Anyone (Yes, Anyone) Can Make This Low Effort, High Reward White Pizza

White Pizza with Arugula, Pistachios, and Honey

Upon seeing pistachios, hazelnuts, and walnuts used as pizza toppings in a few of my favorite pizza cookbooks, I had to give them a try, starting with pistachios, my favorite of all and one I always have on hand for snacking. Inspired by a recipe in Emily: The Cookbook, which pairs the pistachios with honey and truffled cheese, I made a white pizza topped with whipped heavy cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Brie cheese, and out of the oven I drizzled it, as in the Emily pizza, with honey and chopped pistachios. To balance the sweetness of the honey, I added a handful of fresh arugula, drizzled it with olive oil, and sprinkled it with flaky sea salt. Upon tasting this cheese plate meets salad meets pizza, all I could think was Where have you been all my life?

Makes one 12-inch pizza

1 ball Neapolitanish Pizza Dough

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Semolina flour, rice flour, or all-purpose flour, for the peel

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Flaky sea salt

3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3 ounces Brie or Camembert cheese, pulled into ½-inch pieces (about ¾ cup)

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pistachios

Handful of arugula (about 1½ cups)

1. Prepare the dough: Transfer the dough from its storage container to a roomier, lightly floured, covered container and allow it to proof at room temperature for 1½ to 2 hours.

2. Prepare the oven and pizza peel: About 1 hour before you want to bake the pizza, place a baking steel in the top third of the oven and preheat it to 550ºF convection roast (or as high as it will go). Dust a pizza peel lightly with semolina flour or top with parchment paper.

3. Stretch the dough: Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Using lightly floured hands, pat the dough gently to flatten it, then stretch it into a 10-to 11-inch round by laying it on the back of your hands and gently rotating it, taking care not to depress the beautiful air pockets in the dough. If the dough begins resisting, set it down on the work surface to rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then continue stretching. Transfer the stretched dough to the prepared peel and give it a shake to ensure it’s not sticking.

4. Assemble the pizza: In a small bowl, beat the heavy cream with a fork or small flat bottomed whisk until it thickens and forms soft peaks. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Spread the whipped cream over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle the Parmigiano and Brie over the top. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Stretch the dough one last time by pulling outward on the edges. Redistribute the toppings as needed, then give the peel one last shake to ensure the dough is not sticking.

5. Bake the pizza: Shimmy the pizza (still on the parchment if using) onto the steel and bake until the cheese is melted and the edges are beginning to char, 4 to 6 minutes, keeping a close watch—this pizza browns more quickly than others. (This may take 8 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven.)

6. Using the peel, transfer the pizza to a cutting board (discard the parchment paper). Drizzle the honey evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle the pistachios over top, followed by the arugula. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season with one more pinch of flaky salt. Cut and serve, with more honey on the side.

Neapolitanish Pizza Dough

If you live in a humid environment or are new to pizza making, start with 425 grams of water. The dough may feel dry immediately after mixing, but as the dough rises, the flour will continue to hydrate, and when you turn out the dough to portion it, it will feel much wetter and stickier. If you are an experienced pizza maker and don’t mind working with a higher hydration dough, you can use 450 grams of water to start.

Timeline: 1½ to 3 days

Makes four 245-to 250-gram balls

550 grams (about 4¼ cups) bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

15 grams salt

2 grams (about ½ teaspoon) instant yeast

425 to 450 grams (1¾ to 2 cups) cold (about 60°F) water

Extra-virgin olive oil

1. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and use a spatula to mix until the dough comes together, forming a sticky dough ball. If the dough is dry, use your hands to gently knead it in the bowl until it comes together. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

2. Stretch and fold: Fill a small bowl with water. Dip one hand into the bowl of water, then use the dry hand to stabilize the bowl while you grab an edge of the dough with your wet hand, pull up, and fold it toward the center. Repeat this stretching and folding motion 8 to 10 times, turning the bowl 90 degrees after each set. By the end, the dough should transform from shaggy in texture to smooth and cohesive. Pour about 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the dough and use your hands to rub it all over. Cover the bowl tightly and let the dough rise at room temperature until it has nearly doubled in volume, 6 to 10 hours. The time will vary depending on the time of year and the temperature of your kitchen.

3. Portion the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 4 equal portions, roughly 245 to 250 grams each. Using flour as needed, form each portion into a ball by grabbing the edges of the dough and pulling them toward the center to create a rough ball. Then flip the ball over, cup both your hands around the dough, and drag it toward you, creating tension as you pull. Repeat this cupping and dragging until you have a tight ball.

4. Store the dough: Place the dough balls in individual airtight containers and transfer to the fridge for 1 to 3 days.

“Pizza Night” by Alexandra Stafford

Buy it

“Pizza Night” Copyright © 2024 by Alexandra Stafford. Photographs copyright © 2024 by Eva Kolenko. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing.