8 oz. semolina pizza doughSemolina flour for dusting2 Tablespoons olive oil1 large red bliss or Yukon gold potato, sliced thin, blanched in salted water and cooledKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning1/4 lb. wild mushrooms, cleaned and sautéed1/4 lb. Fontina cheese, grated1 Tablespoon truffle oil1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• Set a pizza stone on the lowest rack in the oven and preheat to 500° F at least 1 hour before cooking the pizza.
• Roll out the dough with your hands and stretch on the back of your knuckles or with a lightly floured rolling pin until about 1/4-inch thickness into a 12- to 14-inch circle. Transfer the dough onto a pizza peel that is lightly dusted with semolina flour.
• Brush the top of the dough with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and top with sliced potatoes starting near the edge of the crust and working toward the center in a circular pattern, barely overlapping potato slices with each other. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the sautéed mushrooms, Fontina cheese and remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
• Slide pizza onto the stone in the oven and cook until golden brown and crispy around the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove pizza, drizzle with truffle oil and garnish with chopped herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Slice into 6 wedges and serve immediately.
Semolina Pizza Dough
For the Sponge 1 package active dry yeast 19 oz. warm water 1 1/2 oz. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing bowl 15 oz. Italian 00 flour* (caputo) 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon honey
• Combine yeast and water (no hotter than 110° F) in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes, to be sure yeast is active. Stir in olive oil, then flour. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight.
• Remove sponge from the refrigerator and transfer it to a stand mixer equipped with dough hook. Mix on a medium setting for about 2 minutes. To remove, scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula or bowl scraper.
For the Dough 15 oz. Italian 00 flour (caputo)* 5 oz. semolina flour 1 oz. salt
• Add the flour, semolina flour and salt to the sponge (Be sure to put salt on top of the flour, you don’t want it to come into direct contact with the yeast). Mix on low until incorporated, then mix 5 minutes longer, or until the dough has come together. It should feel tacky and soft, but not too sticky. Drizzle a bit of olive oil into a medium bowl, add the dough, turning once to grease the top. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let set it in a warm, draft-free place until doubled (about 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 62° F).
• Transfer dough to a work surface and knead several times, then portion dough into 6, 8-oz. balls. At this point, the dough is ready to use. If you are not going to use it right away, cover and refrigerate for up to overnight, or freeze for up to 3 months (thaw in the refrigerator several hours before using).
*“00” Caputo flour is an Italian flour that is made from finely ground wheat and yields a very supple, smooth dough. Find at markethallfoods.com or kingarthurflour.com.
