Calabrese Pizza Recipe

This Calabrese pizza highlights the wonderful flavors of Southern Italy - olives, anchovies and capers with a hint of heat. It's the perfect combination of easy homemade crust and super tasty topping!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups (400mls) warm water
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 4 cups (500 grams) bread flour
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• semolina or extra flour (for pressing out pizzas)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (14ounces/400 grams) can whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
• 15 (1 cup/150 grams) black olives
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 10 anchovies in oil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper (chilli) flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) or Romano pecorino cheese
• dried red pepper flakes (optional)
• fresh basil

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make the dough ---
2. 2Mix together warm water, yeast and honey. Set aside 10 minutes or until bubbles form.
3. 3Using the dough hook on the stand mixer (or use your hands), add flour to the water/yeast mixture and combine until mixture comes together. Stand 5 minutes.
4. 4Add oil and salt and continue to mix for 5 minutes (or 7 minutes by hand) until smooth and elastic. The dough will seem wet and sticky but that's perfect.
5. 5Use a dough scraper or firm spatula to scrape the dough out onto an oiled surface.
6. 6Gently press out the dough with oiled hands. Just a bit, not too much. Imagine it as a square. Lift one side of the square and fold it over to the other side. Press it down. Then continue in this way, lifting and folding all four sides. This strengthens the dough.
7. 7Divide the dough into four. Shape each into a ball, tucking the dough underneath itself forming a tight surface. Place balls onto a large, oiled baking sheet. Rub the dough balls lightly with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1½-2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
8. 8If you are using pizza stones, put them in the oven. Preheat oven to 480ºF/250ºC.
9. 9The dough balls may have joined but that's ok. Use a plastic dough scraper or butter knife to carefully separate and lift one of the balls.
10. 10Use some semolina to dust the dough and the work surface to stop it sticking. Then with your fingers, press down each ball of dough starting from the middle and working your way to the edge. Leave the edge puffy. Place your hand under the dough and gently pull and stretch until about 9 inches (23cm).
11. 11There are two ways I like to bake pizzas. The first way is to prepare the pizza on a flat, aluminium pizza pan. Aluminium conducts heat very well. Alternatively, prepare the pizza on parchment (non stick baking) paper then using a baking sheet, you can slide the pizza together with the paper onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven.
12. 12Whichever method of baking you choose, carefully pick up the dough and place onto either aluminium pizza pan or parchment (non stick baking) paper. You may need to reshape it a little.
13. 13Repeat with remaining dough balls.
14. 14Brush pizza bases with garlic oil and set aside for 30 minutes or until puffy.
15. 15Divide topping among the four bases.
16. 16Depending on the size of your oven, you can probably cook two pizzas at a time for 8-13 minutes until golden brown and the crust is crispy (if you have a larger oven you may be able to do more). After 5 minutes, check if they are cooking evenly. If not spin pizzas around.
17. 17Take the pizzas out of the oven and put the last pizza in.
18. 18While the last pizza is cooking, drizzle the cooked pizzas with garlic oil. Then scatter with lots of grated Parmesan cheese, drizzle with extra garlic oil and red pepper (chilli) flakes, if desired. Repeat with the remaining cooked pizza.
19. 19Scatter with fresh basil then cut into wedges, squares or however you prefer.
20. 20--- Tomato topping ---
21. 21Peel and finely chop the garlic. Add to a skillet with extra virgin olive oil and gently cook over low-medium heat.
22. 22When the garlic is aromatic but still pale (don't let it color or burn), add canned whole tomatoes and crush well with a fork. Simmer for 5 minutes.
23. 23While the tomatoes are cooking, coarsely chop the anchovies and de-stone olives and cut in half.
24. 24Add remaining topping ingredients and simmer for a further 3-5 minutes. Don't let it reduce too much.
25. 25--- Garlic oil ---
26. 26Combine oil with garlic. Set aside until needed.