NEW HAVEN-STYLE CLAM PIZZA

New Haven-Style Clam Pizza image

Categories Cheese Shellfish Bake Cocktail Party Super Bowl Parmesan Clam Gourmet

Yield Serves 2 as an entrèe or 4 as an hors d'oeuvre

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
a 1/4-ounce package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
cornmeal for sprinkling baker's peel
12 littleneck clams, schucked, reserving liquor
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese

Steps:

1. In a small bowl dissolve sugar in 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl stir together 2 cups flour, remaining 3/4 cup water, salt, and yeast mixture.
3. Transfer dough to a floured surface and clean and oil large bowl.
4. Knead dough vigorously, incorporating as much of remaining 3/4 cup flour as necessary to create a silky dough, a full 15 minutes.
5. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, turning to coat slightly with oil, and cover bowl with 2 tight layers of plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place 2 to 3 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
6. While dough is rising, in a small bowl combine garlic and oil and chill, covered.
7. Punch down dough and flatten on a lightly floured surface. Pounding with heel of hand and lifting, stretch dough carefully and work into a round about 15 inches in diameter (or into 2 smaller rounds).
8. Put pizza stone on bottom shelf of oven and preheat oven to 500°F.
9. Sprinkle baker's peel with cornmeal and slide dough onto it. Cover dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest, covered with the kitchen towel, about 15 minutes. While dough is resting, let garlic oil come to room temperature.
10. Brush dough evenly with garlic oil, leaving a 1/2-inch border untouched. Arrange clams with a dash of reserved liquor over garlic oil and sprinkle with oregano and Romano.
11. Shake and slide pizza off baker's peel onto pizza stone in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 450°F. and bake pizza 15 minutes, or until crust is medium brown.
12. Serve pizza immediately with plenty of napkins. Serves 2 as an entrée or 4 as an hors d'oeuvre.