Speck, Parmigiana Reggiano, Peach and Arugula Sourdough Pizza

One of my favourite combinations on a pizza that I’ve made is the Speck, Parmigiana Reggiano, Peach and Arugula Sourdough Pizza.  Something about the salty speck and cheese, the sweetness of the peaches and peppery arugula is so delicious.

The recipe that follows was originally shared during the pizza community bake, I’ve made some edits so that it works better with my starter and oven.

For 4 9” pizzas NY style thin crust 200 g each

Levain Build 100% hydration 35 g needed

433 g bread flour

43 g Whole grain flour (50:50 whole spelt:whole wheat)

4.76 g Diastatic malt 1%

252 g water and

41 g water hold out

8.43 g salt 1.71%

2.5 g sugar 0.5%

4.8 g olive oil 1.0%

Total flour 493.5

Total water 310.5 

63% hydration water only

64% including olive oil

Sourdough version you may have to adjust the amount of levain. At 3.5% PreFerment Flour (PFF) 2-4 day retard should work.

(1) In your mixer bowl(or by hand) dissolve the Starter or yeast in all of the Final Dough Water except the HOLD OUT Water.  (Add diastatic malt too)

(2) Mix in the flours until well hydrated 

(3) Allow to fermentolyse for 1hr 

(4) Mix in the remaining HOLD OUT Water, salt, and sugar mix until well-incorporated. 

(5) Slowly drizzle in the oil until well combined. 

(6) Beat or knead by hand until dough is moderately developed. The dough will be sticky and elastic. If kneading by hand, use slightly wet hands and avoid adding more flour. 

(7) Oil your hands and a suitable container. 

(8) Shape into a tight ball.  I divide the ball into four smaller ones each for one 9” pizza at this point.  Each goes into a small oiled bowl and allowed to proof for 1 hour before starting cold fermentation.

(9) Cold ferment in the refrigerator for 48-96hrs. 

(10) Remove to warm up to room temp for at 3-6hr or so before use, or you can ferment at room temp. for 6hrs.   2-3 hours seem ideal 80ºF 

(11) Stretch the balls into your desired size skins (see video below), top and bake at 550F (as high as your oven will go) Until the crust is browned and the cheese has melted. Spin the pie at least once to avoid burning due to oven hot spots. I have included a link to a skin stretching tutorial. Watch this video, more than a few times then go through the motions in your head. If you can see it in your mind's eye, you too can be a home oven pizzaiolo! 

Heat oven to 550ºF convection roast setting, with skillet in oven on baking steel on the second highest rack about 1 hour.  My set up with the baking steel on the roasting rack that set up is on the third highest rack because of the added height from the roasting rack so it essentially makes the skillet on the second highest rack.

Place stretched dough into skillet and top with sauce and toppings.  For this pizza the order of toppings is speck, parmigiana reggiano then peaches.  The arugula toss with pepper and olive oil is added when the pizza is out of the oven.

Brushing water on the cornicione prior to baking in oven, gives better oven spring and leopard spots to the cornicione. 

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