Stracchino with Artichokes, Lemon, and Olives
This is a wonderful example of a vegetarian dish that isn’t at all compromised by its lack of meat. We scatter artichoke leaves over the surface of the pizza so you get the flavor of artichoke in every bite. The mild flavor of the stracchino contrasts nicely with the bitterness of the artichokes.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 1 pizza (serves 1)
Ingredients
For the Artichokes
For the Pizza
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the artichokes, fill a large bowl with water. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the water, and drop the lemon halves into the water.
Step 2
Remove the outer leaves from the artichokes until you are left with only the light green centers. Cut off the tough stem ends, leaving as much as 1 or 2 inches attached. Using a vegetable peeler or a small sharp knife, shave the artichoke stems, revealing the light green inner stems. Cut 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch off of the tip ends of the leaves so they have flat tops, and discard all of the trimmed leaves and bits. Cut above the bottom to release all the leaves, unravel the leaves and place them in the acidulated water to prevent them from turning brown. Thinly slice the stems and add them to the acidulated water. To prepare the artichokes in advance, transfer them, along with the acidulated water, to an airtight container and refrigerate until you’re ready to use them or for up to two days. Drain the leaves and stems. Dry out the bowl and return the artichokes to the bowl. Add the olive oil, parsley, and garlic and toss to coat the artichokes with the seasonings.
Step 3
To prepare the pizza, prepare and stretch the dough and preheat the oven according to the instructions given in “Nancy’s Scuola di Pizza” (page 128).
Step 4
Brush the rim of the dough with the olive oil and season the entire surface with salt. Scatter the artichoke leaves over the surface of the pizza to cover, leaving a 1-inch border of the pizza with no topping. Scatter the stracchino, mozzarella, and olives over the artichoke leaves. Slide the pizza into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown and crispy, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and cut it into quarters. Sprinkle the parsley over the pizza and use a microplane or another fine grater to grate lemon zest over the surface. Grate a light layer of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pizza, scatter the arugula over the top, and serve.
Suggested Wine Pairing
Step 5
Grillo (Sicily)
