Bacon & Clams Pizza
When you combine salty goodness from the land and sea on a pizza you know something good is bound to happen. Bacon and clams could be my favorite pizza topping of all time. This pizza takes its inspiration from the Alsatian tarte flambée also known as flammekueche, which is a pizza covered with crème fraîche, onions and lardons but the added briny flavor of the clams takes it to a whole other level. You won’t want to share this one. Nope. No way!
The bacon was cooked halfway to crispiness in a skillet, the same skillet in which I cooked the clams later on with shallots, garlic, white wine (ahem.. actually I was out of white wine so I used sake), I removed the clams from their shell, reduced the stock and mixed it in with the clams. For the base I whisked crème fraîche with egg yolks and a touch of flour so it’s stays right there on the pizza and doesn’t run away from you while it’s cooking. No food has ever ran away from me. Ever!
My only regret is that I don’t have a 800’F pizza oven in my house that gets you that bubbly and charred pizza crust but this one was every bit as delicious. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
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Bacon and Clams Pizza
- Makes 2 pizza
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For Jim Lahey pizza dough:
- 3 3/4 cups (500 grams) bread flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons (10 grams) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) sugar
- 1 1/3 cup (300 grams) water, room temp’
- XV olive oil
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For the bacon and clams topping:
- 36 littleneck clams, cleaned
- 2 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic clove, sliced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 sprig thyme
- 1 lb bacon, sliced
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 egg yolks
- parsley, chopped
- XV olive oil
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For the pizza dough:
- In a bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon mix until blended, at least 30 seconds. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature until the dough has more than doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
- Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface, divide into two halves and cover with moistened kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- When ready to cook, roll out the dough on a floured surface to the desired size and thickness. Place on a floured pizza peel or the back of a baking tray. Brush olive oil over the whole surface.
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For the pizza:
- Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500’F.
- Make sure to wash the clams well in a lot of cold water.
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon until it renders some of it fat. Place on paper towel and cut into pieces.
- Add the shallots, garlic and thyme to the same skillet over high heat. Add the clams and white wine. Cover with a lid and let the clams steam open for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the opened clams to a tray to cool (discard the ones that won’t open), reduce the liquid for a few minutes. Remove the clams from their shells, discard the shells, mix them in with the cooked shallots and garlic and some of the cooking liquid.
- In a bowl, mix the crème fraîche with the flour and egg yolks.
- Brush olive oil over the whole surface of the pizza and top with the crème fraîche mixture, the clams and bacon pieces.
- Bake until crisp, bubbly and golden. About 10 minutes but timing varies depending on ovens.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
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