Fig-and-Rosemary
Focaccia with
Pecorino
ACTIVE 25 MIN; TOTAL 4 HR
20 MIN; SERVES 8
New York City chef Marco
Canora makes this focaccia
with freshly milled, small-
batch whole-wheat flour.
(^3) / (^4) cup extra-virgin olive
oil, plus more for
greasing
1 1 /^2 cups warm water
2 1 / 2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1 / 2 tsp. sugar
3 3 / 4 cups whole-wheat fl our
2 Tbsp. chopped
rosemary
Fine sea salt
12 plump dried Black
Mission fi gs (5 oz.)
Boiling water
Black pepper
(^1) / 2 cup freshly grated
Pecorino Romano
cheese
- Grease bottom of a large
bowl with olive oil. Pour warm
water into the bowl of a stand
mixer fitted with the dough
hook. Evenly sprinkle yeast
and sugar over water. Mix at
low speed until combined, 30
seconds. Add flour, rosemary,
(^1) / 2 cup olive oil, and 4 tea-
spoons salt and mix at
medium speed until a dough
forms, about 5 minutes; it will
be a little sticky. Form dough
into a ball and transfer to
greased bowl. Cover tightly
with plastic wrap and let
stand at room temperature
until it doubles in size, about
2 hours.
- Punch dough down in bowl
and form it into a loose ball.
Cover with plastic wrap and
let stand at room tempera-
ture for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, in a small, heat-
proof bowl, cover figs with
boiling water. Let stand until
softened, 1 hour. Drain figs
and slice them 1 / 4 inch thick.
4. Lightly grease a 9-by-
13-inch rimmed baking sheet.
Transfer dough to prepared
pan and, using your finger-
tips, press it out to fill pan.
Cover with plastic wrap and
let rise at room temperature
for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 375° F.
Arrange fig slices all over
dough; gently press them in.
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons
olive oil and season with salt
and pepper. Sprinkle cheese
over top. Bake for 25 to 30
minutes, rotating pan halfway
through, until golden and
firm. Let cool slightly on a
rack. Drizzle with remaining
2 tablespoons olive oil and
serve warm or at room tem-
perature. —MARCO CANORA
Pizza Dough
ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 6 HR
30 MIN; MAKES 2 (12-OUNCE)
BALLS OF DOUGHUse this basic pizza dough
from L.A. chef Daniele Uditi
for Grilled Lemon Pizzas
(recipe at right), Grilled Aspar-
agus Pizzas with Gremolata
(p. 27), or Summer Margherita
Pizzas (p. 31), or any other of
your favorite pizzas.1 cup lukewarm water(^1) / 2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 3 /^4 cups (14^1 /^2 oz.) 0 fl our
(see Note)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive
oil, plus more for
greasing
1 1 / 4 tsp. kosher salt
- In a large bowl, whisk water
with yeast and let stand until
foamy, about 5 minutes. Add
flour, olive oil, and salt and
stir until a dough forms.
Scrape onto a work surface
and knead until smooth,
about 5 minutes. Transfer to a
large greased bowl. Cover
with plastic and let stand in a
warm place for 1 hour.
2. Cut dough in half and form
into 2 balls. Transfer balls to 2
large greased bowls. Cover
with plastic and let stand in a
warm place until doubled in
bulk, about 5 hours. Punch
down dough before using.
—DANIELE UDITI
NOTE “Tipo o” is the Italian
designation for fi nely ground,
high-protein fl our. You can
substitute all-purpose flour.
Grilled Lemon Pizzas
PHOTO P. 25
TOTAL 1 HR; MAKES TWO
12-INCH PIZZASAll you need to turn out beau-
tifully charred pies is a gas or
charcoal grill, a batch of
dough, and toppings. Place
crust on the grate, then, in
the last minutes of cooking,
flip it and add the remaining
ingredients.Extra-virgin olive oil, for
brushing and drizzling
2 lemons, thinly sliced
Pizza Dough (recipe at
left)
1 1 / 2 lbs. fresh mozzarella,
torn
4 oz. goat cheese(^1) / 4 cup toasted pine nuts
Flaky sea salt and
pepper
Torn basil, for garnish
- Light a grill and oil the grate.
Grill lemon slices over moder-
ately high heat until lightly
charred on both sides, 3 to 5
minutes. Transfer to a plate. - On a lightly oiled large bak-
ing sheet, stretch 1 ball of
pizza dough to a 12-inch oval
or round and brush with olive
oil. Grill dough over moderate
heat until lightly charred on
the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip crust and scatter half
each of the mozzarella and
lemon slices on top. Close
ITALIAN PIZZA
STYLES
Pizza may be a national
food of Italy, but there is
no national pizza;
exceptional pizza comes
in several styles from
diff erent regions. Here
are just a few examples:
Pizza Napoletana has a
soft crust due to being
baked in a 900°F
wood-fi red oven.
Roman-style pizza al
taglio (“by the cut”) is
baked in sheet pans and
sold by the slice. In most
areas of Sicily, when you
order pizza, you usually
get one round pie or, in
the case of a stuff ed
pizzolo, two round pies
stacked atop one
another. Th e pizza in
Rome is round and fl at
with a crust that is
exceptionally thin,
ultra-crisp, and
self-sustaining. If you
hold up a slice by its
rounded end the point of
the triangle will never
sag. Th en there is pizza
recognized as “classica”—
it is pizza according to
the Italian model: Small
size (about 12-inches).
Th inner crust. Fewer
toppings and less of
them. No pepperoni. No
chicken. No pineapple.grill and cook until cheese is
melted and crust is firm, 3 to
5 minutes. Transfer to a large
board and top with half each
of the goat cheese and pine
nuts. Season with salt and
pepper. Garnish with torn
basil and a drizzle of olive oil.- Repeat with remaining
dough, mozzarella, lemon
slices, goat cheese, pine nuts,
seasoning, and garnishes.
Cut pizzas into wedges and
serve. —DANIELE UDITI