Coppa Salami & Buffalo Milk Fresh Mozzarella Pizza Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat your brick oven (or conventional oven with pizza stone) to its highest setting (ideally 750–900°F / 400–480°C for brick oven, or 500–550°F / 260–290°C for home oven). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven during preheat for at least 45 minutes. Lightly dust a pizza peel or work surface with 2–3 tablespoons of flour to prevent sticking.

On a lightly floured surface, gently stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 10–12 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker 1/2–3/4 inch rim. Do not deflate the dough too aggressively. Transfer the shaped dough to the floured peel or parchment for transfer.

Brush the outer rim lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to aid browning and create a glossy crust.

Make the quick San Marzano sauce

In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp sugar (optional), 1/2 tsp minced garlic, and 1/4 tsp dried oregano. Taste and adjust seasoning — sauce should be bright and slightly seasoned but not heavy. Do not cook; this is a fresh sauce for the pizza.

Using the back of a spoon, spread 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the prepared sauce onto the stretched dough, leaving the rim clear. Apply in a thin, even layer so the crust bakes through and the toppings remain balanced.

Assemble cheese and salami

Tear or slice 6 oz of fresh buffalo mozzarella into small pieces and distribute evenly over the sauced dough, leaving some small gaps so the sauce peeks through and the cheese melts evenly. Arrange 3 oz thinly sliced Coppa salami over the cheese in a single layer; some edges may curl and crisp when baked—this is desirable.

Slide the assembled pizza onto the preheated stone or directly into the brick oven. Bake until the crust is blistered and charred in spots, the cheese is melted and bubbling, and the salami edges are crisp—about 2–4 minutes in a hot brick oven, or 6–10 minutes in a 500–550°F home oven. Rotate once halfway for even browning.

Use a peel to remove the pizza and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest 1 minute before finishing so the cheese sets slightly.

Garnish and serve

Scatter 8–10 fresh basil leaves over the hot pizza. Drizzle 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of hot honey evenly across the pie (start with 1 tbsp and add more if you prefer sweeter/ spicier). Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt to taste. Slice into 6 pieces and serve immediately.