"This pie uses every cheese we have at the shop, so it's great for people who love cheese and also great for anyone who doesn't want tomato sauce. Given how rich it is with all the different cheeses, it's important to have plenty of freshly cracked black pepper, shaved garlic, and a bright, peppery olive oil as a finishing touch for contrast."
- Scarr Pimentel
White pizza is a perfect marriage of my favorite cheeses: mozzarella, ricotta, and pecorino, baked on NY's finest pizza dough. With the olive oil and slices of garlic on top, you'll forget all about a pizza with a sauce. This white pie is satisfying! Eat accordingly.
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The Scarr's Pizza Cookbook
This white pizza recipe comes from The Scarr's Pizza Cookbook: New York-Style Pizza for Everybody by Scarr Pimentel.
A white pie is supposed to look white, so the trick is the order you add the cheeses and other ingredients, which affects the look as well as the taste and texture. Start with shredded cheese blend as the base; otherwise, this cheese can look too yellow when it melts.
Also, the blend combined with the fresh mozz gives you a nice, stretchy cheese pull with each bite. With all the other pies, I suggest adding the ricotta after the pizza comes out of the oven, but for this one, you want to cook the pizza with the ricotta, so it bakes and mixes into the other cheeses.
The shaved garlic on top also turns into an almost-translucent, melt-in-your-mouth garlic confit instead of crisping up, thanks to the fat and moisture from the cheese.
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How to Make White Pizza
Ingredients
- dough - the best white pie requires New York-style crust. Make it homemade or take your chances with store-bought
- oil - choose an olive oil you like to finish with
- cheese - low-moisture whole milk mozzarella, low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, ricotta and pecorino cheeses are recommended. You can use parmesan instead of pecorino if you prefer
- oregano - use what you have on hand or experiment with something fun
- pepper - freshly ground black pepper tastes best
- garlic
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Giadzy
Italian superfoods, recipes, gift boxes, & more by Giada De Laurentiis
Equipment
- prep bowls
- butcher block
- box grater
- pizza pan, steel, stone, or tawa
- chef knife
- spoon
- molcajete (optional)
- piping bag (optional)
- garlic slicer (optional)
Grate the Cheeses
Wash your hands with soap and water. Preheat the oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a box grater to grate the mozzarella cheeses. Combine them in a bowl for a 50:50 blend.
Open Up & Stretch the Dough
Halfway through your pizza dough coming to room temperature, remove the plastic wrap and push down on the dough to release any gas that may have built up.
When it's done proofing, transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Keep the smoother top side facing up. Push down repeatedly all over, forcing out any air bubbles.
Press your palms down on the middle of the dough, rotate the dough 90 degrees, and repeat. Let gravity help you stretch the dough by picking it up and letting it hang down and touch the work surface.
Rotate the dough, using one hand to feed it into the other. Scarr compares it to turning a steering wheel. Do this a few times. Work until the dough is 12 inches in diameter.
If you create a hole, gather the dough on either side and pinch it closed. Lightly flour your pizza pan or tawa and transfer the dough to it.
Cover With the Cheese Blend
Cover evenly with the mozzarella cheese blend. Leave one inch around the dough uncovered for the crust. Layer the fresh mozzarella on top.
Add Dollops of Ricotta
Dot the white pie with ricotta in dollops, about 1 inch apart. Scarr suggests using a piping bag if you desire a more even distribution.
Sprinkle Oregano on the White Pizza
Sprinkle oregano evenly over the cheese.
Add Black Pepper
Add freshly ground black pepper to your liking.
Drizzle Oil, Sprinkle Pec
Drizzle the oil over the pie. Sprinkle the pecorino on top.
Top with Garlic
Slice the garlic with a knife and top off your pizza. You can also use a garlic slicer to shave it over the top.
Bake the White Pie
Place the pizza in the oven on the center rack. Place the other rack in the top position. Bake the pizza for 8 to 9 minutes total. After 2 minutes in the oven, check the bottom of the pizza to ensure it's cooking evenly and rotate a quarter or half turn every minute or so thereafter.
After 6 minutes, move the pizza to the top rack. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes as is or switch it to broil.
Finish & Grab a Slice
Turn off the oven when finished and remove the pizza. Slide it onto a cutting board. Top with more pecorino and drizzle with oil, as desired, but it should be good to go as is. Let the white pie cool for 2 minutes. Slice it up and serve.
Check out the best way to reheat that leftover slice!
free recipe!
White Pizza
A perfect marriage of cheeses: mozzarella, ricotta, and pecorino, baked on NY's finest dough. You'll forget all about a pizza with a sauce.
Grab your free printable recipe cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.
The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for North America.
Montessori Continent Boxes
Explore every continent with these solid maple hardwood boxes.
White Pizza from The Scarr's Pizza Cookbook
Equipment
- Box Grater
- Tawa or pizza pan, steel, or stone
- Spoon
- Molcajete y Tejolote optional
- Piping Bag optional
- Garlic Slicer optional
Ingredients
- 1 dough ball
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Giadzy olive oil plus more for oiling the pan and finishing
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese blend
- 3 ½ oz fresh mozzarella slices ⅛ to ¼ inch thick, then torn if desired
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
- fresh black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoon pecorino or parmesan, grated, plus more to finish, optional
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic
Instructions
- Grate the Cheeses: Wash your hands with soap and water. Preheat the oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a box grater to grate the mozzarella cheeses. Combine them in a bowl for a 50:50 blend.
- Open Up & Stretch the Dough: Halfway through your pizza dough coming to room temperature, remove the plastic wrap and push down on the dough to release any gas that may have built up. When it's done proofing, transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Keep the smoother top side facing up. Push down repeatedly all over, forcing out any air bubbles. Press your palms down on the middle of the dough, rotate the dough 90 degrees, and repeat. Let gravity help you stretch the dough by picking it up and letting it hang down and touch the work surface. Rotate the dough, using one hand to feed it into the other. Scarr compares it to turning a steering wheel. Do this a few times. Work until the dough is 12 inches in diameter. If you create a hole, gather the dough on either side and pinch it closed. Lightly flour your pizza pan or tawa and transfer the dough to it.
- Cover With the Cheese Blend: Cover evenly with the mozzarella cheese blend. Leave one inch around the dough uncovered for the crust. Layer the fresh mozzarella on top.
- Add Dollops of Ricotta: Dot the white pie with ricotta in dollops, about 1 inch apart. Scarr suggests using a piping bag if you desire a more even distribution.
- Sprinkle Oregano on the White Pizza: Sprinkle oregano evenly over the cheese.
- Add freshly ground black pepper to your liking.
- Drizzle the oil over the pie. Sprinkle the pecorino on top.
- Top with Garlic: Slice the garlic with a knife and top off your pizza. You can also use a garlic slicer to shave it over the top.
- Bake the White Pie: Place the pizza in the oven on the center rack. Place the other rack in the top position. Bake the pizza for 8 to 9 minutes total. After 2 minutes in the oven, check the bottom of the pizza to ensure it's cooking evenly and rotate a quarter or half turn every minute or so thereafter. After 6 minutes, move the pizza to the top rack. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes as is or switch it to broil.
- Finish & Grab a Slice: Turn off the oven when finished and remove the pizza. Slide it onto a cutting board. Top with more pecorino and drizzle with oil, as desired, but it should be good to go as is. Let the white pie cool for 2 minutes. Slice it up and serve. Check out the best way to reheat that leftover slice!
Notes
- Pizza is best eaten fresh. To store, let cool, wrap tightly in plastic, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Don't put pizza in the fridge. It keeps best when frozen fresh
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
- Full Lesson Info and Pictures at: https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/white-pizza
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
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