Calabrian Street Corn Recipe
sweet corn, calabrian chilis, ricotta, lemon zest, mozzarella, chili oil, pecorino (vegetarian)
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Ingredients
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Pizza base & assembly
Corn & spread
Calabrian chili elements & finishing
Method
Pizza base & assembly
- 1
Preheat and prepare peel/stone
Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes. If using a pizza peel, dust it with 1 tablespoon flour; keep a little extra flour on hand to prevent sticking.
- 2
Shape dough
On a lightly floured surface, gently stretch or roll the prepared pizza dough into a roughly 10–12-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker 1/2-inch edge for the crust. Transfer the shaped dough to the dusted peel or an inverted baking sheet if not using a peel. Brush the dough edge lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to promote browning.
Corn & spread
- 3
Prepare corn
If using fresh corn: remove kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife. If using frozen: thaw and pat dry. Place 1 cup kernels in a medium skillet over medium-high heat (no oil) and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and slightly softened, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 2 minutes.
- 4
Make ricotta spread
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons ricotta, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt (reserve the rest for seasoning the corn/pizza) and a pinch of black pepper. Mix until smooth and spreadable. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
- 5
Assemble corn layer
Evenly distribute the ricotta mixture over the stretched dough leaving the outer 1/2-inch rim bare. Scatter the charred corn kernels evenly over the ricotta layer.
- 6
Add cheeses
Sprinkle 3 ounces shredded mozzarella evenly over the corn, then grate or sprinkle 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano over the top. Lightly season with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and the remaining black pepper, distributing evenly.
Calabrian chili elements & finishing
- 7
Add Calabrian chilis
Dot 2 teaspoons Calabrian chili paste or spoon small amounts of chopped preserved Calabrian chilis around the pizza surface. If your paste is very spicy, distribute sparingly to keep the heat balanced. Drizzle 1 teaspoon chili oil and 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil lightly over the entire pizza to help flavors meld and promote browning.
- 8
Bake
Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and slightly blistered, 8–12 minutes depending on oven and stone. Rotate halfway through bake for even color.
- 9
Finish & garnish
Remove pizza from oven. Immediately grate a little additional Pecorino if desired and finish with a light drizzle of chili oil for shine and extra heat. Scatter chiffonade basil (4 leaves) over the hot pizza. Let rest 2 minutes, slice, and serve.