Nduja Bolognese Pizza

Nduja Bolognese Pizza

What to know?

Temperature Base Temperature Needle
  • Temperature Base 420 degrees
  • Medium
  • Pizza
  • 6
  • 3 hours (plus dough making time)

When you can’t decide whether you want pasta or pizza, Luis Perez (@pizzawithperez) has your back with this insanely tasty Nduja Bolognese Pizza. Prepare your dough and your bolognese in advance and get ready to fire up some spice in your Gozney oven weapon of choice - this one’s best enjoyed whilst piping hot!

Nduja Bolognese Pizza

[start]

1. To prepare the Bolognese (about a 3 hour cook time);

- Using a box grater, grate all the vegetables (use the side meant for hard cheeses or the shred side). Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the skillet on medium-high heat and begin browning the minced beef and Nduja. When the meat has browned, mix in the grated vegetables and basil until they become fragrant and translucent, then mix in the tomato sauce and cook until it's reduced.

- Once the tomato sauce has reduced, deglaze the pan with red wine. When the red wine has been cooked down to half, reduce the skillet to a low simmer. Once it’s simmering, begin adding about 125ml of beef broth at a time and simmer until the broth has evaporated. Repeat this step every 20-30 minutes until all broth has been added.

- Once all of the broth has been added and it’s achieved a thick sauce-like consistency, stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano to create a creamy consistency.

2. Making the dough;

- Add flour then yeast into a mixer bowl and mix on low for 2 minutes.

- Gradually add 80% of total water volume, continue to mix on low until it begins to combine. Once a mass is formed (after about 4-5 minutes of mixing) increase the mixer speed to 50% and begin to slowly incorporate 5% of remaining water to collect any unmixed flour in the bowl.

- Once the 5% of water collects all unmixed flour, increase the speed to 100%, add the salt and mix until it's incorporated with the mass.

- When the salt is no longer visible, increase the speed and gradually add in the final 15% of water. Stop the mixer when the water has absorbed and the dough is smooth

- Allow the dough to rest 5 minutes before removing from the mixer. When you remove from the mixer you can either divide into desired portions (275g/9.7 oz) and ferment for 24-48 hours or you can leave as one large mass and cold bulk ferment for 24 hours, then divide into portions and continue to refrigerate for another 12-24 hours (bulk fermentation is recommended for best results). Luis likes to do a 36 hour total cold ferment (24 hours bulk and then 12 hours balled).

3. Making the Bolognese pizza;

- Pull your dough out and allow it to proof at room temperature anywhere from 2-4 total hours before cooking. Proof temperatures will vary depending on the ambient temperature of the room it's proofing at. Luis recommends proofing dough at about 23°C (around 70°F).

- Once the dough has completed its proof and the Roccbox oven's floor temperature has reached 425 - 455 °C (800-850°F), open the dough into a 10-12 inch round and top with Bolognese only.

- Bake the pizza using a high flame setting whilst making sure to rotate the pizza 90 degrees every 20 seconds or so. The pizza should be done in about 90 seconds or less.

- Allow the pizza to rest about a half minute then cut into 4-6 slices and top each slice with pieces of Fior di latte, and garnish with shallot, basil and Pecorino Romano.

- Best enjoyed while it’s piping hot!

[end]