New York Style Pizza with Clams and Broccoli Rabe

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  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 15 min (plus rising)
  • Active: 1 hr
  • Yield: One 12- to 13-inch pizza
This pie was inspired by my favorite pizza from Pasquale Jones in New York City’s Little Italy. It’s made with fresh clams, plus broccoli rabe and chiles for bitterness and heat. It will make you a seafood pizza lover!

Ingredients

All-Purpose Pizza Dough:

Directions

  1. Make the dough. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 500˚ F (use the convection setting, if available) with a pizza stone, baking steel or inverted large baking sheet in the lower third of the oven. Put the clams in a large bowl of cold water; let sit 20 minutes to remove any excess grit.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl of ice water. Drain and pat dry, then roughly chop. 
  3. Drain the clams and rinse under cold water. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened, 1 minute. Stir in the wine, oregano and clams. Cover and cook until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the clams to a bowl with tongs, reserving the cooking liquid in the skillet; discard any unopened clams.
  4. Simmer the clam cooking liquid over medium heat until reduced by two-thirds, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the heavy cream. Return the heat to medium, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 4 minutes. Let cool until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes; discard the oregano sprigs. Remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop.
  5. Working on a floured or cornmeal-dusted piece of parchment, gently stretch and press the dough into a 12- to 13-inch round. Sprinkle all over with the Parmesan, then top with the clam sauce (the sauce will spread as it bakes). Top with the clams, broccoli rabe and Calabrian chiles. 
  6. Transfer the pizza (on the parchment) to the hot stone and bake until the crust is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Slide the pizza onto a cutting board and let cool slightly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

All-Purpose Pizza Dough:

  1. Sprinkle the yeast over the hot water in a small bowl. Let stand until dissolved and slightly foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and add the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust the dough with flour and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until very smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough into two 1-pound balls. (If making sheet-pan pizza, let the dough rise, covered, on an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet coated with 3 tablespoons olive oil instead of in a bowl; do not divide into two balls.)
  5. If not using the dough right away, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.