Twisted Club Recipe

Preheat oven and prepare dough

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside for at least 30 minutes. Lightly dust a work surface with flour, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured peel. Brush the outer rim lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil.

Make the pesto

In a food processor combine 1 cup packed basil leaves, 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts, 1 clove garlic, 1 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pulse until smooth but slightly textured, scraping down the bowl once. If needed, add up to 1–2 tsp water or more olive oil to reach a spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust salt/lemon as desired. Reserve 2 tbsp of pesto for drizzling at the end.

Spread pesto on dough

Using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula, spread a thin, even layer (about 3–4 tbsp) of the pesto over the dough, keeping about 3/4-inch border for the crust.

Prepare meats

If pancetta is not pre-cooked, heat a small skillet over medium heat and cook 1/2 cup diced pancetta, stirring, until fat renders and pieces are crisp, about 4–6 minutes. Drain on paper towel. If using pre-cooked rotisserie/oven-roasted chicken, shred or slice to measure 1 cup. If you have raw chicken breasts, roast at 400°F (200°C) for 18–22 minutes until 165°F internal, then shred.

Top the pizza with proteins

Evenly distribute the 1 cup shredded oven-roasted chicken and the crisped 1/2 cup pancetta over the pesto layer, spacing so the pizza remains balanced.

Add cheeses

Tear or thinly slice 6 oz fresh mozzarella and scatter it evenly over the chicken and pancetta, leaving some green and tomato spaces visible. Finish with 2 tbsp grated Parmesan sprinkled lightly across the surface.

Add tomatoes

Arrange thinly sliced roma tomatoes (about 1 cup) over the cheese in a single layer or slightly overlapped so they roast rather than release excess water.

Bake the pizza

Carefully slide the parchment (or transfer with a peel) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and slightly blistered, 8–12 minutes depending on oven and stone. Rotate once halfway if needed for even browning.

Rest and top with fresh items

Remove pizza from oven to a cutting board. Let rest 2 minutes. Immediately top with 1 cup wild arugula tossed lightly with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil (optional). Fan thin slices from 1/2 a ripe avocado across the pizza.

Make the aioli

In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 3/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper, 1/2 clove finely minced garlic and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1 tsp water if you prefer a thinner consistency for drizzling. Taste and adjust salt or lemon as needed.

Drizzle and finish

Drizzle the lemon pepper aioli over the pizza in a thin zigzag or dot pattern. Optionally dollop the reserved 2 tbsp pesto in a few spots. Finish with 2 tbsp additional grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, and a light sprinkle of cracked black pepper and flaky sea salt to taste.

Slice the Twisted Club into 8 slices and serve immediately while warm. Provide extra lemon pepper aioli on the side if desired.