FIDDLEHEAD PIZZA

FIDDLEHEAD PIZZA image

Yield 2 (12-inch) pizzas

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

For dough:
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°F)
1/2 package active dry yeast (1/8 ounce; 1 teaspoon)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups bread flour
For topping:
1/2 pound fresh fiddlehead ferns
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces fresh salted mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 large garlic cloves, sliced thin lengthwise
1/2 large red onion, cut into thin rings
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Freshly ground black pepper
Equipment: a large pizza stone

Steps:

Preheat oven to 425°F. with pizza stone in lower third of oven (allow about 1/2 hour for it to reach temperature). Stir together water, yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl until yeast dissolves. (If you wait 5 minutes and see a little foaming action, continue with the recipe. If not, start over.) Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon (not all the flour will get absorbed at first). Dump the shaggy dough and excess flour on a work surface and knead the dough, dusting it lightly with additional flour when it gets sticky, until elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Form it into a ball and let it rest under an inverted bowl for a minimum of 10 minutes (it can sit for 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate it in an oiled bowl, covered tightly with plastic wrap up to 1 week; or freeze it). Meanwhile, prepare the topping: Wash the fiddleheads well in a bowl of water, pouring off any chaff, and drain well. Blanch fiddleheads in a pot of salted boiling water 2 minutes, uncovered. Skim off chaff, then drain fiddleheads in a sieve. Toss fiddleheads with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl and roast on a rimmed baking sheet in oven until tender, about 5 minutes. Halve the dough. Dust one half lightly with flour, then flatten it slightly on a large piece of parchment paper with a floured rolling pin. Roll it into a thin round (about 12 inches in diameter) and brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil, leaving a border. Top with half the mozzarella, tearing it into pieces, and scatter half the garlic slices, half the roasted fiddleheads, half the red onion rings, and half the Parmesan over the pizza. Use a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet to slide the pizza, still on the parchment, onto the pizza stone and bake until the crust is deep golden and the cheese is bubbling, about 10 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Make another pizza with remaining ingredients.