Monday, June 9, 2014

New York White Pizza Recipe

I discovered white pizza on a random day in New York City.  We put in our names to eat at Serendipity, but given the hour-long wait, we decided to get some lunch across the street at Patsy's Pizzeria before our dessert.  My sister, Britney, and I both love cheese and decided to order something we'd never heard of, but appealed to us due to it's "all cheese, no sauce" nature - white pizza.

That day, dear friends, was the day I fell in love.  Every single trip we have taken to New York since has involved at least one trip to Patsy's for white pizza.  

I have been to over a half dozen pizzerias in Salt Lake City and none of them come close to replicating my Patsy's, not even the one that so kindly tried to replicate a recipe from online for us.  Naturally, I had to create my own.  Unfortunately, I have no coal oven and don't want the fuss of making hand-tossed dough, so regular ole store-bought dough will have to do.

I served this super easy recipe at my 2014 Tony Awards party to rave reviews - one guest even told me that my white pizza deserved a Tony.  

Ingredients
  • 1 thin-crust pizza dough (use the in-a-can kind at your grocery store or buy at local pizzeria)
  • Pre-minced garlic (dollar a jar, so worth not having to mince your own and lasts forever)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, little more if needed
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Oregano to taste (1 tsp - 1 tbsp)
  • hand-shredded into tiny pieces of fresh basil to your liking - 1-2 tablespoons or 2 sprigs of leaves should be enough
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 3/4 - 1 cup ricotta
  • 3/4 - 1 cup parmigiano-reggiano 
  • Several Slices of fresh mozzarella or about 12 balls of fresh mozzarella - your choice - heck add a ton of cheese if you want, it's your pizza!  Just make sure there is some fresh mozz in every bite.

Directions
  • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
  • Evenly spread olive oil over cookie sheet
  • Spread dough onto cookie sheet
  • Lightly dab minced garlic all over dough, be careful to not over-do it but also get it evenly distributed
  • Place dough in the oven for 5 minutes
  • Spread shredded mozz on dough over entire crust, leave no edges (continue covering entire crust when adding toppings)
  • Sprinkle salt and pepper over mozz & dough to your liking
  • Sprinkle oregano evenly
  • Dollop teaspoon sized mounds of ricotta all over dough, making sure to leave them in their dollop-mounds 
  • Sprinkle parmigiano-reggiano evenly 
  • Spread fresh mozz (slices or balls, whatever you chose) over entire pizza
  • Sprinkle hand-shredded tiny pieces of basil evenly
  • Bake for 10 minutes at 400
  • Cool at least five minutes on the sheet before eating, but if you want to burn your tongue, go for it sooner

I didn't take a picture, but I will post one next time I make this, which shouldn't be too long:-)  

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