Tartufo Pizza Recipe

Preheat oven and pizza stone or sheet: place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes. If your oven won't reach 500°F, set to highest temperature (450–475°F) and preheat longer.

Prepare dough: lightly flour your work surface with the 1/4 cup flour. If using refrigerated dough, bring to room temperature 30–60 minutes before shaping. Gently press and stretch the dough into a 10–12 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Transfer to a well-floured pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet.

Brush crust: brush the outer rim lightly with the 1 tbs olive oil to promote browning.

Prepare the crème fraîche base: spread the 1/2 cup crème fraîche evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2–3/4 inch border. This creates a creamy, tangy foundation in place of tomato sauce.

Layer the cheeses: sprinkle the 1 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over the crème fraîche. Scatter the 1/2 cup shredded fontina over the mozzarella for melt and flavor. Finish by evenly sprinkling the 1/4 cup grated truffle Pecorino over the top.

Dollop mushroom pâté: using a spoon, place 3 tablespoons of black truffle mushroom pâté in 4–6 small dollops across the pizza surface. The pâté will melt into concentrated pockets of truffle-mushroom flavor while baking.

Bake the pizza: transfer the pizza to the preheated stone or sheet. Bake until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and slightly blistered, about 7–10 minutes at 500°F (longer if oven is cooler). Rotate halfway through if necessary for even browning.

Prepare a soft-cooked (jammy) egg while baking: bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer. Add the egg and simmer for 6 minutes for a jammy yolk (slightly runny). Immediately transfer the egg to an ice bath for 2 minutes to stop cooking, then gently peel.

Finish baking and add egg: when the pizza is done, remove from oven and place on a cutting board. Gently slice the soft-cooked egg in half and place halves yolk-side up in the center or distribute across the pizza. The warm pizza will loosen the yolk slightly—do not mix; the runny yolk adds silkiness.

Season and finish: lightly season the pizza with the 1/4 tsp flaky salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. If using, drizzle the 1 tsp black truffle oil sparingly in a thin zigzag to amplify truffle aroma without overpowering. Scatter the 1 tbs chopped parsley or microgreens for color if desired.

Slice and serve: let the pizza rest 1–2 minutes so the cheeses settle, then slice into 6 slices and serve immediately while the yolk is runny and cheeses are warm.