainous regions. Back in the day when it was a little more difficult to get from place to place, you ate what was nearby, and if you couldn’t walk to get it, it wouldn’t be on your dish. However, it should be noted, that cheese and seafood dishes have been found. Even in Italy. You may get your wrist slapped for adding parm to your plate, or a knowing wink. As many culinary rules that Italians create, they also like to break now and again.
SHOP THIS RECIPE
Ingredients
Directions
Heat your oven to 500°F. If using a pizza stone, allow the stone to heat along with the oven for at least 30 minutes.
First toast the breadcrumbs. Heat 1 tablespoon of Colavita Olive Oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, a ¼ teaspoon salt and a little black pepper. Toss frequently as the breadcrumbs toast so that they don’t burn. In about 3 minutes, they will nicely brown and you can remove them from the heat, setting them aside in a small dish.
Heat the rest of the Colavita Olive Oil in a larger skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic cloves, the crushed red pepper and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper.
Simmer the garlic for about 3 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and ½ tsp salt. Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low, allow the tomatoes to break down and form a light sauce, about 12 minutes.
Add the clams to the tomatoes in the skillet along with the wine, lemon juice and half of the freshly chopped herbs. Cover the skillet and allow the clams to steam cook (their shells will open), about 6-8 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.
Add the bottarga to the tomatoes and clams and toss to combine. Cook for about 2 more minutes, then remove from the heat.
Stretch out your pizza dough onto a pizza peel dusted with semolina flour. If you don’t have either a pizza stone or a peel, you can cook your pizza on a cookie sheet, no semolina required. Just lightly oil the pan with a little Colavita Olive Oil.
Top the pizza dough with the tomato and clam mixture, and a light drizzle of Colavita Olive Oil. Place it in the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes until the crust turns a golden brown color.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately in separate dishes. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs on top, along with any remaining fresh herbs.