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Pizza Bianca Romana with Olive Oil and Flaky Sea Salt hero shot

Pizza Bianca Romana with Olive Oil and Flaky Sea Salt

A wet, olive oil dough with a 12-hour cold ferment, stretched thin and baked hot until blistered, then finished with flaky salt.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 15 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: bread
Cuisine: Italian (Roman)
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dough
  • 500 g bread flour
  • 375 g water, room temperature
  • 2 g instant yeast
  • 10 g fine sea salt
  • 20 g extra virgin olive oil
Topping
  • 40 g extra virgin olive oil for the emulsion and finishing
  • 15 g water whisked with the oil to make an emulsion
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt or to taste
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves optional

Method
 

Mix and Ferment the Dough
  1. Whisk the flour and yeast in a large bowl, add the water, and stir with a spoon until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
  2. Add the salt and olive oil, then knead by hand or mixer for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy. The dough should stretch thin without tearing when pulled.
  3. Cover the bowl and let rise at room temperature 1 hour, then transfer to the fridge and ferment 12 hours.
Shape and Second Rise
  1. Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature 1 hour to take the chill off.
  2. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, divide into 2 pieces, and shape into loose rounds without deflating it too much. Cover and rest 30 to 45 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 250C/480F with a pizza stone or steel on the middle rack for at least 45 minutes.
Stretch, Top, and Bake
  1. Stretch each piece by hand into an oval about 30 x 20 cm and transfer to a floured peel or a sheet of parchment.
  2. Whisk the topping olive oil with the water to make an emulsion. Dimple the dough deeply with your fingertips, then pour the emulsion over the top so it pools in the dimples.
  3. Scatter with flaky salt and rosemary, if using.
  4. Slide onto the hot stone and bake 8 to 10 minutes, until deep golden with dark blistered spots.
  5. Cool 5 minutes on a rack before slicing, so the crust doesn't turn soggy.

Notes

  • Autolyse the flour and water 20 minutes before adding salt for easier kneading.
  • Cold ferment 12 hours minimum for real flavor and an open crumb.
  • Preheat the stone or steel a full 45 minutes, a cold stone gives a pale, soggy bottom.
  • Don't skimp on the topping oil, it's what keeps the crust from drying out.