Author Notes
I’ve made a lot of pizzas and I have experienced every kind of pizza catastrophe there is. So I’ve taken the guesswork out of getting the pizza in and out of the oven. Forget semolina flour! I roll my pizza dough, which is a wet dough that I make with a combination of wheat and rye flour, onto parchment paper. Then I can slide the pizza easily off the counter, onto the paddle and onto the pizza stone, without fear of sticking. Though not traditional, this technique helps me manage the wet dough more successfully in a kitchen that gets overheated quickly due to the hot oven.
In this pizza, I like the contrast between the rich base layer of roasted Yukon potatoes, piquant Urfa chiles and tangy goat cheese, and the cool herb salad topping, made crunchy by the addition of radishes. Other herb combinations work well, too. - maryvelasquez
—maryvelasquez
Test Kitchen Notes
There are so many things to love about this pizza, I hardly know where to begin. Maryvelasquez has created a winning combination of interesting flavors and textures, with outstanding results. Earthy potatoes, roasted with about a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves, top a tasty crust made with 1 part rye flour to 3 parts white. Tangy goat cheese counters the mild sweetness of the rye and roasted potatoes. Chopped sorrel, parsley and chives, which go on after the pizza has been cooked, are simply gorgeous visually and add a freshness that shouts, "Spring is here!" The whole thing is topped by Urfa Biber, a spice I first heard about -- and recently bought -- via The Shop at food52. With its beautiful, almost mysterious fragrance, the Urfa Biber rounds out this amazing pizza with a flavorful touch of heat. This is an intelligent, original and easy-to-follow recipe, which richly deserves Editors’ Pick honors! - AntoniaJames —The Editors
Ingredients
- Pizza Dough
-
2 teaspoons
yeast
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1 1/2 cups
water
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1 tablespoon
olive oil
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2 teaspoons
kosher salt
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1 cup
rye flour
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3 cups
white flour, plus more as needed
- Assembling the Pizza
-
3
Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/8" thick
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olive oil
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1 bunch
thyme, leaves removed, lightly chopped
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kosher salt
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1 cup
chopped herb mixture: chives, sorrel and parsley
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1-2
radishes, julienned
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squeeze of lemon juice
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1/2 recipe pizza dough, above
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4 ounces
crumbled goat cheese
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0
Urfa Biber, to taste
Directions
- Pizza Dough
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Combine the water with the yeast and let stand until foamy. Add the olive oil and the salt. Stir in the rye flour and white flour, a little at a time, until the dough comes together and looks a bit ragged.
-
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for a minute. The dough should feel soft and a little tacky, but not sticky. Well-floured hands can help you knead it without adding too much additional flour. A wet dough makes a crisp crust. Put the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise for about 2 hours.
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Once risen, turn the dough onto the counter and deflate it. Divide the dough into two pieces and let it rest on the counter for about 30 minutes. This recipe makes enough dough for 2 pizzas. You can reserve the rest of the dough in a zip-loc bag in the refrigerator for another time, or double the amount of topping ingredients and make two pizzas.
- Assembling the Pizza
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you are using a pizza stone, have it heating up in the oven on a lower rack. Have another rack ready to roast the potatoes.
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Toss the sliced potatoes with a glug of olive oil, the chopped thyme leaves and a teaspoon of kosher salt. Spread them out on a heavy baking sheet. Roast about 15 minutes, or until the slices turn golden on their undersides. Remove from the oven. Try not to nibble on too many of the potatoes.
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Turn the oven temperature up to 500 degrees. The oven needs to be thoroughly pre-heated.
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Just before you are ready to assemble the pizza, make the herb salad. Combine the herb mixture in a small bowl with the radish, a teaspoon of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Fluff with fork and taste for seasoning.
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Flatten one piece of pizza dough, sprinkle it with flour, and press it into an oval on a floured surface. Brush a piece of parchment paper with olive oil, then lift the dough onto it. Press or roll the dough out until the dough is very thin, but not transparent in any places. An average pizza could be 14 inches long and 10 inches wide. At this point, transfer the dough and parchment onto a peel, if you are using one. Alternatively transfer the dough and parchment onto a baking sheet.
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Lay the potato slices evenly over the top of the dough, overlapping a little to get good coverage. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese over the potatoes.
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Slide the whole pizza, parchment and all, onto a pizza stone. Alternatively, place the baking sheet into the oven. Bake the pizza for about 15 minutes. The crust should be golden and the cheese melted and bubbly. Use the peel to slide the pizza out, or remove the baking pan.
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Transfer the pizza to a cutting surface. Spoon the herb salad liberally over the top and sprinkle the Urfa Biber in place of the typical red pepper flakes--more pepper means more heat. Slice and enjoy!
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