Wild leek pizza

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Wild leek pizza.jpg

INGREDIENTS

  • ¼ cup butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1⅓ cup milk
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons cornmeal
  • 2 discs of pizza dough
  • 2 bunches wild leeks, roots cut off
  • ⅔ cup buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks
  • 12 basil leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil


METHOD

Preheat oven to 500 F and place pizza stone on the top shelf for 30 minutes to heat.

Melt butter with flour in a pot on medium heat. Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Dust baking sheet without sides or pizza paddle lightly with flour and top with a dough disc.

Layer each pizza with half the sauce, cheese, wild leeks, basil, chili flakes and finishing with a sprinkle of olive oil.

Turn broiler to high 10 minutes before baking the pizza. Slide pie onto stone. Broil for 4 to 6 minutes or until pizza is puffed and brown around the outside. It should look blistered.

Repeat method for the second pizza, while keeping the first warm.

Alternatively bake at 500 F for 6 to 8 minutes or until dough is browned underneath and topping is bubbling.


WINE PAIRINGS

Pizza normally summons a thirst for red wine. But I learned a lesson long ago from the export director of a large Italian pinot grigio producer: Dry Italian white wines pair just as sumptuously. This pizza proves a particularly good match for such whites as pinot grigio, Orvieto, verdicchio or soave. The wines’ zesty acidity and herbal overtones resonate with the delicate wild leeks while cleansing the palate of all that creamy goodness below – a pizza pairing with pizzazz. Crisp, grassy sauvignon blanc is another fine choice. - Beppi Crosariol