This is a pretty special pizza. In 2009 I was in the Norwegian pizza championship, and came in 3rd. Packed with umami and complex flavors, this improved and simplified version is one of the best vegetarian pizzas I know of.
While my championship entry was a New York style pizza crust, think of this first and foremost as a topping recipe. Almost any topping can be put on almost any pizza style, and the right pizza style depends on your oven, so choose the right dough based on how high your oven can go:
- 200-250C/300-480F: Sfincione authentic Sicilian pizza dough
- 250-350C/480-660F: Thin crust New York style pizza dough
- 400C/750F: Neapolitan pizza dough recipe
The recipe and directions below are for three 13″ NY style pizzas, but can easily be adapted to other styles.
Ingredients
- 1 easy epic pizza sauce
- plus 2 tbsp dried king bolete (cepes) powder
- 1 NY style pizza dough
- 250 g firm mozzarella, grated
- 100 g gorgonzola
- 100 g hazelnuts, toasted
- Parsley, finely chopped
- High quality olive oil
Method
Make the dough according to style, then make the sauce, remembering to add the crucial king bolete powder:
The king bolete powder is made by putting dried king bolete in a blender and blend into a find powder. Alternatively you can crumble the dried mushroms into a mortar, add a pinch of sea salt, then grind them into a powder by hand.
Next, toast the hazelnuts. Let the nuts cool, and rub off the skin. Halve the nuts by grently but firmly applying pressure to them with the back of a knife. You don’t want to crush your nuts completely, so be careful. You can take that any way you want to.
Shape the pizza as per the recipe page for the style you’re baking, then spread the sauce and sprinkle over some mozzarella. Using your fingers dot the Gorgonzola around on each pizza, and bake according style.
Transfer to a wire rack, then drizzle over a little bit high quality olive oil, scatter some toasted hazelnuts, and finally sprinkle over the chopped parsley.
Do you love pizza? Here are even more kick-ass pizza recipes from the guy who was in the Norwegian Pizza Championship once.
