A Broccoli Rabe and Anchovy Pizza to Put All Other Pizzas at the Party to Shame
Melissa RivardI’ve owned and built a couple of backyard pizza ovens, and while I loved them both, they took ages to heat up before I could bake in them, which meant that I only did so when I had half a day or more carved out for pizza-making. Switching over to a tabletop outdoor pizza oven has been a game-changer for my pizza-party calendar: It’s ready to rock in about 30 minutes, which means I fire it up all the time, and all I need to do isplan ahead so I have dough balls ready to go in the fridge. One thing I sought to do with these composed pizza recipes for outdoor ovens was look for ways to use the high heat of the oven for things other than just baking the pizza. For this recipe, as well as the burst cherry tomato, shallot, and herb one, my goal was to use the oven for some of the pre-bake topping prep while it heated up for firing pies. In this case, I wanted to get serious char on some broccoli rabe, a process that adds complex flavor to bitter greens like rabe, while also helping to temper some of their bitterness.But because pizzas baked in these super-hot ovens tend to cook in a matter of minutes, toppings have a limited window within which to cook. When I tried putting uncooked rabe on the pie, it remained mostly raw when it came out; even blanched, wilted rabe only charred lightly. In order to get the right amount of char on my broccoli rabe, I first blanch it in salted water to lightly wilt it, before chopping it into bite-sized pieces. I then toss the rabe with olive oil and red pepper flakes in a skillet, and let it char while the oven heats up, which takes just a few minutes.To complement the smoky bitterness of the charred rabe, I pair it with a blend of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano, a healthy number of anchovy fillets, and a simple tomato sauce. No creamy, melty mozzarella here—this pie is all about its savory punch. Of course, if some of your pizza-eating companions aren’t anchovy lovers, you can leave the salty fish out on a couple of pies; that’s their loss.Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to rest in proofing containers, covered, at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before baking. Dough temperature should reach 60˚F (15.5°C) before stretching and baking; exact timing will depend upon ambient temperature.Melissa RivardUsing a countertop or immersion blender, process tomatoes until a coarse but evenly blended sauce forms, about 10 seconds. Transfer to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup; if needed, add reserved tomato liquid to yield 2 cups (475ml) sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.Melissa RivardIn a small bowl, stir together Parmesan and Pecorino until well combined; set aside.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add broccoli rabe to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickest parts of stalks are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well, squeezing rabe to get rid of excess moisture. Allow to cool slightly, then cut stalks crosswise into 2- to 3-inch pieces.Melissa RivardHeat pizza oven to 800°F (425°C). While oven heats, in a 10-inch stainless steel, cast iron, or carbon steel skillet, combine rabe, 1/4 cup (60ml) oil, and red pepper flakes. Set skillet in oven and cook, stirring frequently, until rabe is lightly but evenly charred, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.Melissa RivardWhen ready to bake, coat one dough ball generously on both sides with flour and place on well-floured surface, seam side down. Gently press out dough into rough 8-inch circle, leaving outer 1-inch higher than the rest. Stretch dough into a 10- or 12-inch circle (final dimension depends upon the size of your oven) about 1/4-inch thick by draping over knuckles and gently stretching. Transfer to floured wooden or perforated metal pizza peel.Melissa RivardWorking quickly, spread an even layer of tomato sauce over pizza, leaving outer 1/2-inch rim untopped. Spread anchovies evenly over sauce, followed by cheese mixture. Scatter rabe evenly over pizza and drizzle with oil.Melissa RivardTransfer pizza to oven and bake, rotating pie regularly with a metal peel for even cooking, until rim is lightly charred and bottom is crisp, 90 to 180 seconds total. Retrieve pizza with a metal peel and transfer to a cutting board. Slice, and serve immediately.Melissa RivardRepeat steps 6 through 8 for remaining pizzas.Special EquipmentHigh-temperature outdoor pizza oven, immersion blender, wooden or perforated metal pizza peel, metal pizza peel.NotesBoth salt- and oil-packed anchovies will work for this recipe. Read more about how to fillet and prepare salt-packed anchovies here. If you don’t like anchovies, this pie is still delicious without them.Make-Ahead and StorageTomato sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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