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Pizza Sardenara

Pizza Sardenara

Pizza Sardenara is a traditional pizza from Liguria, Italy, featuring a thin focaccia-like crust topped with tomatoes, anchovies, olives, and fragrant herbs. It's a rustic, coastal dish that offers a taste of Mediterranean flavors in every bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rising Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 Serving
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Ligurian
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose or Italian flour
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 packet 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 can 14 oz San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
  • 6-8 anchovy fillets rinsed
  • ½ cup Taggiasca or Kalamata olives pitted
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced (optional)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Fresh basil optional, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Dough
  2. In a bowl, mix the yeast with warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour, olive oil, and salt, then knead the dough until smooth. Cover and let it rise for 1 hour until it doubles in size.
  3. Make the Sauce and Prepare Toppings
  4. While the dough rises, crush the tomatoes, add a pinch of salt, and mix with oregano. Thinly slice the onion and rinse the anchovy fillets.
  5. Shape the Dough
  6. Once risen, roll the dough into a thin, rectangular shape and place it on a greased baking sheet.
  7. Assemble the Pizza
  8. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough. Layer the onions, anchovies, and olives on top.
  9. Bake
  10. Preheat your oven to 480°F (250°C). Bake the pizza for about 15 minutes until the edges are golden and crisp.
  11. Serve
  12. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and garnish with fresh basil if desired. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

You can add capers or extra cheese like Pecorino for added flavor.
If you don’t like anchovies, you can omit them, though they are traditional in this recipe.
A pizza stone helps achieve an authentic, crisp crust.