White pizza

White pizza is made without tomato sauce. The base is usually topped with olive oil, cheese and sometimes garlic or herbs; in Italy, pizza bianca can also mean a plain, lightly oiled bread-like pizza.

Spread olive oil over stretched pizza dough, then add mozzarella and a little garlic or rosemary. Bake on a preheated tray or pizza stone at the hottest setting your oven allows, often 240–250 °C, until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling, usually 8–12 minutes.

Mushrooms, thinly sliced potato, courgette, spinach and caramelised onion all work well with the olive-oil-and-cheese base. Add delicate greens such as rocket after baking so they stay fresh.

Cool it promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and eat within three to four days. Reheat slices in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, covered, until the base crisps and the topping is hot.

Yes. Freeze cooled slices in a sealed container, with baking paper between them, for up to two months for best quality. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven until piping hot throughout.

For a white pizza, brush the dough with olive oil or spread on ricotta, crème fraîche or a thin layer of béchamel. Keep the topping light: a thick or wet layer can leave the centre soggy.

Not always. Pizza bianca literally means “white pizza” in Italian, but it can describe either a topped pizza without tomato or a simple, oil-brushed flatbread, depending on the bakery or menu.