Pizza Noci e Zucchini (Walnut Pesto and Zucchini Pizza)

Name: Pizza Noci e Zucchini (Walnut Pesto and Zucchini Pizza)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: makes Four 10" Pizzas
Ingredients: 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups walnut halves; 3 tbsp. grated Parmesan; 1 cup olive oil, plus more; 1 ⁄ 3 cup heavy cream; Kosher salt, to taste; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes; 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced; 1 recipe Naples-style pizza dough; Fine semolina, for dusting; 1 lb. smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced; 16 fresh basil leaves; 16 squash blossoms (optional)

Serves
makes Four 10" Pizzas

TODD COLEMAN

Creamy walnut sauce is paired with golden pan-fried zucchini and smoked mozzarella on this Neapolitan pizza. This recipe first appeared in our May 2013 issue with Keith Pandolfi's article The Gold of Naples.

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ cups walnut halves
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan
1 cup olive oil, plus more
¹⁄₃ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt, to taste
¹⁄₂ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 recipe Naples-style pizza dough
Fine semolina, for dusting
1 lb. smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced
16 fresh basil leaves
16 squash blossoms (optional)

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Instructions

Step 1

Puree walnuts, Parmesan, 1⁄3 cup oil, cream, and salt in a food processor until smooth. Heat remaining oil, plus chile flakes in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and salt; cook until golden, 8-10 minutes.

Step 2

Place a pizza stone under the broiler; heat for 30 minutes. Working in 4 batches, dust 1 ball dough with semolina. Using your fingertips, press dough into a 10" circle about 1⁄4" thick, leaving a 1" crust around the edges. Hold dough straight up, and with fingertips circling crust, slide fingers around crust in a circular motion as you would turn a steering wheel until dough in the center is stretched to about 1⁄8" thick; transfer to a semolina-dusted pizza peel. Spread 1⁄2 cup walnut sauce over dough and distribute a quarter each of the zucchini, cheese, basil leaves, and squash blossoms, if using; drizzle with oil. Slide pizza onto stone; bake until cheese melts and crust is puffed and charred in spots, 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

Puree walnuts, Parmesan, 1⁄3 cup oil, cream, and salt in a food processor until smooth. Heat remaining oil, plus chile flakes in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and salt; cook until golden, 8-10 minutes.
Place a pizza stone under the broiler; heat for 30 minutes. Working in 4 batches, dust 1 ball dough with semolina. Using your fingertips, press dough into a 10" circle about 1⁄4" thick, leaving a 1" crust around the edges. Hold dough straight up, and with fingertips circling crust, slide fingers around crust in a circular motion as you would turn a steering wheel until dough in the center is stretched to about 1⁄8" thick; transfer to a semolina-dusted pizza peel. Spread 1⁄2 cup walnut sauce over dough and distribute a quarter each of the zucchini, cheese, basil leaves, and squash blossoms, if using; drizzle with oil. Slide pizza onto stone; bake until cheese melts and crust is puffed and charred in spots, 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.