La Lama Mountain Ovens
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Family Secrets

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The best of the recipes, techniques, and methods practiced by our large extended Italian-American family - with emphasis on the legacy handed down to us by the original immigrants.

This is a cookbook-in-process project. If you try any of these recipes please let us know how they turn out, whether or not you had any difficulties, and any clarifying improvements you might recommend to make them foolproof. We will of course acknowledge genuine "test-kitchen" assistance.

Family Secrets #5

White Pizza

By Ray Zara, La Lama Mountain Ovens

Later in life, I remember passing some Sunday afternoons at the local Sons of Italy Lodge, and large trays stacked high with white pizza cut in squares were passed up and down the bar. I’m quite sure this salty treat increased beer sales dramatically, as it was designed to do. The fact that Uncle Andy was also Venerable of the local SOI accounts for the "white pizza connection."

When Mom and Aunt Mary were baking their white pizzas no one in the family at that time gave much thought to protein levels of flour, so both pizza and bread were baked from the very same simple recipe that really was quite adequate for those times.

When our family wanted a loaf of European style bread, it was a short block and a half walk to the European Baking Company. There you could buy a great loaf of Vienna bread, wonderful hard rolls and the best lady fingers on the planet. This bakery was so handy that mom only occasionally baked bread at home. Not only was her bread a real treat for us, but the pizzas that were baked on the same day, especially the white pizza, will remain fond memories forever.

Dante (Andy) Biordi
(1904-1969)
Picture: 1938

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Uncle Andy's White Pizza

Total Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 6 cups all purpose flour
• 1 pkg. instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup melted and cooled Crisco
• Shaker of salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Step One: Mixing and Kneading

Place first six ingredients in the mixer bowl, mix with dough hook attachment at low speed until the dough begins to form. Increase speed and mix for 5 minutes. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead till dough is smooth and supple, dusting with flour if necessary.

Step Two: Proofing and Retarding

Divide dough into three 16 ounce dough balls. Place 2 of them in well oiled bowls and cover tightly with plastic wrap and put into refrigerator for use at a later time. It will keep for three days under refrigeration, or you can double wrap with plastic wrap and freeze. Take the remaining dough ball and put in well oiled bowl and cover with clean kitchen towel until the dough is proofed, about 2 hours.

Step Three: Pan and Bake

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove proofed dough ball and place on floured board. Using the flat of your hand press down on the center of the dough in a circular motion, creating a flat circle with a ridge around it. Using both hands in a circular motion stretch dough to 14" in diameter, and with your thumb and forefinger form the crust on the outside of the circle. Lightly spray a 14" pizza pan with vegetable spray and place dough on pan. Using the tines of a fork "dock" the whole bottom of the pizza, pricking the dough so it doesn't blow up like a balloon. Drizzle approximately 1/4 cup olive oil on the bottom of the pizza and using a pastry brush spread evenly and brush the crust. Using your first three fingers dimple the bottom of the pizza. Be generous with the olive oil , if you have a few puddles on the bottom, so much the better. Shake a generous amount of salt over the pizza and sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper. Place in the pre-heated oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Check after 1 minute for air bubbles, if any appear pierce immediately with the tip of a sharp knife.

Step Four: Cut into 8 slices, open a bottle of your favorite beer and enjoy!!

At one of the restaurants that I owned we offered a modern variation of white pizza that you might like to try. It is very straightforward to do and it makes a very interesting pizza.

White Pizza Deluxe

To make the dough, substitute high gluten flour for the all purpose flour. Use olive oil instead of the Crisco, and everything else remains the same. The main difference is in the topping, which is as follows:

In a small bowl place 1 teaspoon each of dried parsley, dried oregano and dried basil. Add 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese. Add olive oil to make a thin batter. Spread mixture generously over bottom of the formed pizza and brush the crust with olive oil.

Slice a good sized fresh tomato into 8 slices and place in what will be the center of each slice, put a heaping teaspoon of ricotta cheese between the tomato slice and the crust. Sprinkle very lightly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake the same way as the above recipe. When the pizza has about 1 minute left place 1 anchovy filet across each slice of tomato.

Altitude Adjustment: At 8000 feet the only adjustment necessary for both of these recipes is to reduce the proofing time by 1/2 hour. Altitude adjustment should begin at 2,500 feet at one-third the amount shown here, two-thirds at 5,000 feet, and the full amount at 7,500 feet. Scale similarly every additional 2,500 feet.