Fried Pizza Montanara
By Christie MorrisonPublished on June 8, 2015
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Sauce
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepperPizza
2 (1-pound) balls pizza dough, room temperature6 cups vegetable or peanut oil 1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup)8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)¼ cup fresh basil leaves, tornExtra-virgin olive oil for drizzlingBefore You Begin
Room-temperature dough is much easier to shape than cold dough, so pull the dough from the fridge about 1 hour before you plan to start cooking. Shred the mozzarella on the large holes of a box grater.
Instructions
- Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to small saucepan; cover and set over low heat to warm (sauce needn’t be cooked, just warmed).
- Place 2 wire racks in 2 rimmed baking sheets. Cut four 12-inch squares of parchment paper.
- Divide each dough ball into two 8-ounce balls and cover with greased plastic wrap. Press and roll 1 dough ball into 10-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Transfer to floured parchment square, dust top of dough round with flour, and set aside on counter. Press and roll second dough ball into 10-inch circle, transfer to floured parchment square, and stack on top of first dough round. Repeat with remaining 2 dough balls, creating second stack. Lightly cover dough round stacks with clean dish towel.
- Add vegetable oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1 1/4 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Gently lower 1 dough round into oil, keeping it as flat as possible as it enters oil. Fry first side, carefully pressing down with spider or slotted metal spatula to keep submerged, until puffed and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.
- Using tongs, carefully flip dough round and continue to fry until second side is golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to prepared wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough rounds. (You should have 2 fried crusts on each rack; crusts may extend slightly beyond edges of racks.)
- Adjust oven rack 10 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Spread 1/2 cup warm sauce over each crust, leaving 1-inch border. Sprinkle each crust with 2 tablespoons Pecorino, followed by 1/2 cup mozzarella. Broil 1 sheet of pizza until cheese melts and crusts begin to brown in spots, 4 to 6 minutes. Repeat with second sheet. Transfer pizzas to cutting board; sprinkle each with basil and drizzle with olive oil. Slice and serve.
for the sauce
for the pizza
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Sauce
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pizza
2 (1-pound) balls pizza dough, room temperature
6 cups vegetable or peanut oil
1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Sauce
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pizza
2 (1-pound) balls pizza dough, room temperature
6 cups vegetable or peanut oil
1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Sauce
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pizza
2 (1-pound) balls pizza dough, room temperature
6 cups vegetable or peanut oil
1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To make this crispy pizza a breeze to put together, we start with store-bought pizza dough, and roll it into disks. After frying the disks of dough, we top the pizza with a quick, no-cook tomato sauce, shredded fresh mozzarella cheese (not low-moisture block mozzarella), and Pecorino Romano cheese, and we flash it under the boiler. Fresh torn basil leaves and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil finish the pizza perfectly.
Before You Begin
Room-temperature dough is much easier to shape than cold dough, so pull the dough from the fridge about 1 hour before you plan to start cooking. Shred the mozzarella on the large holes of a box grater.
Instructions
- Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to small saucepan; cover and set over low heat to warm (sauce needn’t be cooked, just warmed).
- Place 2 wire racks in 2 rimmed baking sheets. Cut four 12-inch squares of parchment paper.
- Divide each dough ball into two 8-ounce balls and cover with greased plastic wrap. Press and roll 1 dough ball into 10-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Transfer to floured parchment square, dust top of dough round with flour, and set aside on counter. Press and roll second dough ball into 10-inch circle, transfer to floured parchment square, and stack on top of first dough round. Repeat with remaining 2 dough balls, creating second stack. Lightly cover dough round stacks with clean dish towel.
- Add vegetable oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1 1/4 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Gently lower 1 dough round into oil, keeping it as flat as possible as it enters oil. Fry first side, carefully pressing down with spider or slotted metal spatula to keep submerged, until puffed and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.
- Using tongs, carefully flip dough round and continue to fry until second side is golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to prepared wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough rounds. (You should have 2 fried crusts on each rack; crusts may extend slightly beyond edges of racks.)
- Adjust oven rack 10 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Spread 1/2 cup warm sauce over each crust, leaving 1-inch border. Sprinkle each crust with 2 tablespoons Pecorino, followed by 1/2 cup mozzarella. Broil 1 sheet of pizza until cheese melts and crusts begin to brown in spots, 4 to 6 minutes. Repeat with second sheet. Transfer pizzas to cutting board; sprinkle each with basil and drizzle with olive oil. Slice and serve.
for the sauce
for the pizza
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