White Clam and Chili Oil Pizza Recipe: Savory Seafood Pie

dough

• 1 1/8 cups warm water
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

clam sauce

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 1/4 cups dry white wine (like chardonnay)
• 5 pounds fresh littleneck clams, scrubbed well
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 cup freshly grated provolone

chili oil

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

• In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey, and olive oil. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups flour and salt, stirring until the dough comes together but remains sticky. Form into a ball and work in the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Knead on a floured surface for a few minutes.
• Rub the bowl with olive oil, place the dough inside, turn to coat, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• After rising, punch down the dough and shape it on a floured surface into your desired form. This dough makes one pizza large enough for 3–4 people. Place on a baking sheet or pizza pan, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. If using a pizza stone, heat to 475°F and bake about 15 minutes. For a baking sheet, bake at 425°F for 20–25 minutes.

clam sauce

• While the dough rises, make the sauce. Heat a saucepan over medium-low and add the oil and butter. Sauté the diced onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper until softened.
• Add the wine and simmer, then add the clams and cook until they begin to open. Transfer opened clams to a bowl and remove the meat from the shells.
• Simmer the wine and onion mixture until reduced to a thick glaze, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and reduce by half, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the Parmesan. Chop the clam meat and fold it into the sauce.
• Assemble the pizza: cover the dough with half the provolone, spread the clam sauce over it, then sprinkle with the remaining provolone.
• Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly — 20–25 minutes on a baking sheet or 15–20 minutes on a stone. Finish with a drizzle of chili oil, extra red pepper flakes, a handful of parsley, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve immediately.

chili oil

• To make the chili oil, warm the olive oil over low heat, stir in the red pepper flakes, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before using. The longer it sits, the more the flavors develop.