Campagnola Recipe

Trim and blanch rapini

Trim the tough ends from the rapini stems and cut large leaves in half so pieces are bite-sized. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rapini and blanch 1–2 minutes until bright green and slightly tender but still with bite. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Reserve.

Sauté rapini with garlic

In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add the drained rapini, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, and sauté 2–3 minutes to incorporate flavors. Remove from heat and set aside. If rapini holds excess water, squeeze gently in a kitchen towel to remove before sautéing.

In the same skillet (wipe out if necessary) over medium-high heat, add the sausage meat (no casing). Break it up with a spoon and cook 6–8 minutes until browned and cooked through. Season lightly with black pepper. Drain any excess fat on paper towels. Keep hot or set aside to use on pizza.

Preheat and shape

Place a pizza stone or inverted heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, press or stretch the dough ball into a 10–12 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Transfer to a floured peel or sheet of parchment for easy transfer.

Build the Campagnola

Brush the dough lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle the 1 tsp sea salt evenly (or omit if using salted sausage). Scatter the cooked sausage over the dough in even pieces. Distribute the sautéed rapini across the pizza, leaving the rim clear. Tuck torn pieces of fior di latte evenly over the top. Finish with grated Pecorino and a light dusting of black pepper.

Slide the pizza onto the hot stone or baking sheet and bake 7–10 minutes, or until crust is blistered and golden and cheese is melted and slightly bubbling. Baking time will vary with oven and stone temperature; watch closely after 6 minutes.

Remove pizza from oven. Drizzle the finishing 1 tsp olive oil and, if using, sprinkle the lemon zest over the top. Let rest 1–2 minutes, then slice and serve.