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White Clam and Bacon Pizza

Source of Recipe

From "Cold-Weather Cooking" by Sarah Leah Chase


Recipe Introduction

"For years I have been intrigued by stories about a scrumptious white clam pizza made at a pizza parlor in New Haven, Connecticut. As I am very fond of pasta with white clam sauce, I found the thoughts of the pizza most appealing. After playing around with the idea in my kitchen, the recipe has evolved into one of my very favorites. I have added bacon to the original concept—a fabulous smoky and crisp contrast to the chewiness of the clams. Serve cut into small squares for a cocktail party or be piggy and make it a satisfying Sunday supper."

List of Ingredients

Pizza dough:
â—¦ 1 package active dry yeast
â—¦ 1 cup warm water
â—¦ 3 tablespoons olive oil
â—¦ 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
â—¦ 3 to 3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
â—¦ Yellow cornmeal

Clam and bacon topping:
â—¦ 4 ounces sliced bacon, cut into ½-inch dice
â—¦ 3 tablespoons olive oil
â—¦ 2 large cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
â—¦ Pinch of dried red pepper flakes
â—¦ 1 ½ cups minced clams, fresh or thawed frozen
â—¦ 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
â—¦ ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Recipe

Prepare the pizza dough: Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large mixing bowl and let dissolve for 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the oil and salt. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour, ½ cup at a time, to make a soft and sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a clean mixing bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

In the meantime, prepare the clam topping: Sauté the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through but not quite crisp. (The bacon will finish crisping as it bakes on the pizza.) Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels. Add the olive oil to the bacon fat in the skillet. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté 2 minutes. Add the clams and simmer over medium heat 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and bacon.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Sprinkle a 15-by-10-inch baking sheet lightly with cornmeal.

Punch down the pizza dough and roll it out to fit into the pan. Stretch the dough in the pan and crimp the edges decoratively. Spread the clam topping evenly over the dough and scatter the Parmesan over all.

Bake the pizza until puffed and golden brown around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into small or large squares.

Makes one 15-by-10-inch pizza