In the rest of Italy, they eat a sandwich for lunch; in Rome, they serve white pizza filled with mortadella or with prosciutto and figs. I often buy it as a cheerful accompaniment to lunch or dinner, and other times I make it myself on Sunday.
Last year, my cousin went to Lebanon and brought me a wonderful spice mix called zaatar as a gift. It’s made from oregano, marjoram, thyme, sumac, and sesame. In Lebanon, this spice is believed to strengthen the mind and spirit, and I have no doubt about it, since it’s incredibly delicious.
I thought of adding it to the dough for pizza, and it turned out amazing!
It pairs perfectly with any dip, from cream cheese to hummus.
Pizza with zaatar
- Preparation time: 20 minutes+ resting + leavening
- For a 22 cm round pan
- Difficulty: Difficult recipe
- Ingredients
- 150 grams of bread flour
- 70 grams of re-milled semolina
- 200 grams of cold water
- 20 grams of extra virgin olive oil
- 6 grams of salt
- 5 grams of fresh yeast
- For the filling:
- 20 grams of za’atar
- 40 grams of extra virgin olive oil
- 50 grams of water
- 30 grams of warm water
- Instructions
- Pour 70% of the water and all the flour into a stand mixer. Let it autolyze for at least thirty minutes. After this time, add the yeast and the remaining water, a little at a time, continuing to knead until all the water is absorbed. Add the salt and oil at the end. Mix the dough in a stand mixer at medium speed for at least fifteen to twenty minutes.
- Fold the dough and round it. Place it in a well-oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for about twenty to thirty minutes, depending on the room temperature, then let it rest in the refrigerator for about twelve to eighteen hours.
- Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator at least four to six hours before baking.
- Place the zaatar and oil in a small bowl and mix with a teaspoon.
- Let the dough return to room temperature; this takes about one to two hours in spring or fall and at least three in winter. Roll out the dough and drizzle with a little zaatar oil, fold it over and drizzle with more zaatar oil, fold it over again, and finally place it on the well-covered oiled baking sheet. Let it rest in a warm place, around 26°-28°C (79°-82°F), until doubled in size.
- Spread the dough onto the baking sheet. Let it rise for about twenty minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
- In the bowl with the oil and remaining zaatar, add 30 grams of hot water and mix well with a teaspoon. Once it forms an emulsion, pour it over the pizza.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes on the lowest rack. Move the pan to the middle rack and bake for another 3 minutes.
Tips to ensure a successful dish:
- The dough should not exceed 24°C (75°F), so in summer, it’s best to refrigerate both the bowl and the water with the flour. The rising and resting times should also be reduced.
- The pan can be a traditional iron or Teflon pan, or a simple aluminum one.
- Baking times are approximate because every oven is different.
