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Now that you have my go-to recipes for Homemade Pizza Dough and Homemade Sauce, it’s time to share with you my favorite pizza (or at least one of them). Meaty salami, fresh mozzarella, herbal basil and peppery arugula all come together for a remarkable flavor combination. The salami is cut into matchsticks rather than circles for a better bite. They are also quickly pan-fried to remove some of the excess fat and to provide a slight crisp. Fresh mozzarella is used instead of the standard processed version for a light and creamy texture. Once baked to perfection, it is topped with a sprinkle of chopped basil and some baby arugula.
Speaking of baking a pizza– this is a controversial issue. And what I mean by that is– What oven rack position to you place your baking stone on? The answer– It depends on your oven. With my previous oven I had success with the upper middle position, but with my current oven I achieve the best results with the middle position. The bottom and outer edge of the crust should be nicely browned with a few charred spots. If the top of the pizza bakes faster than the bottom, lower the baking rack before continuing with the second pizza. It may take a couple of tries before you find what works best for you. Bon Appétit magazine even published this method using the broiler element.
Salami and Arugula Pizza
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Italian salami, sliced into ¼-inch matchsticks
- 2 (13 ounce) balls of pizza dough
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella , shredded
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 8 large basil leaves, chiffonade
- Handful of baby arugula
- Unbleached all-purpose flour and/or cornmeal for dusting
- Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
- Crushed red pepper flakes to taste, optional
Instructions
- Place a baking stone on the middle shelf of your oven (unless you know your oven well enough to place it on a different shelf) and preheat on the highest setting (about 575ºF) for at least an hour.
- While the oven is heating, cook the salami strips in a dry non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until they just begin to crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a paper towel to drain the fat; set aside.
- Making one pizza at a time on a lightly floured surface, shape the ball into a 12 to 14-inch pizza, about ¼-inch thick and slightly thicker towards the edge. Transfer the dough to a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet that has been lightly dusted with flour or cornmeal.
- Brush the outer edge of the dough with Extra-Virgin olive oil. Spread ½ cup of the pizza sauce over the dough. Arrange half of the mozzarella and half of the drained salami over the top of the sauce and sprinkle with half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
- Carefully slide the pizza from the peel onto the baking stone. Bake until the crust is puffy and slightly charred on the edge, about 7-9 minutes.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the basil and arugula. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes if using. Slice and serve. Repeat with the remaining ingredients for the second pizza. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh man Oh MAN, this looks so fabulous. It's sort of my perfect meal. I can't wait to make it, plus that crust looks like it came out perfect!
Yum! Iove the arugula in this!
Alright, alright, you win! I have been homebaked pizza resistant all my life, but you make it look so much better and fun than ordering it that I'll give it a try this weekend. And your suggestion to stock the freezer with dough and sauce is what every busy mom ought to hear. (Just don't ask us to make our own pepperoni!)