Pizza Bianca with Smoked Plums, Parmesan, Garlic Confit, and Edible Gold

Slofoodgroup Team January 13, 2021

White Pizza with Dried Plums, Garlic Confit, and Fried Rosemary

In Italy, Pizza Bianca means White Pizza, drizzled with sea salt and olive oil. White cheeses, like mozzarella and parmesan are typically added. Less strict than a classic tomato sauce pizza, Pizza Bianca leaves the door wide open to culinary exploration, allowing one to add any ingredient desired. From seafood to more expected ingredients, like cured meats, the combos are endless! If you're looking to impress, try this recipe for Pizza Bianca with smoked plums, garlic confit, and edible gold. It's just as beautiful as it is delectable, with textures and flavors abound! The smoked, dried plums are sweet, sticky, and tangy; the garlic confit is soft; the fried rosemary is crispy and fragrant; the gooey cheese and flake sea salt meld together into a sort of salty divinity; and the edible 24k gold takes this dish to the next level of extravagance. Reserve some of the oil the garlic has been cooked in to drizzle at the very end for an extra kick of flavor.

Smokey Plum & Garlic Pizza Bianca, Donned with 24K Gold Flakes

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 500 grams/4 cups white all purpose flour
• 250 grams/1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar

Toppings:

• 4 tbsp sour cream
• 2 balls fresh mozzarella cheese
• Freshly shaved parmesan cheese 
• About 150-200 grams/ 5-7 oz. smoked dried plums
• 1 head garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 2 fresh twigs rosemary
• pinch of flake sea salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 24k Gold sheets  

Procedure

1. Start by kneading the dough; to a mixing bowl, add the flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt and olive oil; knead for 7-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth, soft and doesn't stick to the bowl; cover and allow to rest for 30-35 minutes or until doubled in size;
2. While the dough is proofing, make the garlic confit; add the olive oil to a saucepan over the lowest heat setting of the stove; add the sliced garlic cloves in and cook while stirring constantly for about 10 minutes or until light golden; remove and set aside; to the same oil gently fry the rosemary twigs for few minutes to release some of the aroma; remove and set aside;
3. Preheat oven to 250°C/480°F with a pizza stone in for 30 minutes;
4. When the dough has proved, divide into two equal parts and form the pizza crust; lay the crust on a baking sheet and smear 2 tbsp of sour cream on top, followed by chunks of mozzarella cheese; liberally add the smoked dried plums on top; sprinkle the garlic confit as well as the fried rosemary and bake in the oven at 250°C/480°F for 7 minutes; if needed, broil for further 3 minutes at the same temperature;
5. Once out of the oven, add the shaved parmesan on top and brush the gold leaves on the plums for a nice contrast.