Wood Fired Pizza

House Cured Salametti – Preserved Heirloom Tomato - Arugula

Serves 4

This is one of my favorite things to cook with the kids, honestly and adults!  I usually use our wood fired oven, though a home oven with a pizza stone works amazing also!  The key is to use the Best ingredients possible, drink copious amounts of Valette Pinot and of course, have fun cooking Pizza!

-Chef Dustin Valette

CHEF’S NOTES

INGREDIENTS

2ea, 8oz Fresh Pizza Dough Balls

2 each Heirloom Tomatoes, cored and diced medium

½ each Shallot, peeled and diced small

8 ounces Salametti or Soppressata, sliced thin

½ cup Wild Baby Arugula

2 cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese

½ cup Finely Grated Parmesan Reggiano Cheese

1 ounce Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 bottle Valette Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir*

Kosher Salt

Fresh Pepper

Flour, all purpose

PREPARATION

-Sauce-

The key here is simplicity.  In a small sauce pan over medium heat add the olive oil, diced shallot and a bit of salt and pepper.  Once the shallots are half cooked, add the diced tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat, adjust seasonings and cool.

*I make this during the peak summer months when tomatoes are in peak flavor, freeze the sauce and enjoy all winter.

-Pizza-

Pre-heat your wood fired oven to 550 degrees or a home oven with a pizza stone to 475.  Once the oven is hot, start with the pizza dough.  Place a bit of flour on a cutting board and work the dough into a round shape about 12”.  You can cheat and use a rolling pin..  

Place the dough on a pizza peel and spread a bit of the crushed tomatoes across the dough.  Top with the shredded Mozzarella and parmesan cheese then place the slices of the salametti or soppressata evenly across the top.

Bake until golden brown, around 10 minutes (pending your oven temperature).  

Remove, allow to cool a bit then add the wild arugula.

*Note, the wine isn’t used for cooking, though it’s an essential part of the cooking process.

Saluti!