Bresaola Al Carpaccio Recipe

Shape and rest

About 45–60 minutes before baking, bring pizza dough to room temperature if refrigerated. Lightly flour a work surface and stretch or roll the dough to a roughly 12-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust.

Preheat your wood-fired oven to a surface temperature appropriate for Neapolitan-style pizza (typically 700–900°F / 370–480°C). If using a home oven with a pizza stone, preheat to the highest temperature (500–550°F / 260–290°C) for at least 45 minutes.

Lightly dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina to prevent sticking. Transfer the stretched dough to the peel.

Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border for the crust. Sprinkle the minced garlic lightly over the sauce.

Distribute torn fresh mozzarella evenly across the sauced surface. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the cheese and brush the exposed crust edge with a little olive oil.

Slide the pizza into the wood-fired oven and cook until the crust is blistered and leopard-spotted and the cheese is melted and slightly bubbling. In a very hot wood-fired oven this will take about 60–90 seconds; in a home oven with a stone expect 6–9 minutes. Rotate the pizza as needed for even cooking.

When cooked, remove the pizza from the oven and place on a cutting board. Allow to rest 1–2 minutes.

While pizza rests, assemble the carpaccio components. In a medium bowl combine arugula, the juice of 1 lemon, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss lightly to dress—arugula should be well-coated but not soggy.

Arrange the thin slices of bresaola over the hot pizza in a single overlapping layer or folded decoratively. The residual heat will warm the bresaola slightly without cooking it.

Top the bresaola with the dressed arugula. Scatter the shaved Parmesan over the greens and meat so it melts slightly from the pizza heat and sits on top.

Finish with a light drizzle of aged balsamic or balsamic reduction and, if using, a pinch of chili flakes for heat.

Slice the pizza into 6–8 slices and serve immediately so the contrast between the hot wood-fired crust, warm cheese, and cool silky bresaola is preserved.