Pancetta and Herb Pizza with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Sep 13, 2011
Pamela Steed Hill

Slices of Pancetta and Herb Pizza with Fresh Tomato Sauce - PS Hill

When you make pizza at home, make it special. Fresh tomato sauce, a fresh crust and a few simple toppings turn a casual pie into a memorable dinner.

Real homemade pizza is worth the time it takes to make two of the pie’s most important ingredients: the crust and the sauce. The recipes for this pizza’s crust and sauce are very basic and use few ingredients, but the fresh, sweet tomato taste and chewy, crunchy crust are the highlight of the dish.

With the addition of a little pancetta, creamy provolone and fresh herbs, this pizza is simple to prepare and deliciously inviting.

Pancetta and Herb Pizza with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Makes 1 medium 12-by-11-inch pizza

Ingredients:

For the Dough

1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons honey
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for dough and for dusting work surface
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

For the Pizza

Cornmeal, for dusting
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 ounces pancetta, chopped
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 cup Fresh Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as a mixture of basil, oregano, rosemary and Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 1/12 cups grated provolone cheese

Directions:

For the Dough

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in warm water and let stand until the yeast begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
Stir 2 cups of flour and salt into the yeast mixture, combining to form a wet, sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 6 minutes. (Sprinkle with more flour if the dough is too sticky to work with easily.)
Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a large floured bowl. Drape the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place about 45 minutes, or until double in size.

For the Pizza

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Heat a pizza stone in the oven for 15 minutes. Dust a pizza peel with a generous coating of cornmeal.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chopped pancetta and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until it is barely cooked through but not crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Push the risen dough down to release the air inside and turn it out onto a floured work surface. Roll out the dough to about a 12-by-11-inch rectangle, or the size and shape your pizza peel and stone will accommodate.
Lift the dough onto the peel and crimp the edges. Gently shake the peel back and forth a few times to make sure the dough slides on the cornmeal beneath it. Spread the tomato sauce on the dough and scatter the fresh herbs on top of the sauce. Scatter the cheese on top of the sauce and top with cooked pancetta.
Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake until the crust is crispy and the top is bubbling, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer pizza to a cutting board, slice and serve.