Pizza With Lemon, Mortadella, and Black Olives
We have a pizza oven at our house in Italy, as well as our house here in Florida. My husband is the only one who knows how to properly use the pizza oven, so when my husband isn’t home, and I am craving pizza, I use my kitchen oven. To get the best results when making pizza in the oven, I find it best to preheat the oven at its highest temperature. I have used a pizza stone in the past, but I left my stone in Florida, so instead, I use a pizza pan with holes in it, often called a smart pan. These holes ensure that the bottom of the pizza will crisp up perfectly, and I have had great results using these pans.
For the best pizza, you need a good dough and top quality ingredients. My favorite pizza dough recipe uses half all-purpose flour and half pizza flour (also known as tipo “oo”) and replaces some of the water with white wine. This dough has never failed me and is my go-to pizza dough, whether we are using our outdoor pizza oven or my regular kitchen oven. You could also buy your pizza dough if you want to simplify things.
My husband requests the same pizza toppings over and over, but I like to change things up every week. This pizza has become my new favorite, as the flavors are both delicious and unique. The lemon slices are placed on top of the dough before the addition of cheese and seem to almost melt into the dough as they cook.
The mortadella gets a little crispy, and the Kalamata olives add a nice salty touch, which contrasts perfectly with the lemon. I also add a handful of pine nuts for texture. As for the cheese, I use half mozzarella and half Taleggio, which is my favorite Italian cheese. It has a creamy texture and a very unique flavor. If you cannot find Taleggio, you could use Brie in its place.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Pizza With Lemon, Mortadella, and Black Olives
A unique pizza that can be prepared in your home kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 Individual Pizza Dough Balls - At Room Temperature (About 9 Ounces Each)
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Diced Mozzarella
- 2 Cups Cubed Taleggio Cheese (See Notes Above)
- 1 Large Lemon, Sliced Paper Thin
- 4 Thin Slices Mortadella
- 1/3 Cup Pitted & Chopped Kalamata Olives
- 1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
- Coarse Sea Salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to its highest setting (Usually 500 degrees F.)
To prepare the dough, press each dough ball into a flat disk on a lightly floured counter or bread board. - Using your fingers and knuckles carefully, press the dough out into a 12 to 14 inch circle.
- Place the dough onto a baking peel lightly coated with cornmeal or flour.
- Brush the outer 2 inches of the dough with the olive oil.
- Divide the lemon slices between the two pizzas.
- Scatter the mozzarella and Telaggio cheese on each pizza.
- Cut the mortadella into strips and place on top of the cheese.
- Divide the olives and pine nuts and scatter over each pizza.
- Sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt, then bake each pizza for about 15 minutes or until the pizza is brown and bubbly turning the pizza halfway if needed for it to bake evenly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 2050Total Fat: 151gSaturated Fat: 60gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 79gCholesterol: 241mgSodium: 3804mgCarbohydrates: 103gFiber: 8gSugar: 7gProtein: 74g
