Diary of a Foodie

Pizza Sfogliatella

Diary of a Foodie: Season One: Italy: Home Cooking

Serves12 to 16 (antipasto)
  • Active Time:30 min
  • Start to Finish:2 hr
ADAPTED FROM ANGELA SCUTARI
January 2007

For Dough

  • 2 (1/4-oz) packages active dry yeast (about 5 teaspoons)
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115°F)
  • 1 3/4 cups Italian "00" flour
  • 1 1/2 cups semolina (sometimes labeled "semolina flour")
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • all-purpose flour for dusting and rolling

For Seasoned Oil

  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons paprika (not hot)
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
  • 1 (3 1/3-oz) jar flat anchovy fillets, drained, patted dry, and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

Make dough:

  • Stir together yeast and 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) o Pulse together "00" flour, semolina, and salt in a food processor until combined. With motor running, pour in yeast mixture and remaining cup water and process until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Form dough into a ball and drape a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over it, then cover with an inverted bowl. Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Make seasoned oil:

  • Whisk together all oil ingredients in a small bowl until combined well.

Form and bake pizza

  • Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 15- by 10- by 1-inch shallow baking pan.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out dough into a roughly 25-inch square, turning and lightly dusting dough with flour as necessary to prevent sticking. (Dough will be very thin.)
  • Reserve 1 tablespoon seasoned oil and brush remaining oil over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge. Tightly roll up dough jelly-roll-style and pinch seam to seal (some seasoned oil will seep out as you roll). Arrange roll, seam side down, in baking pan and form into a ring, then press ring with your fingertips until it covers bottom of pan. (It will be about 1/2 inch thick.)
  • Brush top of dough with reserved oil and bake until golden and top and underside are crusty, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then lift pizza from pan using a metal spatula and transfer to a rack to cool to warm or room temperature, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Cut into squares.
Cooks' notes:
  • The flours are available at Italian markets, some specialty foods stores, fornobravo.com, and D. Coluccio & Sons (718-436-6700).
  • The pizza can be frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap, up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat to warm before serving.
Subscribe to Gourmet