Il Cucinologo
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Potato and Speck Pizza

17/11/2023

Potato and speck pizza is a delicious variant of traditional pizza. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

  • Pizza dough (500 g flour, 300 ml water, 25 g fresh brewer’s yeast, 10 g salt, a pinch of sugar, 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil)
  • 2-3 medium potatoes
  • 150 g thinly sliced speck
  • 200 g pizza mozzarella (or fior di latte)
  • Fresh rosemary to taste
  • Coarse salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Extra-virgin olive oil to taste.

Preparation

  1. Prepare the dough: dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar and let it rest for a few minutes. In a large bowl, add the flour and make a well in the center; pour in the water-yeast mixture, then add the oil and salt. Knead until you obtain a smooth, elastic dough, then cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in volume.

  2. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, preferably using a mandoline. Place the potato slices in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes to remove excess starch.

  3. Pat the potato slices dry and season them with oil, salt, and pepper. Add the chopped rosemary.

  4. Roll out the dough in an oiled baking tray, create a slightly raised edge, and evenly distribute the potato slices over the dough.

  5. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 °C for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes start to turn golden.

  6. Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the speck slices and the mozzarella cut into cubes or slices.

  7. Return the pizza to the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted properly and the speck has become slightly crispy.

  8. Remove from the oven, let it cool slightly, then serve.

Trivia

Speck is a cured meat typical of northern Italy, specifically South Tyrol. Its smoking process gives it a distinctive flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the potatoes and the aroma of rosemary.

What to pair with this pizza? A glass of lightly sparkling white wine, such as a Prosecco, would be perfect to contrast the bold flavor of the speck and the richness of the potatoes. Enjoy!