Spring

Ramp and Clam Pizza

by:
April 25, 2010
3.7
3 Ratings
Ramp and Clam Pizza
  • Serves 2-4
Author Notes

Clams with white sauce, in pasta or on pizza, are great. One of the things that is great about it is the heavy handed use of garlic. Here in this pizza I replaced some of the garlic with ramps and I think in combination with the clams is really wonderful. This dough recipe is just fabulous. The dough is not my recipe a student gave it to me years ago and I have no idea where they got it but after trying many different crusts this is still my favorite. —thirschfeld

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the pizza dough:
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup rye flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • For the sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 20 ramps, rinsed, whites removed and sliced, greens reserved
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1/3 cup dry fruity white wine
  • 1/3 cup reserved clam juice
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 1/3 cups manchego cheese, grated
  • 2 -10 oz. cans of chopped baby clams, drained and juice reserved
Directions
  1. Place the water into a mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast across the top and let it bloom. Once it has dissolved add the milk, salt and fours. Using a dough hook mix and when the dough is just coming together add the olive oil. Continue to mix until a good gluten has formed.
  2. Remove the dough from the bowl and kneed it for a couple of minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Coat the inside of the mixing bowl lightly with oil and put the dough back into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours.
  3. The sauce can be made a couple of hours ahead of time and can sit off the heat until needed. Heat a 1 quart sauce pan over medium heat and add the butter. Once it has melted add the sliced ramps and sweat them until the just begin to get soft. Add the garlic and once you smell the garlic add the flour and stir. Stir until you see the flour has been absorbed by the butter.
  4. Add the wine and let it reduce and burn off the alcohol. Add the reserved clam juice and cream.
  5. Turn the heat to high and continually stir the sauce until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer add 1/3 cup of cheese and let it simmer until is thick. About 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and have a baking stone on the middle wrack of the oven.
  6. Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down. Kneed it 2 or 3 times and then flatten it with your hand. Dust both sides with a little flour. Let the dough rest, covered with the bowl, for 10 minutes.
  7. Roll the dough out into a thin rectangle or circle. The crust should be very thin. Place the dough a sheet of parchment paper and put it on a sheet try or a peel. sprinkled with cornmeal. Using the back of a large spoon and starting in the middle of the dough spread the sauce in a circular motion working toward the edges leaving a half inch border of unsauced dough.
  8. Place the ramp leaves attractively onto the sauce. Spread the clams evenly over the ramps. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese across the top of the pizza and dot with the remaining sauce. Grind some pepper over the top.
  9. Slide into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes watching to make sure the top doesn't brown to quickly.
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • MBE
    MBE
  • darksideofthespoon
    darksideofthespoon
  • NakedBeet
    NakedBeet
  • Midge
    Midge
  • WinnieAb
    WinnieAb

Popular on Food52

14 Reviews

MBE
MBE April 29, 2013
This was so yummy! Loved the crust with the rye flour. Because we are just two I used half the first night and saved half the dough and sauce etc. for the next night. Both the dough and sauce improved with age. Can't wait until next ramp season.
 
darksideofthespoon
darksideofthespoon September 30, 2012
No ramps but I'm making this tonight with more garlic and green onions! Ugghh I'm SO excited!
 
darksideofthespoon
darksideofthespoon October 5, 2012
Reporting back: We added smoked mussles and prawns, with extra mozzarella in addition to the manchego cheese. I also couldn't resist a healthy dose of red pepper flakes and a ton of black pepper. YUM. Making it again this week!
 
NakedBeet
NakedBeet April 30, 2010
Just yum! If you're ever in New Haven, CT, you must try the clam pizza from Pepe's. Saving this one for the dough and the love on top.
 
mrslarkin
mrslarkin April 30, 2010
Yes! Or Yonkers - they just opened up an outpost there this year. This sounds delicious, thirschfeld!
 
Midge
Midge April 29, 2010
looks amazing. will make it as soon as I procure some ramps!
 
WinnieAb
WinnieAb April 27, 2010
So original, and looks delicious, too.
 
lastnightsdinner
lastnightsdinner April 26, 2010
That is one really beautiful pie.
 
melissav
melissav April 26, 2010
Hi Thirschfeld - This sounds great. We can't get ramps down here in South FL but I'd like to make this in its original form with just garlic. Could you make the pizza dough the night before, stick it in the fridge and then make the pizza the next night? I'm not too dough savvy so I don't want to mess it up. Thanks!
 
thirschfeld
thirschfeld April 26, 2010
Do you have a whole foods, they might have ramps if you are interested in trying them but other wise the original form is great too. Yes you can put the dough in the fridge overnight Anytime you can let it rest overnight in the fridge it makes the dough even more flavorful. It will take longer to rise though so plan accordingly. Maybe three to four hours to rise, but you are in Florida so it may warm up quicker.
 
melissav
melissav April 26, 2010
Should I let it rise for the 2 hours before putting in the fridge or just put in the fridge after kneading and then let it rise the next night when I remove from the fridge. Thanks for your help! Also, we have a Whole Foods so I'll definitely check to see if they have ramps.
 
thirschfeld
thirschfeld April 26, 2010
Some doughs you want to rise and then put in the fridge but since this is a single rise dough I would only let it rise once the next day.
 
lechef
lechef April 26, 2010
Whoa, this just made me really, really hungry. Looks incredible! I always try to use fresh clams when I make clam pizza, but when I go for canned I like to get the "smoked baby clams". Ever tried those? I think they'd be great on this pizza.
 
thirschfeld
thirschfeld April 26, 2010
thanks lechef. I think they would be great, oysters too but I don't think mussels, they might be to sweet. I would prefer fresh but in the middle of Indiana that isn't always your best option. I found a product, Crown Prince wild caught boiled baby clams that is really, really good for this application.