Pizza

The Director's Cut

My favorite pizza. A white pie with fresh mozzarella, topped after the bake with prosciutto, lemony arugula, shaved parmesan and balsamic glaze.

KPDb10/10

🎬 Pairs well with The Mummy (1999) – My favorite pizza, my favorite movie.

Dough

Pick one · make first

Prep the cheese

Fresh mozzarella holds a lot of water. Tear it into chunks about an hour ahead and let it drain in a strainer (or on paper towels) in the fridge. Pat dry before using.

Build

  1. Stretch the dough ball to about 12 inches, keeping a puffy rim.
  2. Top: brush or drizzle the base with olive oil, then scatter the mozzarella. No sauce on this one.

Bake: outdoor oven

  1. Preheat to 800–900°F on the stone, checked with an infrared thermometer.
  2. Bake 60–90 seconds, turning the pizza every 15–20 seconds so the side by the flame doesn’t burn.
  3. Done when the rim is puffed with leopard spots and the cheese has melted.

Bake: home oven

A home oven can’t get close to outdoor-oven heat, so the crust will be paler and a bit crisper. It’s still a good pizza.

  1. Preheat at the oven’s max (500–550°F) for 45–60 minutes with a baking steel or stone on the top rack, about 6 inches below the broiler.
  2. Bake 6–8 minutes, until the bottom is browned.
  3. Switch to broil for the last 1–2 minutes to color the rim and top. Watch it closely; it goes fast.

Finish

Work quickly so the pizza is still hot.

  1. Prosciutto first, right away. Drape the prosciutto over the hot pizza so it softens and warms without cooking.
  2. Dress the arugula at the last minute so it doesn’t wilt: toss the arugula with a splash of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and black pepper. Pile it on top of the prosciutto.
  3. Shave parmesan over the top.
  4. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Best part.