Artisan Artichoke
Tuna Pizza (Pizza con Carciofi e Tonno)
Experience a classic Italian flavor pairing with this artisan pizza, featuring tender artichokes and savory tuna atop a perfectly blistered, airy crust.
Artichoke and tuna is a sophisticated combination beloved in Italian pizzerias for its balance of earthy, marinated vegetables and savory, oceanic protein. Chef Yanyan brings this authentic Neapolitan-style experience to your home kitchen, emphasizing the importance of handling the fermented dough gently to ensure that iconic, airy crust. It is a simple yet refined dish that relies on quality ingredients and a very hot oven.
Ingredients
- 1 ball fermented pizza dough
- 100 ml peeled tomato sauce
- 125 g fresh mozzarella cheese
- 50 g oil-marinated artichoke hearts
- 50 g tuna in oil
- 1 tsp artichoke marinade oil
Instructions
- 1Prepare the dough base
Place a proofed ball of pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Using your fingers, gently press down from the center outwards to flatten the dough into a circular disk, taking care to preserve the outer edge to form a perfect crust.
Tip: Be gentle with the dough to keep the air bubbles inside the crust, which ensures a light and airy Neapolitan-style edge. - 2Stretch the dough
Pick up the flattened dough and gently rotate it over your knuckles. Allow gravity to help stretch it into a larger, thin, and even circle, ensuring you do not pull on or flatten the puffy outer crust.
Tip: Keep your movements fluid and steady to avoid tearing the dough. - 3Add tomato sauce
Using a ladle, spread a generous amount of peeled tomato sauce evenly across the center of your stretched dough. Use the back of the ladle to distribute the sauce in a smooth, circular motion, leaving the outer edge clean for the crust.
Tip: Dont use too much sauce to avoid making the center of the pizza soggy. - 4Top with mozzarella
Take fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes, and scatter them evenly over the tomato sauce base. Ensure the cheese is distributed well to cover the pizza surface.
Tip: Using fresh, natural mozzarella will provide a much better melt and flavor compared to pre-shredded varieties. - 5Add tuna and artichokes
Carefully place flakes of tuna and slices of oil-marinated artichokes onto the pizza. For extra flavor, you can use a little bit of the oil from the artichoke jar to drizzle over the tuna before adding it.
Tip: Drizzling the artichoke oil onto the tuna enhances the savory, oceanic profile of the pizza. - 6Prepare for baking
Slide a metal pizza peel underneath the assembled raw pizza. Gently adjust the position on the peel to ensure it is centered and ready to be transferred into the high-temperature oven.
Tip: Ensure the pizza slides easily on the peel; a quick shake can help prevent sticking before it hits the oven floor. - 7Bake the pizza
Slide the prepared pizza onto a pizza peel and carefully transfer it into a traditional Neapolitan-style pizza oven preheated to 500 degrees. Position it near the open flame to ensure a perfect, crispy crust and bubbly toppings.
Tip: Maintain high heat to achieve the signature char and texture of an authentic Neapolitan pizza.
