Verdure Recipe

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 250°C (480°F) for at least 30 minutes. If using a home oven that doesn’t reach 250°C, preheat to the highest setting.

Prepare tomato sauce: drain the San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes into a bowl, reserve the juice for another use. Crush the tomatoes by hand or pulse once in a blender to a slightly chunky consistency. Season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; mix and set aside.

Stretch or roll pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round (approx. 25–30 cm). Transfer to a piece of parchment paper or a floured pizza peel for launching into the oven.

Prepare vegetables: slice the aubergine into 6–8 mm (1/4–1/3 inch) rounds. Cut the courgette lengthwise into 4–6 mm (thin) slices. Halve the red pepper, remove seeds and membranes, and flatten into large pieces.

Make garlic oil: finely mince or crush 2 garlic cloves and combine with 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let sit 5–10 minutes to infuse. Reserve 1 tbsp of this oil for brushing the vegetables and save the rest for finishing.

Heat a grill pan or ridged skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Brush aubergine, courgette and pepper with the garlic oil (about 1 tbsp total) and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill the pepper skin-side down until charred and blistered, turning to char evenly (6–10 minutes). Grill aubergine and courgette slices until tender and well-marked, about 2–3 minutes per side for courgette and 3–4 minutes per side for aubergine. Remove peppers to a bowl and cover with cling film for 5 minutes, then peel and slice into strips. Slice grilled aubergine and courgette into strips or bite-sized pieces.

Dress rocket: toss the rocket with remaining 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or reserved garlic oil), 1 tsp lemon juice (optional), and a pinch of salt and pepper; set aside.

Build the pizza: spread an even layer (about 140–160 g worth) of the seasoned San Marzano tomato onto the stretched dough, leaving a 1–1.5 cm border for the crust.

Distribute torn or sliced fior di latte evenly over the tomato, leaving some gaps so juices can evaporate and the crust can crisp.

Scatter the grilled aubergine, grilled pepper strips, and grilled courgette equally across the pizza so each slice will have a mixture of vegetables.

Slide the pizza (on the parchment or peel) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake at 250°C (480°F) for 7–10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and charred in spots and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Baking time will vary with oven temperature and stone.

Remove pizza from oven. Immediately scatter the dressed rocket over the hot pizza so it wilts slightly. Drizzle remaining garlic oil over the top. If using, dot or gently spread 1 tsp truffle cream in small spots across the pizza as a finishing tip — use sparingly.

Finish with a light grating of Parmesan or Pecorino (optional). Let rest 1–2 minutes, then slice and serve.